The Intricate Bandhani

October 01, 2020

The Intricate Bandhani

Bandhani is a unique tie-dye textile created by patiently plucking a cloth into many tiny bindings that form a figurative design. A meter length of cloth can have thousands of tiny knots known as 'Bheendi' in the local Indian language 'Gujarati'.These knots form a design, symbolic of India, after dyeing in bright and natural colours.

The Magic

“Many years ago, a holy man went to a Khatri’s house, and as the story goes, the Sadhu was doing his meditation (jap) and knots formed on the cloth that was meant to be dyed. The cloth was dyed just the way it was, and when the knots were opened, the pattern that emerged was beautiful, so the Khatris paid attention to the way it was formed and then continued working on it. This was later known as Bandhani.” Aziz Khatri, Nakhatrana.

15-second video shot in Balmain

Majestic

The earliest evidence of Bandhani dating back to Indus Valley Civilization suggests that dyeing was done as early as 4000 B.C. Examples of the most extensive types of Bandhani dots can be seen in the 6th-century paintings depicting the life of Buddha found on the wall of Cave I at Ajanta. The Bandhani is also mentioned in the texts of the rule of Alexander the Great.

The Bandhani is revered as a garment for a Gujarati bride as the first Bandhani saree was worn in a royal marriage circa 700 CE as depicted in Bana Bhatt`s Harshacharita ( The Biography of the ruler Harsha). It is believed that wearing a Bandhani saree can bring a good future to a bride. The picture below of a Bandhani Turban.

Mastery

The above depicts the steps and possible location scenarios in this skilled and ancient process. In the state of Kachchh alone, over 25,000 people earn their livelihood practising this heritage craft mostly at home.

Bandhani is a time consuming and laborious technique.

The men are active in the dying and distribution process.

The women tie the tiny knots using a strong thread to bind these.

Before tying, the cloth is washed to de-gum and remove impurities. It is then prepared in the workshops where designs are stencilled onto fine cotton and silk using a fugitive dye mixed with kerosene. In case of wool, the designs are marked using a thread dipped in soot and Kerosene.

Within the intricacy of the design even the simplest of forms, a dot, has three different types when it comes to Bandhani. A small dot that is hollow in the centre is called dana or bindi in Gujarat. A bigger dot is called a goto and a third interesting tear-shaped dot is called a kodi. There are two types of dots- aniwali bhindi which is a simple dot and mathawali bhindi which forms a continuous line.

The marked fabrics are then distributed to villages and folk work on tying these small dots or bindis at their homes. They follow the outlines to pinch the fabric with a nail or a metal point- then bind these tightly using a glass pipe called Bhungali and move to the consecutive bindi without breaking the thread.

This skill is learned from a young age and is passed down through generations. The number of ties per cloth can range from a few to many thousands and can take a few days to many months depending on the design and garment. Payment for this work is dependent on the type of fabric, and the size and number of "kadis" that have been tied. One kadi is equal to four dots, and highly skilled artisans could tie up to 2000 dots in one day while part-time workers average 400-500 dots a day. There are two types of tying: Sarkam, which is tying on the marked designs, and Bharti, which is filling in the empty spaces. The thread used for tying depends on the material as the finer the fabric, the smaller the ties and count of the thread.

The tied cloths are returned to the workshop for dyeing and later washing. Only natural dyes are used. In the case of multi-colour dyeing, they may be sent for tying and retying several times in order to achieve dots in several colours. The dyers have to ensure that the tying remains intact and does not unravel in the process.

Pethapur, Mandavi, Bhuj, Anjar, Jetpur, Jamnagar, Rajkot, are some of the main towns in Gujarat, where Bandhani is created. The city of Bhuj in Gujarat is well known for its red Bandhani. The dyeing process of Bandhani is carried out extensively in this city, as the water of this area is known to give a particular brightness to colours, specifically reds and maroons.

The Bandhani work has been exclusively carried out by the Khatri community of Kutch and Saurashtra.

A Balmain Bandhani

Each community has a specific style of garment that they wear following a certain colour palette and following a set of motifs often narrating a story.

Traditionally, the final products can be classified into many categories, and the Ghar Chola is discussed further below in “Meaningful Wedding Garment”.

The Ties on the fabric are not opened until the time of purchase. So imagine the magic when you are about to purchase a piece and the thread bindings are gently pulled and fall, unveiling the colour and design for the first time.

Motifs used

Mango trees, flowing creepers, a water ripple, a square referred to as Chawk, a mango fruit referred to as Keri and a standing doll among others are created. The motif of a mango, Is considered a symbol of fertility.

A motif of a parrot tells the story of Lord Krishna and his lover, Radha, a tale well recited in Hindu epics and sagas. The bird also represents love and appears in clothes designed for both brides and grooms.

The Mesmerising Journey of our Bandhani Pom Pom Scarf

Meaningful Gujarati Wedding Garment

As mentioned earlier, one of the classifications of a Bandhani is “Ghar Chola”. A mother-in-law gifts this piece to the bride on the day of her wedding and the name loosely means Home (Ghar) Wear (Chola).

Gharcholas have a characteristic chequered pattern. These patterns are formed in many permutations. But, the most popular ones are 9, 12 and 52 square patterns. While 12 squared grids are famously called –bar bhag, the 52 squared ones are known as - bavan bhag. Each check or box in the Gharchola is tied and dyed to create Bandhani patterns. The same dot Bandhani pattern that is used in one check is often repeated in every single block through the Gharchola or the repetition is strategic. This is then dyed in the colours red/ maroon/scarlet. Embellishments are a personal choice.

Indian weddings are enjoyed over many days as follows.

Lord Ganesha worship - prayers for a happy married life.

Mehendi Ceremony- Henna decorations mainly for Hand palms.

Mandap Mahurat- seeking permissions from Mother Earth to start the digging of a piece of the land to erect a mandap (wedding canopy). Griha Shanti- earn the blessing of all nine planets.

Pithi – Application of Sandalwood Paste on Bride and Groom for grace and beauty. Sanji- a musical evening with dancing generally held the evening before the wedding day.

And the Wedding- Walking around the fire signifies Holiness and Matrimony

The Ghar Chola is worn on the day of the wedding by the Bride and the Bride’s mother- the latter often a family heirloom. It is also auspicious for the groom's mother to wear an heirloom Ghar Chola. In the sad case of a woman predeceasing her husband, the Ghar Chola is the final garment she will be clothed in depicting the reverence and cultural importance placed on this version of the Bandhani.

Measured Modern and Traditional