About The Craft

Rogan printing, or Rogan painting, is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India. Rogan paint is produced by boiling castor 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 blocks with patterns carved into them. In 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.

About The Artist

Abdul Gafur Khatri is an upholder of the fine ancient Persian art of Rogan painting which is often mistaken for printing. Seven generations of the Khatri family have been practising the art of Rogan painting, an ancient skill with Persian origins. It was 1983 and Abdul ji became so enchanted with Rogan that he promised his father he would take it to the international level. He fulfilled his promise when Rogan art was presented to (US President) Barack Obama on Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in 2014. In 1988, he won the State award and in 1997, the National award. It was Mr. Khatri’s intricate work on a saree that won him the National award. This year, he has been conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, by the government of India.

Meet the master at India Craft Week 2019.

Please Note

1. Includes free entry to the event on the day of the workshop
2. Includes art & craft material required for the workshop