Crafts / Bandhani

Bandhani

State: Gujarat
Material: Cotton · Silk · Natural dye
Rarity: Popular

A pattern made by the dots that the dye never reached

About

Tie-dyed sarees and odhnis with patterns of tiny dots, from Kutch, Saurashtra and Rajasthan.

Bandhani, also called bandhej, is a tie-dye craft of western India. Tiny portions of the cloth are pinched and tied tightly with thread into many small knots, and the cloth is then dyed. The tied points resist the dye and stay in the original colour, so that when the knots are opened a pattern of dots appears, which may form flowers, waves, stars, birds and many other designs. The word comes from the Sanskrit root bandh, meaning to bind or tie.

The main centres are in Gujarat, including Bhuj, Mandvi, Anjar, Pethapur, Jamnagar, Rajkot and Jetpur in Kutch and Saurashtra, and in Rajasthan, including Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Churu. In Gujarat the work has long been done by the Khatri community of Kutch and Saurashtra. Bandhani tying is often a family trade, and women of these families tie the patterns at home.

Bandhani is made into sarees, odhnis (head cloths), dupattas and turbans. A bandhani saree is part of the bridal outfit and a ritual item for married women on many occasions, and each colour carries meaning.

How it’s made

Bandhani begins with the cloth. Fine cotton, such as malmal, or silk is washed to remove starch and often bleached, then folded in two or four layers. A designer marks the pattern on it using wooden blocks dipped in geru, a natural red-earth pigment mixed with water.

Then comes the tying. The tyer pinches tiny portions of cloth along the marked pattern and binds each one with thread, usually plucking the cloth with the fingernails. In some places in Rajasthan craftsmen wear a metal ring with a pointed nail to help. A metre of cloth can carry thousands of tiny knots, which are called bheendi in Gujarati. The work needs patience and sharp eyes, and is done for hours at a time.

The tied cloth is dyed in stages, going from lighter colours to darker ones. The cloth with its first ties is dyed yellow, for example, then more ties are made over the yellow areas and it is dyed red or green. Repeated tying and dyeing produces many-coloured patterns. Dyeing may be pakka, in which the colours are fast, or kaccha, in which they fade or wash off easily. Finally the knots are opened, revealing the pattern of undyed dots, and the cloth is dried and finished.

Key features

Cloth tied in thousands of tiny knots before dyeing
Patterns of dots forming flowers, waves, stars and birds
Colours carry meanings: red for marriage, yellow for spring and birth
Dyed in stages from light to dark colours
Done by families, often with women tying at home
Main centres: Kutch, Saurashtra and Rajasthan
Ghar chola and other bandhani sarees are part of the bridal trousseau

History

The origins of bandhani are old, but exact dates are hard to give. Tie-dye as a way of patterning cloth is known from ancient times, and a type of dot pattern similar to bandhani may be seen in sixth-century paintings in the Ajanta caves. The first mention of a bandhani saree in literature is said to be in Banabhatta's Harshacharita, in the description of a royal wedding.

Bandhani has strong cultural meaning. Red is the colour of marriage and linked to rituals of married women, yellow to spring and to childbirth, saffron to renunciation and to warriors and yogis, and black and maroon to mourning. In Gujarat many brides wear a ghar chola, a bandhani saree gifted by the mother-in-law, at their wedding, and in Rajasthan a yellow saree with a broad red border called peeley ki sari is gifted to women by their natal home during pregnancy or childbirth.

The bold bandhani patterns are very similar in design, motif and technique across the desert belt of northern Kutch, western Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan. The craft is also found in Tamil Nadu, where it is known as sungudi. The city of Bhuj is known for its red bandhani; the water of the area is said to give a particular brightness to reds and maroons.

Facts

Thousands of knots Knots by the thousand. A single metre of cloth can carry thousands of tiny knots, which are called bheendi in Gujarati.
Red for marriage Colours with meaning. Red stands for marriage, yellow for spring and childbirth, saffron for renunciation and black and maroon for mourning.
Ghar chola A bridal saree. Many Gujarati brides wear a ghar chola, a bandhani saree gifted by the mother-in-law, to their weddings.
Bhuj red The red of Bhuj. Bhuj is known for its red bandhani; the water of the area is said to give a special brightness to reds and maroons.

Market

Sarees, dupattas and odhnis

Bandhani is sold as sarees, dupattas, odhnis, kurta material and turbans in markets in Gujarat and Rajasthan, in shops across India and online. Many printed 'bandhani-look' fabrics have been made by screen printing; in true bandhani the pattern is formed by tying, so the dots have tiny raised centres and the pattern shows on both sides.

Sustainability

Traditional natural dyes, heavy on water

Bandhani has long used natural dyes, such as flower dyes and indigo, with turmeric for yellow, though modern work often uses synthetic dyes. Dyeing uses a lot of water. Choose handmade bandhani in natural fabrics, and ask whether natural dyes were used.

Products

Bandhani sarees: Including the ghar chola, a bridal saree
Odhnis and dupattas: Head cloths and scarves with dot patterns
Turbans: Fine bandhani turbans, traditionally worn by men
Dress material: Cotton and silk lengths for kurtas and skirts
Peeley ki sari: A Rajasthani yellow saree with a red border, gifted at childbirth

Words to know

Bandhani / bandhej: Tie-dye textiles from western India.
Bheendi: The tiny knots tied into bandhani cloth.
Ghar chola: A bandhani wedding saree gifted to a bride.
Pakka and kaccha: Fast and fading dyes in traditional bandhani dyeing.
Geru: A natural red earth used to mark the pattern.
Odhni: A head cloth or veil.

Try it yourself

Bandhani Dot Handkerchief · Beginner · 1.5 - 3 hours (plus drying)
Bandhani Tie-Dye · Intermediate · 3 - 6 hours (including drying)