Rogan painting is an art ofcloth printing practiced in India and Afghanistan. In this craft,oil paint made from boiled oil andvegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using atulika (stylus). The origins of rogan painting span fromPatliputra (Bihar) toBamiyan andGujarat. According toUNESCO research conducted in 2008, Buddhist rogan paintings date back to the 5th or 6th century.[1][2][3] Rogan painting is also known as thedrying oil technique.[4][5]
The style of painting has three main techniques: rogan art (done freehand), nirmika rogan art (involvingblock printing) and varnika rogan art (with additional embellishments and colors).[6]
The process of applying this oil based paint to fabric began among theHinduKhatris community inGujarat.[8] Although the namerogan (and some of the traditional designs) suggests an origin in Indian culture, there are no reliable historical records to prove this.[9] The word comes from the Sanskrit word "रङ्गन्" (rangan), which means "to add color" or "to dye". The Rogan Art lehenga is a traditional garment worn for Indian weddings and festivals, renowned for its intricate craftsmanship.[10]
Rogan painting was initially practiced in several locations in the Gujarat region like Ahmedabad, Deesa, Palanpur, Mahesana, Banaskantha and Patan. The painted fabric was mostly purchased by women of the Hindu lower castes who wanted to decorate clothing for their weddings.[11] It was therefore a seasonal art, with most of the work taking place during the months when most weddings take place. During the rest of the year, the artisans would switch to other forms of work, such as agriculture.[citation needed]
With the rise of cheaper and machine-made textiles in the late 20th century, rogan-painted products became relatively more expensive, and many artists turned to other occupations.[citation needed] Rogan craft of theKutch district has been awardedGeographical Indication status.[12]
Rogan paint is produced by boilingcastor oil for about two days and then adding vegetable pigments and abinding agent; the resulting paint is thick and shiny.[13] The cloth that is painted or printed on is usually a dark color, which makes the intense colors stand out.
In rogan printing (nirmika rogan), the pattern is applied using metal blocks (stylus) with patterns carved into them,[6] whereas in rogan painting, elaborate designs are produced freehand, by trailing thread-like strands of paint off of a stylus.[11] 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.[9] Varnika Rogan process begins with the creation of a freehand base design in a single color, similar to traditional Rogan painting, but without folding the fabric. Once the base pattern is complete, additional colors are applied over it using fine brushes. In some cases, glitter or mica is incorporated to enhance the visual richness and create a shimmering effect.
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In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, several factors came together to bring about a renewed interest in rogan painting, especially painting. First, after the devastation of the2001 Gujarat earthquake, the water and electricity infrastructure was improved, new roads were built,[14] and the number of flights into the region was increased, all of which led to an increase in tourism.[11] Second, helped local artisans, including rogan artist like Ashish S Kansara[15] to increase their market by selling in urban settings and on-line. Third, many artisans won state and national awards for their craft, thus increasing the prestige of their work.[9][16][17] When Prime MinisterNarendra Modi visited theU.S. White House, he gavePresident Obama two rogan paintings, including atree of life painted byAbdul Gafur Khatri, a national award winner.[18]
Artisans in Gujarat have introduced contemporary products to appeal to tourists,lehengas, wallets, bags, cushion covers, table cloths, wall hanging, pillow covers and Rogan art sarees.[19] The tree of life continues to be a major motif.[20] The number of tourists to the artisans workshop increased steadily in the 2010s to as many as 400 people per day, causing traffic jams in the village.[21] In an attempt to keep up with increased demand of rogan painting, in 2010 the artist Abdulgafur Khatri began to train women for the first time. Previously, it had been feared that women would spread the secrets of the craft when they married out of the family.[20] In 2015, twenty women were working with the Abdulgafur Khatri Padma Shri Award family in Nirona village Kutch Gujarat, while a few worked with the Komal Kansara in Madhapar village, Kutch, Gujarat.[22][23][24]
Following theCOVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of the tourists visiting them dropped significantly and the women working with them were laid off. Abdulgafur Khatri family members were left to work on the craft.[25]