Description

Fabric: Chanderi Silk

Blouse: Contrast pattern, Unstitched, 1 meter in length

Saree Length: 5.5 meters

Saree Width: 45 Inches

Colors: Black, Blue, Red, Off White

Pattern: Dots

Border: Antique Zari

Occasion: Casual, Dressy

Care: Green dry cleaning or separate hand-wash in cold water and mild detergents. Some color may wash off in first few washes. Avoid frequent washing, reverse dry in shade and iron on reverse is recommended to preserve the beauty of this fabric.

Disclaimer: Characteristic imperfections associated with hand block natural dye printing maybe noticed. This is not a flaw but indicative of handmade process. Despite every effort to showcase each product’s color and design, please note that actual colors may vary due to different device settings and other factors.

This saree features white radiating dots in repeat pattern on a dark background in the technique of Bandhni work done by women artisans and  geometric patterns of Ajrakh on the Pallu, signifying the universe; Indigo blue symbolize the sky, deep crimson red  the Earth, black signifying the night and teeming whites strewn across the symmetrical patterns represent eternal light of the stars. 

Made By:  This exquisite saree is made by acclaimed master artisan Dr. Sufiyan Khatri, a 10th generation artisan whose family has been involved in the craft of Ajrakh printing since the 15th century. He has been involved in this craft since age 14 with his grandfather and father. Under the expert tutelage of his elders he became adept at all the aspects of this art like carving the blocks, printing and making his own dyes and resist pastes. Sufiyan ji’s textiles are famous for their jewel toned colors and detailed geometric, floral and architectural patterns. He also involves himself with community work and is a big advocate for sustainable textile dyeing practices and water conservation. It is his humility, commitment to sustainability and generous spirit that we find truly inspiring and deeply moving.

Ajrakh: Traditionally, Ajrakh is the name of a hand block printed cloth with deep crimson red, indigo blue and black, bearing symmetrical patterns with interspersed unprinted sparkling white motifs. Red is acquired from alizarin found in the roots of madder plants. Natural Indigo comes from the leaves of plant called Indigofera tinctoria. The leaves are soaked in water and fermented, which converts the glycoside indican naturally present in the plant to the blue dye indigotin. The precipitate from the fermented leaf solution is mixed with a strong base such as lye. Black color formed from iron shavings, millet flour and molasses with the addition of ground tamarind seeds to thicken the dye. Lot of other colors seen on genuine Ajrakh are derived from other vegetable and natural sources. The history of this ancient craft of resist dyeing can be traced back to the civilizations of the Indus Valley that existed around 2500 BC-1500 BC. Ajrakh dyeing is a long and complex process involving about 14-16 steps. It can take 2-3 weeks to complete. The biggest threat to this craft comes from fast fashion businesses who have imitated these prints in pigment dyes, digital print and mill production.