Block Printing Original Rajasthani wooden block Handcarved from hardwood Used in ancient craft from Rajesthan. Dimensions 7 x 3 x 6cm A block maker or a carpenter who specializes in block making is called “Bhatt-ghar”- in Rajasthan. Here Bhatt implies block and the ghar implies the carver. When i was in Rasjestan buying many things now for sale in this shop I asked one of my makers if he knew anyone that made print blocks as i was fascinated by the process. He said his uncle used to and i was directed in a rickshaw to a remote part of the Pink City. I was led into a dusty basement where I met his uncle. He has kept the hundred of blocks that he had made over his career. These are real deal vintage blocks. A block maker or a carpenter who specializes in block making is called “Bhatt-ghar”- in Rajasthan. Here Bhatt implies block and the ghar implies the carver. flowers-petal designs, curves and delicacy are the prime specialties of Saanganer prints. The curvature of flowers in the ‘bootas’ is generally shown on the right side. Different types of floral patterns are displayed in the form of a ‘bel’ (a border), in a stylized manner. Some of the flowers used in the prints are roses, rosettes, lotuses, lotus bud, sunflower, lily, ‘champa’ ‘canna’ ‘nergis’, marigold etc. Various other flower creations are also found in old prints. Other flowers used are locally known as ‘sosan’, ‘gainda’, ‘gulmehendi’, ‘javakusum’, ‘guldaudi’, ‘kachnar’, ‘jatadari lily’, ‘kaner’, ‘kanna’, ‘gullalla’, ‘Sosan’ and ‘gullala’ prints are probably very suitable to this style of printing, therefore they are used in various forms. The designs are named according to the flowers or plant pattern, from which the designs were originally inspired. We have a blog post on Traditional block printing techniques
