Ajrakh
Calico "Sarasa" refers to a cotton cloth dyed with madder red that has been produced in India for a long time.
There are two possible reasons why Calico Sarasa originated in India.
The first reason is that cotton originates from India. The Indus River basin is said to be its origin.
The second reason is the Indus civilization that originated around 2500 B.C. in the Indus River basin.
Originally, cotton and natural dyes were incompatible, and it can be achieved only indigo dyes.
Civilization had made it possible by using chemical techniques like using mordant to naturally dye natural colours like red, yellow, purple, etc..
It is inevitable that Calico Sarasa was produced in India, which uses high-quality cotton and natural dyeing technology.
These Indian Calico Sarasa were exported as valuable trade goods. Indian Calico Sarasa was discovered in13th-century Egyptian remains, and it was introduced to Europe, by 17th century it was brought to Japan bythe East India Company.
Among few Calico Sarasa in India, we would like to introduce woodblock printing.
There are techniques with various characteristics from various parts of India, and now what we introduce is "Ajrakh dyeing" in the Kutch region of Gujarat, western India.
Various patterns are stamped with woodblocks based on these using three colors; indigo blue, Indian madder red, and black from iron oxide, which was once used as "tooth black" in Japan too.
The cotton woodblock printing Calico Sarasa "Ajrakh" is still worn as everyday wear, and there are also elaborate works by living national treasure-class artisans, and you can encounter its beauty in museums and exhibition around the world.
