Traditional Rogan Painting Kutch
Painting is not only an art but a way to depict culture and tradition, to communicate and to describe natural beauty through it. From ancient times it had been used as a way to enhance lifestyle. The beautifully spread of colours with an appropriate technique demands compassion and love towards it.
It can be done on paper, cloth, rock, walls and various other objects. There are various types of paintings but the one  going to be describe here is Rogan art which is done on cloth.
Popularity of Rogan paintingÂ
It is majorly popular in Kutch. Gujarat is famous for it’s painting and thread work and rogan is one among them. Before taking you towards it’s process and quality let’s give you a short history about it.
History of rogan
The word Rogan refers to “oil-based”. It had been originated in Persia and came India before 400 years ago. Also it is believe that it had been began from muslim community Khatris who came to India from Sindh Pakistan. There are no such reliable historic records of its origination. With the rise of textile in 20th century many ot the artisans turned from this occupation except the Khatris of Nirona, Gujarat.
Gafoorbhai Khatri is currently the head of Khatri family and is keeping this art alive with his family members who all are national award winners in this art.
Process of Rogan painting
A) Initially paint is prepared by boiling castor oil and stirring it for 12 hours and then vegetable pigment with binding agent is added. After that thick shiny paint is formed which now ready to beautify the clothes. The formation of paint takes 2 days
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Prepared paint mixed with natural colours. - B) Metal blocks is used in painting in which patterns are well carved.
- C) Designs are made freehand by trailing thread like strands of paints off a stylus. These designs include floral motifs, and local folk art.
- D) Then cloth is folded half transferring the mirror image to other half of the cloth.
- F)After drying the rogan painted cloth is used for making sarees, decorative wall hangings, pillow covers, table clothes.
Rogan art lehenga
Prime Minister NARENDRA modi gifted rogan painting to the us president barack obama at his first visit to u.s in 2004.
Although PM buy these paintings to present towards the dignitaries and khatri artisans also get free stalls in handicraft exhibition to showcase their work but still the art lack human capital and product diversity to establish itself in modern market.
Hence many startups and NGO’s had involved their hand in uplifting this art. For a long time this art was not well known in India but due to many popular celebrities like Amitabh bachchan, Shabana Azmi, Wagera Rehman and of course PM Narendra Modi this art got a fame in public.
