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{{short description|Traditional Indian wood block printing}}
{{Infobox geographical indication
| name = Bagh prints of Madhya Pradesh
| imae = Bagh-print-silk-stole-sample.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Bagh print silk stole
| alternative names =
| description = 
| type = Printed fabrics
| area = [[Bagh, Dhar|Village Bagh]]
| country = India
| registered = Product registered in 2008 and logo registered in 2015
| material =Cotton, silk, tussar
| official website = }}

'''Bagh print''' is a traditional [[Crafts of India|Indian handicraft]] originating in [[Bagh, Dhar|Bagh]], [[Dhar district]] of [[Madhya Pradesh]], India. The process is characterised by hand printed wood block [[Relief printing|relief prints]] with naturally sourced pigments and dyes. Bagh print motifs are typically geometric, [[Paisley (design)|paisley]], or floral compositions design, dyed with vegetable colours of red and black over a white background, and is a popular [[textile printing]] product. Its name is derived from the village Bagh located on the banks of the Bagh River.<ref name=Bagh>{{Cite web|url=http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/journal/Journal_75.pdf |title=Geographical Indications Journal No.75 |date=26 November 2015 |access-date=4 February 2016 |publisher=Government Of India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204105330/http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/journal/Journal_75.pdf |archive-date=4 February 2016 }}</ref><ref name=Craft>{{Cite web|url=http://www.craftandartisans.com/hand-block-printing-of-Bagh-Madhya-Pradesh.html|title=Hand Block Printing of Bagh, Madhya Pradesh|accessdate=4 February 2016|publisher=Craft and Artisans|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414045706/http://www.craftandartisans.com/hand-block-printing-of-bagh-madhya-pradesh.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Traditional Bagh hand block print master craftsman-artisan-artist Mohammed Bilal Khatri, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg|thumb|Bagh hand block print artist at work]]

==History==
The origins of the Bagh print are uncertain, but it is believed that the practice is over 1,000 years old, with the techniques having been handed down through family practice from generation to generation. It is possible that the craft traveled with settlers from [[Jawad, India|Jawad]] in the Madhya Pradesh state in [[India]] or from printers of [[Rajasthan]] state.<ref name="Bagh" /> Another possibility is that the [[Chhipa]]s, or traditional cloth printers, of the Muslim Khatri community which currently practice the craft of Bagh print, traveled to the area around 400 years ago from Larkana in [[Sindh]] province, Pakistan, which is known for the [[Ajrak]] tradition of block printing.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292876526|title=A brief studies on block printing process in India|website=ResearchGate|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}}</ref>

The initial reasons for the migration is unclear, but the area's proximity to the Bagh river, which provided the water necessary for washing of fabric and processing of vegetable dyes, could be the primary reason for settling in Bagh. In addition, the chemical composition of the water from the Bagh river enhances the texture of the vegetable, natural, and black dyes, giving them a luminous quality that distinguishes Bagh prints from other prints in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan regions.<ref name="Bagh" />

In the 1960s, many craftsman abandoned the traditional process of Bagh prints in favour of using synthetic fabrics. However, a number of artisans, including [[Ismail Sulemanji Khatri]], continued to practice and innovate within the traditional framework of the craft and brought Bagh prints to international prominence.

In 2011, a Bagh print design was adopted in a tableau theme of the Madhya Pradesh state at the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day parade]] in New Delhi on 26 January 2011. Featured in the parade was a [[Shalabhanjika|Shalbhanjika]], the celestial ''apsara'' of the 11th century, draped in Bagh printed clothing.<ref name="Theme">{{Cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/delhi/mp-tableau-to-showcase-bagh-prints-on-republic-day-parade_682217.html|title=MP tableau to showcase 'Bagh' prints on Republic Day parade|date=21 January 2011|newspaper=Zeenews|accessdate=4 February 2016}}</ref>

==Process==
[[Image:Myk-tapai.JPG|thumb|Artist at work on the Bhatti process.]]
The process of creating Bagh prints includes pre-printing (the washing and pre-dying of the fabric), printing (application of the design) and post printing (fixing the dyes and applying a fabric finish).<ref name=Bagh/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.craftmark.org/sites/default/files/Bagh%20Block%20Printing.pdf|title=Bagh Block Printing|last=|first=|date=|website=Craft Mark|access-date=March 11, 2019}}</ref>

=== Pre-printing ===
Pre-printing starts with ''Khara Karna'', the initial washing of the fabric for printing. Cotton is the commonly used fabric; however, other fabrics include the Maheshwari suit material, [[Tussar silk|kosa silk]], bamboo chicks, chiffon, crepe, georgette tissue, and [[Mulberry silkworm|mulberry silk]]. The ''Khara Karna'' washing consists of washing in running water for two hours and beating the fabric on river stones to remove any starch in the fabric to assist with the dyeing process.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://asiainch.org/craft/hand-block-printing-of-bagh-madhya-pradesh/|title=Hand Block Printing of Bagh, Madhya Pradesh – Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-12}}</ref>

Next, the fabric is soaked in a water solution of rock salt, ''mengni'' (goat dung), and castor oil, pressed, rinsed and dried three times, which is known as ''Mengni Karna''. Then, the cloth is pre-dyed with ''Harara'' to provide an off-white base color, which also adds a richness to the black and red dyes that will be applied later.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="Chari">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/the-bagh-story/article2556692.ece|title=The Bagh story...|last=Chari|first=Pushpa|date=21 October 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|accessdate=4 February 2016}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://supriya129.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/the-story-of-bagh-print/|title=The Story Of Bagh Print|date=2017-02-26|website=By The Window|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}}</ref>

=== Printing ===
Bagh prints are made by hand applying natural and vegetable based dyes using carved wood relief blocks. Red and black dyes are most common, but indigo, mustard, and khaki dyes are also used. New blocks for printing are hand carved from [[teak]] or [[sheesham]] wood, but some blocks have been in use for 200 – 300 years. Motifs for the prints are geometric or floral, sometimes inspired by the 1,500 year old paintings at [[Bagh Caves]].<ref name="Craft" /><ref name="Bagh" />

==== Dyes ====
Dyes for printing are derived from plant sources (plants, fruits, and flowers), and minerals. To make the dyes, pigments like [[ferrous sulfate]] and [[alum]] are boiled in water and mixed with tamarind seed powder to make a paste, which acts as black and red dyes respectively.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gaatha.com/bagh-block-printing/|title=Bagh Printing- Madhya Pradesh. process & history {{!}} Gaatha . गाथा ~ handicrafts|date=July 4, 2016|first=Leonore|last=Alaniz|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-12}}</ref> Other colors like indigo, mustard, and khaki can be made using [[Indigofera|indigo]] leaves, [[Woodfordia fruticosa|dhavdi]] leaves, or [[pomegranate]] rinds.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name="Master">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/17/stories/2003021700170300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030507091200/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/17/stories/2003021700170300.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 May 2003|title=The man behind the craft|date=17 February 2003|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=4 February 2016}}</ref>

==== Printing blocks ====
The blocks, known as ''bilals'', are made of intricate and deeply carved teak or sheesham wood and are frequently sourced from [[Pethapur]], [[Gandhinagar]], and [[Jaipur]].<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0" /> The relief blocks can be reused and collected over generations, with some family libraries holding thousands of individual designs. Some blocks are aged up to 300 years old and have been in use for so long that they are known by particular names. New blocks are made approximately every six months to keep up with market demands, but care is taken to ensure that the new design is a variation of a traditionally accepted design. Common motifs include geometric shapes as well as natural forms like jasmine, mushroom, mango, or small dots on a field.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name="Chari" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/traveller/mp/inspire-me/culture/bagh-prints-lasting-imprint/|title=Bagh Prints: A Lasting Imprint|website=Outlook Traveller|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-12}}</ref>

==== Printing process ====
In order to apply the correct amount of dye to the printing block, a wooden reservoir, called a ''palea'', is filled with dye. A bamboo mesh (kartali) wrapped in wool is set up to float in the reservoir, soaking up the dye and transferring the color when the printing block is rested on top. The cloth to be printed is laid over a red sandstone table, called a ''farsi'', which is padded with extra cloth or old clothes to ensure smooth printing. The printing blocks are applied by hand, with an expert craftsman producing five yards of fabric in two to three hours, depending on the complexity of the design. Once the design is fully printed, the cloth rests for 8 to 14 days to allow the dye to fully absorb into the fabric.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0" />

=== Post-printing ===
Once the fabric has rested, it is brought to the river and rigorously washed for 20 minutes and beaten against river stones to remove excess dye. This process, known as the ''Bichalna'', requires both strength and care, as any smudges or stains that occur from improper washing are permanent. The fabric is then fixed and finished in the ''Bhatti'' process, where the fabric is boiled in a mixture of water, [[Alizarin]], and ''Dhavda'' flowers. The fabric is constantly shifted and turned with long sticks as the temperature of solution is slowly increased, which aids in the proper development of the colors. The whole process takes from four to six hours. Finally, the fabric is bleached and washed three more times before the fabric is complete.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name=":0" />

==Prominent master craftspersons==

*[[Mohammed Yusuf Khatri]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bagh prints of Madhya Pradesh hog limelight in Argentina too {{!}} ummid.com|url=https://www.ummid.com/news/2012/January/01.01.2012/bagh_prints_of_mp.htm|access-date=2021-04-06|website=www.ummid.com}}</ref>
*[[Ismail Sulemanji Khatri]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The man behind the craft|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/17/stories/2003021700170300.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030507091200/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/02/17/stories/2003021700170300.htm|url-status=dead|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2003-02-17|archive-date=2003-05-07}}</ref>
*[[Abdul Kadar Khatri]] (1961-2019) <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/bagh-artist-abdul-khatri-bags-unesco-2018-award-in-qatar/articleshow/67648631.cms|title=Bagh artist Abdul Khatri bags UNESCO 2018 award in Qatar | Bhopal News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=23 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bagh artisan Abdul Kadar Khatri bags UNESCO, world craft council award|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/bagh-artisan-abdul-kadar-khatri-bags-unesco--world-craft-council-award.html}}</ref>

==Quality control==
The [[Development Commissioner (Handicrafts)]], Government of India's branch office in Madhya Pradesh exercises control on quality. The artisans themselves follow an internal quality control mechanism through various stages of its production through master artisans. The Textiles Committee of the [[Ministry of Textiles]], Government of India, exercises quality control through the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts in cooperation with the stakeholders.<ref name=Bagh/>

==New experiments==
Initially, [[Mohammed Yusuf Khatri]], Mohammed Bilal Khatri, Mohammed Kazeem Khatri and their family made traditional dresses to meet the needs of various caste groups residing in the tribal region of Bagh. People of different castes and families had different dresses with specific identification tags of the tribal Bhil and Bhilala community. Some of the Kahtris developed designs to meet contemporary urban taste in the later part of 1980s; these designs covered sarees, [[shalwar kameez]], covers for cushion and tables, block printed silk saree, tusser silk, silk stoll, scarf and so forth. Some the family members created innovative wooden blocks and colours which were accepted in the national and international market due to their long life. These included craft such as block printing on bamboo chik or mats, leather, jute, and other materials besides cloth.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name="Chari" />

One such practice he{{Who|date=March 2019}} pursued was the old technique of reusing the traditional blocks of 200 to 300 years old, which were patterns or designs of paintings in the 1,500 year old cave paintings in the region.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name="Chari" />

Some of the block designs covered ''Nariyal Zaal'' and ''Ghevar Zaal'' based on the [[Taj Mahal]] paintings, ''Saj'', ''Dakmandwa'', chameli or [[jasmine]], ''maithir'' or mushroom, ''leheriya'' and ''jurvaria'' or small dots on the field. Other innovations introduced by the Khatri family are block designs of the [[jaali]] pattern from the [[Taj Mahal]] and forts in the region, standardizing the use of primary colours of alum based red, and corroded filings of iron for black, and developing vegetable based yellow and green dyes. His{{Whose|date=March 2019}} primary innovation was creating the Bagh print on different types of cloth by printing on them. His innovative design of a bed cover, consisted of a bed cover which had 1,200 different blocks and won him the National Award in 1984.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref name="Chari" />

==Location==
The Bagh village, where this handicraft is practiced, lies within the geographical coordinates of {{coord|22|22|00|N|74|40|00|E}} at an elevation of {{Convert|240| m}}. The Bagh river, which flows near the village, is a major factor in the adoption of the art form. The [[Narmada river]], about {{Convert|30| km}} from Bagh, being a perennial source, is an important source for this art work, particularly during the season when the Bagh river goes dry.<ref name="Bagh" />

Bagh prints are listed as [[List of Geographical Indications in India|geographically tagged]] handicraft and are protected under the [[Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999|Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act (GI Act) 1999]] of the [[Government of India]]. They were registered by the [[Indian Patent Office|Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks]] under the title "Bagh Prints of Madhya Pradesh" and recorded with (GI) tag under Application number 98 in 2008. Its logo, with the title Bagh Prints of Madhya Pradesh (logo) was approved under application number 505 dated 1 August 2015 under Class 24 Textiles and Textile goods not included under other classes.<ref name="Bagh" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/treasures_protected/registered_GI_12June2014.pdf|title=Registered Geographical Indications (GI)|work=Geographical Indication Registry (India)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026074346/http://ipindia.nic.in/girindia/treasures_protected/registered_GI_12June2014.pdf|archive-date=2014-10-26|url-status=dead|access-date=2014-12-31}}</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Painted fabrics]]
[[Category:Textile arts of India]]
[[Category:Indian handicrafts]]
[[Category:Indian clothing]]
[[Category:Culture of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Printed fabrics]]
[[Category:Geographical indications in Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Folk art]]
[[Category:Indian culture]]

Bagh print - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article