Famous worldwide, the Ajrakh textiles of Kutch in Gujarat standout for their richly printed surface and elaborate crafting procedures. The printing is done on both sides in the shades of indigo and madder multiple dyeing techniques besides mordanting are employed. Natural vegetable and mineral colors are used to dye and print the fabrics. Items such as turbans, shawls, lungis, odhani, curtains, floor spreads and bed covers etc are created using these skilled techniques. Tools such as wooden printing blocks, colors, furnace, bamboo lattice, earthen dying vats, copper vessels for dyes, wooden battens, brushes etc are used for the crafting purpose.
The Ajrak resist-printing technique is found in Anjar and Dhamadka in Kutch. The painted Ajrak cloth has colours – blue, red, black and white, in several patterns — resembling those found at Fostat. The printed red and block odhnis of Anjar carry motifs similar to those found on old pottery and stone carvings.
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