Vijendra Chhipa
Vijendra Chhipa is the fifth generation of his family to print by hand in Bagru, a craft about 450 years old there. He started at thirteen, learning from his father by watching, and now runs Bagru Textiles from the workshop behind his house, printing custom orders for designers in India and abroad. He can't say exactly when he started. It is a family business, so he printed alongside school, and went on to a commerce degree. Three of his brothers took government jobs, and in Bagru it is often the children who do well at school who leave; Vijendra stayed in the printing, with one brother. The craft dates from the time a king settled printing families in the village. His son, who joined after his studies, is the sixth generation. In the workshop, one piece takes a week: printed one day, washed the next, boiled the day after. Blocks wear out in a few months, but he still has some made of Gurjan wood that are 150 years old, from his father, a wood you can't get any more. Natural dyes never come out exactly the same twice, and he is proud that no two pieces are alike. He calls machine printing mindless. Between October and March, groups of up to twenty-five come to learn to print.
Craft category: Block printing
Local name: Bagru print; Bagru chhapand-kaam
Technique: Hand block printing, mud-resist (dabu) printing, natural and eco-friendly dyeing, washing and boiling
Material(s): Natural fibres: cotton, organic cotton, linen, silk, modal
Objects: Textiles; apparel fabrics; running yardage; customised garments; robes
Signature: Customised hand block-printed natural textiles
Craft status: Stable
GI tag: Yes
Years practising: About 40
Generations: Five; his son is the sixth
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Open to visits: Yes
Can teach workshops?: Yes, groups of 1 to 25
Best season to visit: October to March
Workshop space available?: Yes, on site, directly behind his home
Nearest town: Jaipur (30 km, 30 to 45 minutes)
Nearest airport/ station: Jaipur International Airport; Jaipur Junction Railway Station
On JoB Shop: Yes
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Awards:
Gender: Man
Organisation: Bagru Textiles Private Limited
Age band: 45-60
Organisation type: Private limited company
Education: Bachelor of Commerce
Craft cluster: Bagru Chhipa cluster (about 450 families)
Primary trade: Textile (hand block printing)
Community: Chhipa
Other trades: LIC agent (since 1998)
Key people: His son; his brother; 15–16 networked artisan families
Artisan type: Enterprise
Local events: Jugal Maharaj Fair (April)
History: Bagru printing is about 450 years old, begun when the king who established Bagru settled the printing families here. Children learn by watching their elders at home. Those who do well at school often leave for government jobs, and those who don't come back to the craft.
Taught by: Father
Motifs/patterns and meanings: Traditional booties and jaal (net patterns inspired by nature), as well as checks, stripes and geometric designs asked for by custom clients and designers
Tools used: Carved wooden blocks; printing tables; dye trays; washing tubs; boiling furnaces
Related crafts: Wooden block carving; natural dyeing; fabric washing and boiling
Equipment needed: Wooden printing blocks, natural and eco-friendly dyes, printing tables, washing and boiling set-up
Other crafts engaged in: None
Youth/ apprentices: Yes. His son learned and joined full-time after completing his studies.
Loom/main tool last serviced: Blocks wear out in 2 to 6 months. He keeps preserved blocks up to 150 years old, made of Gurjan wood inherited from his father.
What makes their work different: Custom block printing made to the client's fabric, colours and designs, on all natural fibres, with natural and eco-friendly dyes. Every piece is unique and hard to replicate exactly.
What's hard about it:
No. of looms/workstations: Home workshop with printing tables; 15–16 family workshops for bulk orders
No. of people working: 2–3 core family members and 1–2 part-time artisans; a network of 15–16 local families
No. of women artisans:
Family vs hired: Both
Pieces per month: Varies by order; about 50 metres printed in a day
Lead time: About 3 to 7 days for orders
Time to make one piece: One week for the full process of printing, washing and boiling; urgent pieces in 1 to 2 days
Price range: Custom rates, depending on fabric, dye and design
How it is sold: Direct B2B and custom orders, website, Instagram, Facebook
Takes commissions: No
Customisation: Yes
Wholesale: No
Export: Yes
Middlemen: No
Haats/melas: Took part in government exhibitions before 2000; now sells direct to clients
JoB Creator's Profile
Vijendra Chhipa is the fifth generation of his family to print by hand in Bagru, a craft about 450 years old there. He started at thirteen, learning from his father by watching, and now runs Bagru Textiles from the workshop behind his house, printing custom orders for designers in India and abroad. He can't say exactly when he started. It is a family business, so he printed alongside school, and went on to a commerce degree. Three of his brothers took government jobs, and in Bagru it is often the children who do well at school who leave; Vijendra stayed in the printing, with one brother. The craft dates from the time a king settled printing families in the village. His son, who joined after his studies, is the sixth generation. In the workshop, one piece takes a week: printed one day, washed the next, boiled the day after. Blocks wear out in a few months, but he still has some made of Gurjan wood that are 150 years old, from his father, a wood you can't get any more. Natural dyes never come out exactly the same twice, and he is proud that no two pieces are alike. He calls machine printing mindless. Between October and March, groups of up to twenty-five come to learn to print.
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