The short answer: Bagh print is a traditional hand block printing technique from the village of Bagh in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Printers of the Khatri community press carved wooden blocks dipped in natural dyes onto cotton or silk, then wash and boil the cloth in the river to fix the colours. It is best known for red and black geometric and floral patterns on an off-white ground, and it has been protected by a Geographical Indication (GI) tag since 2008.
Where Bagh print comes from
The craft takes its name from Bagh, a small town on the banks of the Bagh river, about 30 km from the Narmada. It is practised by Muslim Khatri printers. One account says their ancestors moved here from Sindh around four hundred years ago; others link the craft to printers from Rajasthan. The river matters: its water is central to washing and colour-fixing, and when it runs dry, printers have relied on the Narmada.
How Bagh print is made
- Washing the cloth. The fabric is washed in running water and beaten on river stones to remove starch.
- Preparing it. It is soaked in a mixture that includes rock salt and castor oil, pressed and dried, then pre-dyed with harda (myrobalan) to give the off-white base.
- Printing. Printers press carved wooden blocks onto the cloth, laid on a low printing table. Black is made from iron, red from alum, both thickened with tamarind seed paste.
- Resting. The printed cloth is left for one to two weeks.
- Washing at the river. Excess dye is rinsed away in flowing water.
- Boiling. The cloth is boiled with alizarin and dhavda flowers. This is when the red and black develop their full depth.
- Final washing and drying.
Each colour needs its own block, and a single piece can pass through many hands and several weeks of work.
The look of Bagh
Classic Bagh print uses red and black on off-white, sometimes with indigo, mustard or khaki from other natural sources. Motifs are geometric and floral: jasmine, mango, paisley and tiny dots, often arranged in dense, rhythmic grids.
Bagh and its cousins: Dabu and batik
Dabu is a mud-resist technique: a paste of clay, gum and lime is printed onto cloth to stop dye reaching those areas, giving soft, crackled outlines. Batik uses wax as the resist. Both are often combined with block printing, and you will find all three in our hand block-printed dress materials.
How to recognise genuine hand block print
- Look for slight variations where one block impression meets the next.
- Check the reverse: hand-printed colour usually soaks through more evenly than screen print.
- Natural dyes have a soft, slightly earthy tone rather than a flat, bright one.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bagh print from?
Bagh print comes from Bagh, a village in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India.
Does Bagh print use natural dyes?
Yes. Traditional Bagh print uses iron for black, alum for red and alizarin to develop the colours, along with other plant-based dyes.
When did Bagh print get its GI tag?
Bagh print was registered as a Geographical Indication in 2008.
How do I wash Bagh print fabric?
Wash it separately in cold water with a mild detergent for the first few washes, as natural dyes can bleed slightly, and dry it in the shade.