Rogan Painting

Rogan painting is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch

District of Gujarat, India. In this craft, paint made from boiled oil
and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal
block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in
the late 20th century, with Rogan painting being practiced by only
one family in India.

History of the Art

The word Rogan comes from Persian, meaning oil. The process of
applying this oil-based paint to fabric began among the Khatris, a
Muslim community who came to India from Sindh, Pakistan.

Rogan painting was initially practiced in several locations in the

Figure 1: Rogan painting "Tree of
Kutch region. The painted fabric was mostly purchased by women Life"
of the lower castes who wanted to decorate clothing and bed
coverings for their weddings. Therefore, it was a seasonal art, with most of the work taking place
during the several months when most weddings take place. During the rest of the year, the
artisans would switch to other forms of work, such as agriculture.

With the rise of cheaper, machine-made textiles in the late 20th century, rogan-painted products
became relatively more expensive, and many artists turned to other occupations. Ultimately, only
one family, the Khatris of Nirona, Gujarat, continued the
craft.

Process of Rogan Painting

Rogan paint is produced by boiling caster oil for about two
days and then adding vegetable pigments and a binding
agent; the resulting paint is thick and shiny. The cloth that
is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which
makes the intense colors stand out.

In rogan printing, the pattern is applied using metal Figure 2: The various colors used in creating
blocks with patterns carved into them. In rogan painting, Rogan painting
elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing
thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus. Frequently, half of a design is painted, then the cloth
is folded in half, transferring a mirror image to the other half of the fabric. The designs include
floral motifs, animals, and local folk art.

[ CITATION Rog \l 1033 ]

Motifs

Traditionally, the floral, geometrical and calligraphy motifs were used for the art of Rogan
painting. The calligraphy motifs were not used by the craftsmen since they did not have any
traditional calligraphy motifs. During the ancient period, the calligraphy motifs were used in
Persian alphabets. The bird’s motifs were used only by the Hindu khatri craftsmen of
Ahmedabad. These motifs were used as all over pattern i.e. covered the whole area. Mainly two
layouts were used for motif placement i.e. border and all over. The motifs painted by Hindu
khatri craftsmen were large with broad outline. They also incorporated bigger motifs of bird
which were not seen in Rogan painted product of Kutch.

Product Range

Traditionally, it was found in the different types of products prepared using rogan technique
were Ghaghara, odhana, chaddar, bed sheet, quilts and wall hangings. In ancient time, the
demand of Rogan article was much more in comparison to embroidery and bhandhani. During
those days, Rogan painted fabric was worn by women throughout the year. These days the
Rogan painted product were mainly produced as per the consumer demand such as bags, cushion
covers, table cloths wall hanging and table cover. The
craftsmen usually get orders from the foreign tourists.

Rogan Paintings as a Luxury Product

There are several factors which contribute towards
making rogan paintings a luxury product from Indian
origin. These products are listed below:

 Craftsmanship: These paintings are intricately

crafted by giving every minute proper time and attention. Rogan paintings are created by
experienced craftsmen who are among the best in the field of making rogan paintings.
 Exclusivity: Rogan paintings carry an aura of
exclusivity and uniqueness around it. The touch
Figure 3: An artist creating Rogan painting
of exoticness which these paintings are infused with can easily be felt by the consumer.
 Innovation: Rogan paintings are a blend of uniqueness and creativity. Each piece of art
can be said to be an amalgamation of a fresh new idea from the mind of the painter.
 Heritage: The story of the origin and subsequent evolution of Rogan paintings tells a
story of a long heritage. The long tales of culture and history inspire the consumers to be
attracted by Rogan paintings.
[ CITATION Wha \l 1033 ], [ CITATION Abo \l 1033 ]

Resurgence of the Art

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, several factors came together to bring about a renewed
interest in Rogan art, especially painting. First, after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, when much of
the region was devastated, the water and electricity infrastructure was improved, new roads were
built, and the number of flights into the region was increased, all of which led to an increase in
tourism. Second, local cooperatives and non-profit groups helped local artisans, including rogan
artists, to increase their market by selling in urban settings and online. Third, many members of
the Khatri family won state and national awards for their art, thus increasing the prestige of their
work.

In October 2014, Prime Minister Narendra

Modi visited the U.S. White House during
the Indo-US summit, and gave President
Obama two Rogan paintings including
a tree of life. They were painted by Abdul
Gafur Khatri, a national award winner.

In Nirona, the Khatris introduced more

contemporary products to appeal to tourists, such as bags, cushion covers, table cloths, wall
hangings, and pillow covers. The tree of Figure 4: PM Narendra Modi with Mr. Barak Obama in 2014
life continued to be a major motif. The
number of tourists to the Khatri workshop increased steadily in the 2010s to as many as 400
people per day, causing traffic jams in the village. In an attempt to keep up with increased
demand, in 2010 the Khatris began to train women for the first time. (Previously, it was feared
that women would spread the secrets of the craft when they married out of the family.) This
training was sponsored by the American Indian Foundation. In 2015, twenty women were
working with the family in Nirona.

Now, this art form from Gujarat gets a free stall in handicraft exhibitions all over the country.
Foriegners and Indians, who plan to visit Kutch, visit Nirona and get enchanted by this rare art.

The art form has started to get some popularity across the nation as celebrities like Amitabh
Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Waheda Rehman has been seen using rogan art products.

[ CITATION Gur \l 1033 ]

Suggestions
Following are some feasible suggestions in context to enhancing the popularity and efficiency of
Rogan paintings:
 By training more people, the working speed of creating a piece of art can be enhanced.
 Collaboration with Amazon.com will be helpful in reaching to an international audience.
 Participation in national and international exhibitions will allow the craftsmen to reach a
wider audience and gain popularity.