In Sanganer and
Jaipur Style of printing, red and black motifs are printed on a yellowish cream
ground- This is called the Syahi Begar Style.
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In the printing
paste Syahi ( Iron acetate) and Begar ( Alum) are the mordanting components.
Traditionally Potash Alum is used which is a hydrated double sulphate of
aluminium or potassium. These days aluminium sulphate is used.
This is how Syahi
paste is made - Scrap iron horseshoes are removed from rust by scorching, then
mixed with Gur or sheera ( Unrefined molasses) and covered with plane water,
during which the sugar ferments and reacts with iron to make iron acetate
solution.
To give deepar
shades of red during dyeing, a little of syahi paste is sometimes blended to
the begar mix.
Interestingly
proportions are tested and judged by taste- large amount of alum (producing
deeper shades) are described as producing a 'crackle' on the tongue.
Before Syahi and
Begar is applied, the cloth is first desized using local methods ( Hari Sarna),
then it is prepared for mordanting using Myrobalan (Harda or Peela Karna).
Usually any areas
where black is required are printed first, using syahi paste. Following this,
where red is required will be filled in using the begar ( alum mordant) paste.
In
Pipar/Sanganer/Balotra, apart from the above methods, they are also printed
using indigo-dabu resist methods, which produces colored red and yellow motifs
on blue, green and dark-browinsh backgrounds.
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