If arid, harsh desert lands propagate the most wonderful craft traditions in the country, Kachchh is a living testimony to it. It is like man trying to compensate for nature's neglect. In the midst of the innumerable chores of daily existence the women folk set aside a few hours for embroidering the most vibrant, fine and varied collection of embroidery in the country.
PAINITING WITH NEEDLES :
If any one deserves the credit of adding, a touch of exotic colour to the monochromatic desert scapes of the Rann of Kachchh and the arid semi desert scrubby grasslands of Banni, it is the embroiderers. The embroidery of Kachchh is very picturesque and has the quality of jewellery.
An inexplicable bond weaves nature and the Kachchhi together. Using simple materials the craftsmen create objects of great beauty, filling their lives and the bleak surroundings with infinite beauty. Kachchh is known for its distinctive traditional crafts, from embroidery to jewellery-making and carving.
The Kachchhi crafts however range from block printing on textiles, bandhni of the khatris, to the exquisite beadwork of Rabari women. Some of the villages and communities have specialised for generation in certain crafts and thereby create masterpieces that delight a connoisseur.
A few of them are the Sodha embroidery from Loriya village, Patch work of Bhirandiyara, the extremely detailed Mochi embroidery, the Rabari embroidery from Nana Nakhatrana, the leather creations by Meghwal artisans, the very famous silver work on precious metals of Bhuj and Anjar, besides traditional wood and lacquer work and Rogan, the extremely fine lacquer work on cloth produced by the artisans of Chobari and Nirona villages. Dhordo is known for its wood-carving.
EMBROIDERY: A BRILLIANT SKILL
Kachchh owes much of its fame today to its embroidery. Much of the most colourful in Gujarati embroidery belongs to Kachchh. With a needle for a paintbrush, the Kachchhi woman gives expression to her creativity and proclaims her oneness with nature by churning out beautifully embroidered pieces.
The folk embroidery of Kachchh is an ongoing and dynamic tradition. The most interesting aspect of the whole process is that needlework and embroidery traditions are preserved and propagated by almost every community, caste and sub- group in Kachchh.
The finest needlework today comes from the many communities living in the Banni tract of Kachchh district. The women of different communities in Kachchh have their distinct styles, the most distinctive being that of the Rabari community of Kachchh. The finest example of their applique work can be seen on the decorative hanging which covers the entrance of houses in Kachchh
EMBROIDERY IN LEATHER:
It is a common art form of the Kachchh region of Gujarat. The northern villages of Dhordo, Khavda and Hodko are home to the few remaining communities of leather embroiderers who soak hide in a solution of water, latex and lime in an underground earthen pot before stitching it with flower, peacock and fish motifs. The finished bags, fans, horse belts, wallets, cushion covers and mirror frames are sold in villages all through the region.
AJRAKH: A UNIQUE PRINTING METHOD
Khavda is one of the last villages to continue the printing method known as 'ajrakh'. Cloth is dyed with natural pigments in a lengthy process similar to batik, but instead of wax, a mixture of lime and gum is used to resist the dye in certain parts of the cloth when new colours are added.
TERRACOTTA:
Women in Khavda paint terracotta pots with dusky whites, reds and blacks, using cotton rags and brushes made from bamboo leaves.
ROGAN PAINTING:
Rogan painting is now practised only in Biber in northern Kachchh. Hand-pounded castor oil is turned into coloured dyes by a complex process, which are then used to decorate cushion covers, bedspreads and curtains with simple geometric patterns.