Documenting

Bandhani
Special Project

Guided by Prof. Ravi Poovaih

Project by
Konark Ashara
10625014
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all those artist and craftsmen with
whom I did this documentation. I am really thankful to
Nilesh Soneji (Jackeykaka) & His son Bhavin Soneji for
their help and support throughout my visit to Wadhwan.
I am also thankful to local researcher and one of the
famous local folk story taller Babubhai Ranpura for
sharing his knowledge and research about bandhani and
it’s history in wadhwan. I would thank my parents and
family for their love and support in my project. I would
also thank my younger brother Jay for his assistance
during the shoots.
Content
1. Abstract 03

2. Bandhani and city of Wadhwan 05

3. Bandhani 07

4. Cutting Cloth 09

5. Farma 11

6. Design Transfer 13

7. Distribution for Bandhej 15

8. Bandhej 17

9. Colouring 19

10. Drying 21

11. Deknoting and Packing 23

12. A Short Film on Process of Bandhani making 25

1
Abstract
Bandhani is one of the famous textile patterns in India.
Bandhani of Gujarat is very famous in India. It’s a traditional
textile of Gujarat. Wadhwan town in Surendranagar district
has largest production of Bandhani. In Wadhwan around 75%
of the families work in this profession. The process of making
one Bhandhani is lengthy. This process is complicated and
many different skilled craft’s men and women are involved. In
this project I have covered the process of Bhandhani making
and how everybody is involved in it and their role in process of
making Bandhani.

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 Bandhani and city Of Wadhwan
City of Wadhwan is situated in Surendranagar district of Gujarat.
Wadhwan produces largest amount of Bandani materials in
Gujarat. The Bandhani products of Wadhwan are affordable to
Business of Bandhani was started common people. 75% of Wadhwan population is engaged in this
in wadhwan by the Brahmkshtriya business in one or the other way. Business of Bandhani was started
(Khatri) community and still most in wadhwan by the Brahmkshtriya (Khatri) community and still
of the brahmkshtriyas are involved most of the brahmkshtriyas are involved in this business. Now days
in this business. Now days other other communities are also getting involved in this business. Main
communities are also getting reason for this is that Wadhwan’s bandhani is famous in Gujarat
involved in this business. Main and in other parts of India. Water of Wadhwan is one of the key
reason for this is that Wadhwan’s reason for the development of this business here. Wadhwan is
bandhani is famous in Gujarat and also the place where the Bandhani was born. Wadhwan’s soil
in other parts of India. was also a reason for development of this business. In olden days
when colours where made from the natural elements the soil of
Wadhwan had widest range of colours available at that time. Later
with time, due to modernization and competition now they do
not use the natural colour any more. The bandhani of Wadhwan
was so famous that other royal families of the state and country
also use to buy bandhani from Wadhwan. Surendranagar produces
high amount of quality cotton, so good quality cloths were
also available here. Because of these reasons Wadhwan and It’s
Bandhani are famous.

5
 Bandhani
The name Bandhani The process of making Bandhani includes several stages like
comes from the word Cutting cloths, Farma making, Transferring Design on Cloths with
Bandhej which means the help of farma, Bandehj, Colouring, removing Bandehj, Drying,
tying in Gujarati. Removing the final bandhej, Delivery to The wholesaler & then
Packinge. If it’s two or more colour Bandhani then it needs a
bandej and colouring again. The name Bandhani comes from the
word Bandhej which means tying in Gujarati. The whole piece of
cloth is tied according to design and then it is coloured. In Further
report I will explain whole process in detail.

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Cutting cloth
Wholesaler buys the cloth from the market and sends it to the person
who transfers the design on the cloths. As soon as cloths arrives
this person, cut the cloth according to the design. Since Bandhani is
a textile pattern one can make Panjabi Dress as well as Saree from
bandhani. So the cloth is cut according to the kind of the dress it will
be. The cloth from the wholesaler comes in different sizes of width and
length according to their requirement. The person who cuts the cloth
he is the one who transfers design on the cloth. Hence after cutting he
sits to transfer the design through Farma.

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Farma
Farma is a transparent plastic sheet, on which the design is created
first. This design is created Either by Professional Designer or
By Wholesaler or sometimes by the craft people themselves. In this
case, the craft person is the designer and he sells his design to the
wholesaler. Once the design is approved they create small pin holes
in the plastic sheet. With the help of these pin holes Design is
transferred on the cloth.

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Design Transfer
Once the Farma is ready they lay bundle of the cut cloth on the ground.
Then they put Farma on top of it. Then with the help of the colour water
and Squeeze they transfer the design on cloth. Since the size of the cloth
is big, for good transfer, this process requires two people to do it. Once
the Design transfer is done this person sends this transferred cloth to the
wholesaler who, later Distributes to the ladies who during their free
time do the “Bandhej” work.

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 Distribution for Bandhej
Once the design is transferred and delivered to the wholesaler,
he distributes this cloths to the Ladies. Bandhej
is mostly done by women. These women come to the
wholesaler everyday to collect the new design for Bandhej and
to return the ready Bandhej which then goes for colouring.
When these ladies come to collect the cloth for Bandhej, along
with the cloth, they are provided with thread rolls. These ladies
have accounts with the wholesaler. He writes and maintains
the account for them and pays them accordingly. The payment
of these Bandhej is decided by ladies after looking at the
design and detail of the work. Smaller the Bandhej more
charge and it also varies on the amount of Bandhej needed
to be done. In the next chapter I will be explain the porcess of
Bandhej

Artificial Bird nest

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Bandhej
Bandhej means tieing knots in the specific pattern. This knot is tied Bandhej for Design
because when this tied cloth goes to colour this knot doesn’t let that
part catch colour so it stays white or whatever colour of cloth has. This Process is mostly done by women at home. So once the
Bandhej is the main part of the bandhani making. Bandhej is the process distribution of design cloths is done to these women, they do
which is repeated many times in the making of one Bandhani. Every the bandhej at home. Bandhej for design is a very fine small
bandani mostly has bandhej two times. First time when it’s distributed bandhej which needs time and accuracy. Once this bandhej
to Ladies for bandej and then when it goes colour. If the bandhani has is done it goes back to wholesaler and they send this cloth
two colours as base colour then the people who colour the cloth, also tie for colouring. Once the colour is done if design needs more
a big bandhej which is different than the small bandhej done by ladies bandhej, then it again goes to the ladies for one more bandhej
based on design. Basically there are two types of Bandhej: and then again for colouring.

• Bandhej for design Bandhej for Basic colour

• Bandhej for basic colour This Bandhej is done when the cloth is sent for the colour
and it is done by the person who is colouring the cloth.
This bandhej is done using polythene and plastic thread
as shown in photo. After this bandhej it goes for the
colour. After colour this polythene are used again for the
bandhej for other similar bandhej. If the design demands
more small and different bandhej it again goes for design
bandhej. If not then after colour they left it open to sky
to dry. In summer it takes around 4-5 hours to dry, in
monsoon sometime it takes 2 days to dry in and in winter
it takes 6-7 hours to dry.

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Dying
After Bandej for Colour is done it goes for colour. It is not necessary that
every piece of design has Bandhej for Colour. Some might have only
design Bandhej. These kind of cloth directly goes for colour. Again colours
are decided by the person who has designed it. In olden days the colours
used were natural colours but now a days they use artifical colours.
For making this colour they use below listed materials. This
combination can colour around 40 pieces of cloth:
Colour - 350 gm
Alum - 350 gm.
Sodium- 175 gm
Powder - 50 gm
Sulphate Sodium - 50 gm
Water - until it mixture become paste
Acid - 150 gm
Once the colour is made then they dip cloths into it for around 1 -1.5
minutes per cloth. Then it goes for drying. This process is used when
base colour is light and the colour which will now be added is dark. If it
is other way round they have to do another process which is called ‘wet
colouring’. In that materials are same but it is done on the stove. After
colour it goes for Drying or for removing Bandhej.

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Drying
The drying is done on the terrace. Drying takes some
time depending upon the weather conditions. In
monsoon it takes around 1.5-2 days to dry while
in summer it takes only 4-5 hours. In winter it
takes around 6-7 hours for drying. After Drying if
there is more bandhej required, then it goes for
bandhej through wholesaler or through the colour
person depending upon the deal. If there is no more
requirement of any Bandhej then it directly goes
to wholesaler and wholesaler sends it to retailer. In
between this sometime Deknoting of bandhej happens
depending upon design. Small amount of deknoting
happens at retailer’s end. Wholesaler never does
anything. Last process of the bandhni is Deknoting
and Packing.

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Deknoting and Packing
This part of the process takes place at the retailers
end. When they get the bandhni from wholesaler
they have to iron it and pack it. During packing
it the retailer does the deknoting of the bandej.
Sometimes they hire somebody for this work.
Then it goes on display inside the shop, from
where customer buys it and gives that to tailor for
stitching.

23
A short Film on process
of Bandhani making
After study of the whole process, when I started this project I
though a photo documentation of this process will be good.
But when I went to the site, the way bandhej was done and
with the speed it was being done, I thought It will be difficult
to express the speed of Bandhej through a photograph.
So I decided to make a small introductory movie which
documents the process of Bandhani making in Wadhwan.
The film talks about Bandhani of Wadhwan. It also shows the
people involved in this business, Interview with one of the
wholesaler, who is also a brahmkshtriya and this is his family
business. For last 30 years he has been working in this area
He has seen changes in Wadhwan Bandhani. The process is
lengthy and it involves many people in making one bandhani.

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