Bandhani: An Art Binding Emotions, Cultures and Hearts
By Somdyuti Bhattacharyya
Bandhani is a tie-dye craft deeply rooted in Indian tradition — the material is hand-plucked into tiny bindings or knots that form a structured pattern before dyeing. Bandhani sarees especially have had a lasting impact on Indian fashion. Much of the craft’s appeal lies in the fact that it’s hand-designed — there’s genuine effort and art in the making, which is what makes each piece special.
History of Bandhani
Bandhani, also known as bandhej, is prevalent mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and parts of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the oldest forms of tie-dye art, dating back almost four to five thousand years — the very first visual evidence was found while excavating the Ajanta Caves. In India, this form of cloth designing was introduced by the Gujarati Khatri community, and Bandhani designs are found not only in sarees but also in dupattas and turbans.
Places in Rajasthan like Jaipur, Sikar, Udaipur, Bikaner and Ajmer are the main centres producing Bandhani clothing, and Jamnagar in Gujarat is another hotspot. This ancient art form is still winning modern hearts.
How Bandhani is made
The technique behind these gorgeous pieces is not easy — they look pleasant to the eye, but the method is intensive and can take hours to complete a single piece. Patience and hand-skill are key. It primarily involves tying small knots in various patterns scattered across the garment. When the cloth is dyed, the knots remain unaffected and retain the base colour, and are then handpicked open using fingernails or large ring-like structures. It’s a time-consuming process that requires extreme efficiency.
The meaning of Bandhani colours
Traditional Bandhani comes in various bright hues — mainly red, yellow, green, pink and maroon in effective combinations. These aren’t merely shades; they carry emotions. Red conveys that the woman wearing it is newly married, while bright yellow signifies a lady who has recently given birth — though these meanings hold within the Bandhej communities. Colours like green, pink and maroon also indicate the community a woman belongs to; each Bandhej community has a unique way of decorating their bandhani, so the patterns are an identity of the community that wove them. Many fascinating motifs are created, each symbolising a traditional aspect and carrying its own localised name — the dominant ones being Mothra, Leheriya, Shikari and Ekdali, representing waves, stick figures, floral patterns and more.
Bandhani across cultures
Bandhani isn’t bound to any single religion — artisans hold an inclusive point of view. Hindus traditionally wear a saree woven with golden or silver zari threads and embellished with Bandhani work, called a ‘Ghar Chola’, usually complemented with a matching churni. Muslims, on the other hand, wear an attire known as ‘chandrakhani’, also embellished with Bandhani. In this way Bandhani has broken barriers to create a fashion viable across every culture and religion.
Why Bandhani is a wardrobe essential
Although Bandhani dates back to prehistoric times, it hasn’t lost its lustre and continues to allure the women of India. It’s a fundamental pillar of ethnic fashion and has won over a considerable part of the saree market. The youth love its illustrious, playful colour combinations, while the older generation enjoys flaunting the kid inside them with these immensely comfortable clothes. Bandhani has become a go-to for any occasion — wedding parties, dandiya nights, even kitty parties. And it’s not restricted to sarees: it comes in kurtis, kameez, ghagras and lehenga-cholis too. Versatile, comfortable and culturally flexible, Bandhani is undoubtedly here to stay.
