Ajrakh Process Sample thumbnail 1
Ajrakh Process Sample thumbnail 2
+3
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Not on display

This object consists of 3 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Ajrakh Process Sample

2006 (made)
Artist/Maker
Ismail Mohammad Khatri (made)
Place of origin
Gujarat (made)
Kutch (made)

Three sets of process samples made up of strips of cotton cloth block-printed in progressive stages of completion to show the ajrakh process.

Object details

Category
Textiles
Object type
Ajrakh process sample
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Ajrakh Process Samples
  • Ajrakh Process Samples
  • Ajrakh Process Samples
Materials and techniques
Cotton
Block Printing
Resist-Dyeing
Mordant Dyed
Brief description
Samples showing the ajrakh printing process, sewn into book form, designed and made by Ismail Mohammad Khatri, Gujarat, 2006; Textiles
Physical description
Three sets of process samples made up of strips of cotton cloth block-printed in progressive stages of completion to show the ajrakh process.
Dimensions
  • Length: 96.5cm
  • Length when opened out length: 182cm
  • Width: 19.3cm
Gallery label
(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)
AJRAKH

Ajrakh (from Arabic azraq: 'blue') is a laborious technique from western Rajasthan, Kutch and Sindh. It involves about 14 stages. The dyer block-prints resist paste on the areas to remain white, and mordant pastes to fix the colour on the areas to be dyed red or black. The whole cloth is then immersed in indigo dye for the blue areas and the resist is washed off. The finest ajrakhs are printed on both sides.

Man's wrapped garment
Cotton dyed using block-printed mordants and resist
Sindh, Pakistan, 1855-79
V&A: 5473A (IS)

Samples showing ajrakh process
Cotton dyed ysing block-printed mordants and resists
Ajrakhpur, Kutch, Gujarat, 2006
V&A: IS. 7-2007
Production
Made at Dr Khatri's workshop in Ajrakhpur, Kachchh (Kutch), Gujarat as an educational tool to decsribe the processes involved in making a traditional 'minakari' (double-sided) ajrakh shawl.
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.7:1 to 3-2007

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Record createdMarch 1, 2007
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O132500/ajrakh-process-sample-ismail-mohammad-khatri/
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