Ajrak (Sindhi: اجرڪ) is a name given to a unique form of blockprint shawls and tiles found in Sindh, Pakistan. Ajrak is also worn by the Seraiki people of Southern Punjab and Kutch. These shawls display special designs and patterns made using block printing by stamps. Common colours used while making these patterns may include but are not limited to blue, red, black and yellow. Over the years, ajraks have become a symbol of the Sindhi culture and traditions.
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History
Early human settlements in the region which is now the province Sindh in Pakistan along the Indus River had found a way of cultivating and using Gossypium arboreum commonly known as tree cotton to make clothes for themselves. These civilizations are thought to have mastered the art of making cotton fabrics as early as 3000 BC.[1] A bust of a king priest excavated at Mohenjo-daro shows him draped over one shoulder in a piece of cloth that resembles an ajrak.
What came as a formidable explanation for this observation was the trefoil pattern etched on the person's garment interspersed with small circles, the interiors of which were filled with a red pigment. Excavations elsewhere in the Old World around Mesopotamia have also yielded similar patterns appearing on various objects most notably on the royal couch of Tutankhamen. This symbol illustrates what is now believed to be an edifice depicting the fusion of the three sun-disks of the gods of the sun, water and the earth. Reminiscent geometry of the trefoil is evident on most of the recent ajrak prints.
The level of geometry on the garment comes from the usage of a method of printing called the woodblock printing in which prints were transferred from geometric shapes etched on the wooden blocks by pressing them hard on the fabric. This technique was first used in ancient China and was transferred via the silk route to Egypt. On its way through the populous regions of the Indus Valley, this technique of fabric printing was adopted at Mohenjo-daro.
The tradition still prevails centuries later and people still use the same methods of production that were used in the earlier days to create an ajrak. The garment has become an essential part of the Sindhi culture and apparel of a Sindhi person. Men use it as a turban, a cummerbund or wind it around the shoulders. Women use it as a dupatta or a shawl and sometimes as a makeshift swing for children. Ajraks are usually about 2.5 to 3-meters long, patterned in intense colours predominantly rich crimson or a deep indigo with some white and black used sparingly to give definition to the geometric symmetry in design.
Making of Ajrak
Ajrak is made all over Sindh, especially in Hala, Bhit Shah, Moro, Sukkur, Kandyaro, Hyderabad, and many cities of Upper Sindh and Lower Sindh.
Ajrak - A symbol of Sindh
Ajrak is an integral part of Sindhi culture. Its usage is evident at all levels of society, and the cloth is held in high esteem, with the utmost respect given to it. According to Sindhi traditions Ajrak is also presented as a gift of hospitality to guests and is worn on festive occasions such as weddings and cultural events.
 Charles, Prince wearing Sindhi Ajruk |
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 Life Style of Sindhi Women |
See also
References
- ^ "The Story of Cotton". Cotton Counts. http://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
External links
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