Rogan painting

The process of applying this oil based paint to fabric began among the Muslim Khatris community in Gujarat.[1] Although the name rogan (and some of the traditional designs) suggests an origin in Indian culture, there are no reliable historical records to prove this.[2]

Rogan painting was initially practiced in several locations in the Gujarat region. The painted fabric was mostly purchased by women of the lower castes who wanted to decorate clothing for their weddings.[3] It was therefore a seasonal art, with most of the work taking place during the months when most weddings take place. During the rest of the year, the artisans would switch to other forms of work, such as agriculture.

With the rise of cheaper and machine-made textiles in the late 20th century, rogan-painted products became relatively more expensive, and many artists turned to other occupations.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, several factors came together to bring about a renewed interest in rogan painting, especially painting. First, after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, when much of the region was devastated, the water and electricity infrastructure was improved, new roads were built, and the number of flights into the region was increased, all of which led to an increase in tourism.[3] Second, local cooperatives and non-profit groups helped local artisans, including roghan artist like Ashish S Kansara[4] to increase their market by selling in urban settings and on-line.[5] Third, many artisans won state and national awards for their craft, thus increasing the prestige of their work.[2] In 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the U.S. White House, he gave President Obama two rogan paintings, including a tree of life painted by Abdul Gafur Khatri, a national award winner.[6]

Artisans in Gujarat have introduced contemporary products to appeal to tourists, lehengas, wallets, bags, cushion covers, table cloths, wall hanging, pillow covers and Rogan art sarees. The tree of life continues to be a major motif.[7] The number of tourists to the artisans workshop increased steadily in the 2010s to as many as 400 people per day, causing traffic jams in the village.[8] In an attempt to keep up with increased demand of rogan painting, in 2010 the artist Abdulgafur Khatri began to train women for the first time. Previously, it had been feared that women would spread the secrets of the craft when they married out of the family.[7] In 2015, twenty women were working with the Abdulgafur Khatri Padma Shri Award family in Nirona village Kutch Gujarat.[5]

Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of the tourists visiting them dropped significantly and the women working with them were laid off. Only Abdulgafur Khatri family members were left to work on the craft.[9]

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.[10] The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which makes the intense colors stand out.

In rogan printing, the pattern is applied using metal blocks (stylus) with patterns carved into them, whereas in rogan painting, elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus.[3] 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.[2]

• Woodblock printing on textiles