Doesn’t it just amaze you that even though our state is called the desert state of the country but still it’s a land that exudes vibrant colors? Whether it is food, clothes, architecture, everything is colourful!
So this Rakhi when one of my friends’ brothers sent her money as a token of love on Raksha Bandhan, she decided to go shopping to buy something nice and ethnic and take me along as well. She had her mind set on buying a Bandhej dress and this is when I was amazed by the art of Bandhini.
I decided to find out everything related to Bandhini and its history with our state and most of all I wanted to know how all these beautiful patterns are printed on the cloth.
Bandhini is truly an art and it’s a common sight for all Rajasthanis to see not only women wearing Saris, Suits and Dupattas of Bandhej but also the men can be found wearing turbans with the wavy Bandhej pattern. Usually, it is used as Odhnis by the ladies on festivals. And it’s not only Rajasthan that shares this tradition but Gujarat as well. This age old tradition of wearing Bandhini design is also linked with a belief that it brings good luck to the brides who wear it and that is why it is in much demand during the wedding season. It was worn by the royals as much as by the commoners during historical times. There are renowned centers in almost all the cities of the state where you can find attires with this form of decorative design.
The technique of Bandhej is as fascinating as its history. As it is very obvious from the Hindi meaning of its name, it is associated with tying. In simple words, it’s a tie and dye method. The fabric to be dyed is tied very tightly at different points in knots and then dyed with distinctive colors. The final result creates incredible designs on the material. The colors that are most prominently used in Bandhini are red and yellow because of their festive significances but other shades are bought by people with as much delight.
And getting hold of Bandhej dresses in our city is definitely not like chasing rainbows, so go and pick up some stunning Bandhej pieces for yourself!