Waves Of The Desert – Leheriya

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Leheriya, which translates as ‘wave-like’, refers to the beautiful tie and dye fabrics from the heritage of Rajasthan. The wavy, diagonal stripes created through this technique seem to be an invocation of water in the parched deserts and are a welcome relief.

Leheriya makes use of resist dyeing technique to create beautiful patterns. The cloth is tied and folded in such a manner that when opened post-dyeing, there is a striped pattern created on the cloth with color on every alternate stripe. Traditionally, craftsmen would tie and dip it in five different colors to achieve the desired pattern in multiple hues. Depending on the skill and imagination of a worker, every fabric gets a new look, with vivid colors, fresh patterns, and vibrant designs.
The material is rolled diagonally, and certain portions resisted by lightly binding threads at a short distance from one another before the cloth is dyed. If the distance is shorter, greater skill is required to prevent one color from spilling into the other.
The process of dyeing is repeated until the requisite number of colors is obtained.

Materials Used

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Kacha colors are used to improve graphic quality and remove unwanted colors from the final product. Traditionally, natural dyes were used and finished off with indigo for shades of blue, and alizarin for hues of red. The base fabric chosen is usually a light-colored cotton, silk, chiffon, or georgette that allows the dye to penetrate to the inner layers during production.

Tools

The knots are secured using a wet thread of cotton, polyester, nylon, silk, or jute, or even aluminum wires. A khilli is used to tie the knots quickly. A small wooden stool called mudda comes in handy, for it has a pole at one end where fabric can be rolled while the other end is kept loose. Undi, a large copper vessel, is used to wash and dye the fabric. A dryer machine, also known as Hydro Extract, is used to remove excess water from the dyed fabric, and finally, a khunti is used to twist the fabric for removing excess water.

The Process

The fabric is washed to remove the starch and other impurities. Before tying the cloth, it is ensured that it is moderately moist. It is then folded and rolled according to the desired pattern. One end of this rolled fabric is tied to a khoonta. Pulling the other end, thread is tied around the fabric anti-clockwise three to four times and cut at regular intervals. This process is repeated along the entire length of the rolled fabric.
After tying, the fabric is dyed in the desired color in undi manually by continuously circling the fabric with hands. This process takes about one and a half hours, allowing the color to seep deep into the cloth. If more than one color is desired, the first color is discharged using a mixture of water and hydro powder, enabling re-dyeing with another color without mixing.
Some dyes require heating before application to ensure thorough penetration. A chulha is used for this purpose. To fix the dyes permanently, the dyed fabrics are boiled in salt.
Afterward, the fabric is twisted and beaten continuously on a low stone platform. This beating helps the dye penetrate deeper. The tied fabric undergoes another round of dyeing and beating until the color is uniform.
The fabric is then tightly twisted with a khoonti to remove excess dye and water. Subsequently, the tied and dyed fabrics are hung out in the sun to dry. Once dry, one end of the fabric is unrolled to untie the knots, resulting in the creation of Leheriya patterns.

Different Kinds Of Leheriya

  • Pratap Shahi or Salaidar: The most commonly found pattern, featuring a diagonal wave-like design.
  • Motharaleheriya: Made by repeating the Pratap Shahi process twice to intersect and form small diamond-like shapes known as ‘patanga’.
  • Nageena Mothara: Utilizes small gem-like squares formed at equal distances.
  • Katva Pattaleheriya: Involves dyeing the fabric twice, discharging the first color with acid before redyeing with another. This creates bands known as pattas in Hindi.

Global Wearability

Leheriya is easy to maintain and was initially used in head turbans. Over time, it has been incorporated into lehenga cholis, salwar kameez, sarees, and various accessories. Its presence extends to ethnic and casual clothing, bags, shoes, scarves, and cravats. The bright colors and lightweight fabric make Leheriya well-suited for the global stage, making it a popular choice in the export market. Within the realm of tie and dye, Leheriya stands out as one of the most widely recognized and cherished designs.

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Poonam Kapoor

Poonam Kapoor

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