Tucked just a little inside one of the lively bylanes of the famous Hathipole junction in Udaipur city of Rajasthan is Cotton World, a store specializing in Ajrak and indigo printing and finished products. Mohammed Yaqoob Multani, the head of this family-run business, has been carrying forward the rich legacy of wooden handblock printing he inherited from his forefathers. Asrashaheen.in brings you glimpses of the seasoned craftsman’s mastery over the skill and his passion for inventing new palettes of hues with his mindboggling experimentation in colour mixing.
In a city brimming with colours, sounds, lights and aromas, there’s so much vying for your attention. If you are a tourist wading your way through the vibrant junction and bylanes of the famous market of Hathipole in Udaipur, Rajasthan you will pass by numerous lineups of shops bustling with the frenzy of coaxing salespersons. Here is a whole world of handmade wonders out there to catch your fancy. You are sure to be particularly fascinated by the intricate and complex block-printed patterns that abound this market. One of the most intriguing handmade traditions of India, wooden handblock printing is iconic to the cultural identity of Rajasthan.
As this writer stepped into Cotton World, a family-run store specializing in Ajrak and indigo printing and finished outfits and beddings, one was astonished to unravel the handblock resist printing tradition through the exquisite collections of Mohammed Yaqoob Multani. This master handblock printer has been carrying forward the rich heritage running through generations in their family.
Asrashaheen.in brings you glimpses of the seasoned craftsman’s mastery over the block printing skill and his passion for inventing new range of hues with his relentless experimentation in colour mixing.
Handblock Printing – A Heritage Craft Inherited from Ancestors
Belonging to Chadwa community known for their dyeing skills, Mr Multani’s forefathers migrated from Multan almost 680 years ago on the invitation of the Maharaja of Jodhpur. His grandfather Haji Khudabaksh mastered the handblock printing skills and passed them on to his children and grandchildren. Today, Yaqoob Multani is carrying forward the Ajrak and indigo crafts along with his wife to his grownup children.
The Master and his Craft
On the first glance, the 76-year-old seems unassuming with his apparently frail looks. But as he briskly climbs up the steep stairway to take us to his block-printing workshop on the fourth-level rooftop of his house, one realizes that looks can be deceptive, indeed! We get an up-close look at the master and his craft and are completely awestruck by the amazing wealth of knowledge he possesses in natural colours and the deft skills he nurtures in block printing.
Nurturing Traditions with Mindboggling Colour Mixing Skills
The master craftsman has created a gigantic palette of more than 50,000 hues with his relentless experimentation in colour mixing. From painstakingly making dyes to meticulously designing his own printing blocks from rose wood, Mr Multani marvelously transforms every piece of fabric that reaches his hands into a charming work of art.
A visiting faculty at Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, Mr Multani has won several accolades bestowed on him by the Government of Rajasthan. He also holds the distinction of visiting almost all the district headquarters across the length and breadth of India on invitation for conducting block-printing training.
Check out their unique handblock printed collection of salwar kameez, lehenga sets, dupattas, bedsheets and more at the centrally-located Cotton World store, Hathipole, Udaipur.
The workshop is also open to batches of delightful tourists and students, who are eager to get a hands-on feel of block printing with Mr Multani and his family giving a live demonstration to them.
Contact:
8005811875/9602101077
