Nandana Printing
Hand Block Printing
History
Nandana hand block printing is rooted in the tribal traditions of the Bhil community, where printed fabrics held cultural significance. Women wore them during daily life and rituals, including marriages and festivals. Motifs symbolized fertility and blessings. Despite its heritage, this laborious craft is declining as artisans shift to other occupations, and traditional practices are replaced by quicker, cost-effective methods.
Raw Materials and Tools
Nandana hand block printing is rooted in the tribal traditions of the Bhil community, where printed fabrics held cultural significance. Women wore them during daily life and rituals, including marriages and festivals. Motifs symbolized fertility and blessings. Despite its heritage, this laborious craft is declining as artisans shift to other occupations, and traditional practices are replaced by quicker, cost-effective methods.
Process
Nandana printing involves eighteen steps over a month. The fabric is softened, printed with alum paste, dyed with alizarin, and treated with mud or resin resist. It’s repeatedly dyed in indigo vats and then treated with lime-gum resist and pomegranate rind. The final washing with soda ash and drying in sunlight gives the fabric its characteristic brightness and durability.
Design and Color
Nandana prints use bold and meaningful colors—deep indigos, reds, yellows, and greens. Blue and green backgrounds signify fertility and daily wear, especially among Bhil women. Only five traditional motifs are used: mirchi, champakali, dholamaru, amba, and jalam. Each has symbolic value, representing nature, love, celebration, and growth, and is carefully printed using hand-carved blocks.
Product Range
Bhil women wore nandana-printed fabrics as lehengas and lugdis. Today, the craft has found a place in contemporary fashion and home décor. Products now include kurtas, shirts, stoles, and home furnishings. These modern adaptations preserve traditional aesthetics while appealing to broader markets, helping keep the craft alive in a changing commercial and cultural environment.