Artisans Products – Gulabi Arts (Zuber Khatri)
Artisan: Zuber Abdul Rahim Khatri (Gulabi Arts)
Craft: Hand Block Printing
Village: Dhamadka village of Kachchh District
Brief Story of Gulabi Arts:
The Khatri community, whose ancestors have been printing with Ajrakh blocks for centuries, migrated to Dhamadka, Kachchh from Sindh. Ajrakh printing, a form of block printing, began as a localized art. The Khatri community, whose name means “one who fills or changes colours,” printed using local natural dyes and water from the Dhamadka, the river that gave their village its name. Traditionally, artisans used combinations of different hand carved Ajrakh blocks to decorate clothes for men from Sindhi pastoral communities living in their village and its surrounding area. For the women in these communities, artisans printed malir fabrics that signified social and marital status.
Haji Mohammed Khatri & his family was one of the Block Printing families, practicing this craft with natural dyes in Dhamdaka in the time when Maharao Shri Pragmalji Third was the King of Kachchh. Haji Mohammed’s specialty was printing traditional Pada (Ghaghra), Dedha (Duppata), Sirakh (Bed Covers) for the brides and grooms for their wedding.
Once to honour the King of Kachchh Maharao Shri Pragmalji Third Haji Mohammed made a Bed Sheet with a block printed Picture of Rose flower in the center. The bed sheet was made with natural Pink colour and with block printed rose flower in the center it looked astonishing.
Maharao Shri Pragmalji Third was very impressed and pleased with the work done by Haji Mohammed and decided to honour his work and craft. Maharao Shri then awarded Haji Mohammed with a Certificate and because of Pink Colour of bed sheet Maharao Shri called Haji Mohammed as “Mohammed Gulabi”. Again the “Gulabi” name was adopted for Haji Mohammed’s firm under which they were practicing this craft as “Gulabi Art”.
Since then Haji Mohammed’s Son Haji Abdul Raheman Khatri, Grandson Haji Abdul Sattar Khatri, Great and grandson Abdul Rahim Khatri carried the legacy of him forward and great grandson’s son Zuber Khatri is still practicing the craft and taking it further. One of the bed sheet made by Haji Abdul Sattar is still there at Aina Mahel in Bhuj city.
- From the discussion with Zuber Khatri
Products:
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