The Story of Ajrak Collection

Handicrafts in Pakistan are of varied origins and each has an interesting tale behind it. Today, I will talk about my journey in February this year to discover one such tale of 'Organic Sindhi Ajrak' making from the families of Bhit Shah that are known for being the pioneers of this art from generations.

These artisans now inhabit the plots allotted by the government for the preservation of this craft. Families both work and live on these plots. What sets them apart are the stunning, vibrant colours of their clothes and the spiral white bangles women wear. This area is known as the 'Artisan's Village'. 

Workers in adjoining rooms use old wooden blocks, dipping them in dye and then carefully printing them on the treated fabric with an indigenous design that goes back to the ancient Mohenjo Daro civilisation! It’s a tedious task that demands precision. What’s more fascinating are the ingredients.The dyes are 100 percent organic. They’re vegetable dyes mainly coming from eucalyptus, pomegranate, mehndi [henna], old iron and for Ajraks they use goondh [Tragacanth gum], turmeric, lemons etc. But the king of all dyes here is the indigo. The ‘blue gold’ of Sindh, the indigo plant from which the seeds for the dye come from, used to grow wild on the banks of the Indus River. The scarcity of indigo is what makes the indigo dye used for the Ajraks and other garments in Bhit Shah, extra special.

Some of these blocks are generations old and have been in the family for a long time. The traditional ajrak design itself is over 5,000 years old. 

My quest to promote our regional handicrafts and design these fabrics for the modern women and have them appreciate the craft and its beauty. Hope you will enjoy wearing them as much as we enjoy designing these.