ROGAN - AN ART ON CLOTH

  

Rogan painting is an art of cloth printing practiced in Gujarat, Peshawar and Sindh. In this craft, paint made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting).

Rogan art is very well known for its "Tree of life" and happiness concept wok. These motifs evoke a once-sublime culture and its understanding of beauty.

The word Rogan means “Oil” in Persian. With origins in Persia, it came to Kutch around 300 years ago. This rare craft is practised by a lone Muslim family, the Khatris of Nirona Village, Gujarat.

In rogan painting, elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus. Frequently, half of a design is painted, then the cloth is folded in half, transferring a mirror image to the other half of the fabric. The designs include floral motifs, animals, and local folk art.

Rogan paint is produced by boiling castor oil for about two days and then adding vegetable pigments and a binding agent; the resulting paint is thick and shiny. The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which makes the intense colors stand out.

Fabric is  the basic raw material used to make Rogan paintings. Wooden Frame is used to tie the cloth firmly before painting. Scissors is used to cut the cloth into the required size. Pins  are used to fix the fabric to the wooden frame. The floral, geometric and calligraphic motifs were traditionally used for the art of Rogan painting.

(This blogpost is a part of BlogChatter's #BLOGCHATTERA2Z2023)