Handmade in India

DABU-MUD RESIST PRINTING
Production Clusters
Jodhpur district:
Pipad
Salawas
Pali district:
Pali
Products
Jaajam-large bedsheets
Odhni-veils
Ghaghra-skirts
Gadde ka kholmattress
covers
Tools
Bhaant-blocks
Paatia-printing table
Wooden tray for
colour
Mesh or gauze
Dye vats
THE CHHIPPA COMMUNITY of
traditional printers of this region use the
mud resist printing technique with vegetable
dyes to create densely patterned and richly
coloured textiles that cater to the functional
and sartorial requirements of many local
communities such as the
Patel,Meghwal,Sindhi,Muslims,Maali,Raika
Rabari,Jat and Bishnois.
Although all the motifs are derived from vegetable and floral
forms,each bears a unique association with a specific community,thus
serving as a means of identifying the wearer.The dabu process begins
with the collection and storage of mud from the local pond;prior to its
usage the mud is wet and sieved until it becomes a fine paste.It is then
mixed with lime,gum,either fenugreek or alum,and jaggery.The fabric
to be printed is washed thoroughly to remove all starch and then dried;
the entire yardage is treated with harda,the mordant,and then
dried again.The resist printing is executed by applying a wood
block dipped in the dabu paste on the thus treated cloth,The
fabric is then dyed;depending on the design the fabric either
undergoes a second round of resist printing or washing which
removes the mud paste.The final dyeing stage imparts colour to
the previously resisted areas.
Inset and right
Wooden blocks used
for mud resist
printing,Pali.
The craftsmen at Pali print yardages using the traditional
vocabulary of motifs,borders or stripes and trellis.
Fabric printed for the skirts worn by women of several local communities in Salawas.