need assessment survey report; block printing cluster, rajnagar; dist...

Need Assessment Survey Report; Block Printing Cluster, Rajnagar; Dist Birbhum; under MSME Design Clinic Scheme

Block Printing Cluster, Rajnagar Dist. Birbhum

under

MSME Design Clinic Scheme, 2012

In Association with

Consultant Designer

Need Assessment Survey

Shantiniketan Society for Youth Empowerment

Rudranil Das

Need Assessment Survey Report; Block Printing Cluster, Rajnagar; Dist Birbhum; under MSME Design Clinic Scheme 1

Acknowledgement

At first, I would like to say Thank you to Mr. Robin Ghosh as the President of Shantiniketan Society for Youth and Empowerment to take the project forward for the people of Rajnagar Block, Birbhum, West Bengal, India. His vision, will power and experience makes us enrich always in the project front. I also thank to Mr. Prabir Rakshit for his kind help from time to time throughout the project schedule.Also it is not possible to finish without thanking Mr. Tapas Biswas for his help and co-operation. Thanks to Magha Chakraborty to help us to travel all the way from Shantiniketan to Rajnagar and its interior part and makes our atmosphere filled with light moments.

I would like to thanks to Mr. Ashok Mondal (Co-ordinator, Design Clinic Scheme- MSME) and Mr. Soumen Ghosh (Project Officer, Design Clinic Scheme-MSME) for their time to time help and encouragement. Also I would like to thankful to Mr. Shashank Mehta [Project Director, Design Clinic Scheme -MSME, International center for Indian Crafts, NID, Ahmedabad], Mr. Kriti Parmar and NID community (Design Clinic Scheme-MSME).


Introduction

Block printing is one of the basic methods of surface decoration. Generally, single block carrying a unit of idea and its multiple impressions make the language of the surface. Sometimes a unit appears like motif or other way it shows continuous flowing movement (the design needs to be projected as horizontal and vertical modes of repeat). Day and night seems two different blocks of a single pattern and continuously it develops the pattern of life.


Macro/ Cluster level study

Geography

Rajnagar is located at 23.95°N 87.32°E. It has an average elevation of 101 m (331 ft).

It is located on the western edge of the district, bordering on Jharkhand.

The area sits on ancient Archean rocks.

Rajnagar receives an average annual rainfall of 1405 mm, most of it in the months of June to October.

The area has latterite soil, which is infertile and unsuitable for agriculture.


Demographics

In the 2001 census, Rajnagar community development block had a population of 69,698, out of which 35,545 were males and 34,153 were females.

Rajnagar is a town in Suri sadar subdivision of the Birbhum district in West Bengal, India. It was formerly the Capital of Royal Kingdoms in the area. With the fading away of the kingdoms, the town lost much of its importance.


To reach Rajnagar

Rajnagar is 25km far from Suri and which take an hour's drive to reach.

The place can also be visited from Bolpur, which is 36km from Suri.

Catch a train (like the Hool Express, Mayurakshi Express) from Howrah. You can return the same day.

Hire a car from Suri or Bolpur to reach Rajnagar. It is well connected with Suri by bus.


History

Rajnagar was founded by Bir Singh, a great Hindu Raja in ancient times on whose name the district Birbhum was formed. In 1206, Rajnagar was occupied by Muhammad Shiran, a General of Muhammad Bakhtiyar, and annexed by Ali Mardan, on 1211. However, Pathans do not seem to have enjoyed undisputed control over the entire district or area. At least the western part of the district, with Rajnagar as its capital, seems to have been ruled by the descendants of Bir Singh, the Bir Rajas. The rent roll of Todar Mall leads to the conclusion that by the middle of the 16th century the entire district was brought under the administration of the Mughals through numerous wars raged on this 'Gateway of Bengal'. The later Muslim Zamindars of Rajnagar, known as "Nagar Raj", were feudatories of the MughalsJonad Khan, an adventurous Pathan, is said to have established the House at Nagar in 1600, having treachouresly killed the Bir Raja under whom he served. He was succeeded by his son, Bahadur Khan, alias Ranmast Khan. Asadullah Khan (1697-1718), grandson of Bahadur Khan, was a pious man who was on good terms with Murshid Quli Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. A devout person, he enjoyed full autonomy.

His son, Badi-uz-zaman Khan (171852) made an abortive attempt at shaking off the nominal allegiance to Murshidabad. He was invested with the title of Raja by Murshid Quli Khan. During his reign Birbhum was ravaged by the Marathas. They also overran Rajnagar. It was during the reign of his son, Asad-uz-Zaman Khan (1752-1777) that the Nagar Raj witnessed the zenith of its power and then started declining. The Raja was faithful to the Nawab and after the Battle of Plassey, was on bad terms with the British. He was defeated by the combined forces of the British and Mir Qasim in 1761. He fled, regrouped and fought back again. He was completely routed at the Battle of Hetampur in 1765. By a treaty, he was restored to

[2]his estate but much of his autonomy was lost. In the course of time, they lost their supremacy to the Hetampur Raj. The British set up their district headquarters at Suri, and by the early 19th century, Rajnagar had been reduced to a deserted town with dilapidated palaces and ruins of habitation, and the forest slowly encroaching.

The last Pathan ruler held sway over the area in the mid-19th century, but Rafiqul Alam Khan, a successor of the Nagar Raj family, is still honoured as the Raja by the town's residents, the descendants of the one-time tenants of his predecessors. On the occasion of the Muslim festivals of Muharram and Eid, he regains his position as the Raja of Rajnagar. The present Raja did not get a realm from his ancestors but is the proud owner of royal attire with a royal diadem made of silk. The attire is tattered, but Raja Saheb still wears it when he becomes the “ruler” twice a year.


Kalidaha Pond

Palace of Bir Raja

Moti Masjid

Economy

Proximity to the supply centres of raw material, as well as the royal court and an aristocratic community, gave rise to certain centres of cottage industries for cotton and tassar silk in the Tantipara-Bhabanipur-Karidhya zone. The famine of 1770 left both agriculture and industry in a bad shape. Trade also suffered. People had sunk to a depth of poverty which the magistrate of Birbhum emphatically said he had not seen anywhere in India. The Maratha raids of 1742-45 had earlier laid waste not only the countryside but also Rajnagar itself. In the time of British period, Santhal Movement makes them uncomfortable and concerning this issue they shifted the control power to Suri as a township, as a result the place get more neglected by time to time and at present Mao movement makes the place more ignored by the people.


Printing at Birbhum

Wood block on cotton bedsheet, 88”-57”;by eminent artist Benodebehari Mukherjee at Shantiniketan

Hand block printing of Birbhum started around early 1940's at Shantiniketan. After a short research we got to know that eminent artists Binod Behari Mukherjee started block printing as form of art. He developed few hand blocks and made printing on cloth as his way of experimentation looking new medium of art. As we met Rtd Prof Prabir Kumar Biswas and got to know that Later, around 1968-69 few students had experimented the medium block printing with potato and Lino sheet. In the year 1972, All India Handicraft Board and Government of India planned a 2 year Craft and Design Training course to enhance the craft culture of India. The Idea of the course is that to assemble intellectuals form the different part of India (invited best students from the art colleges from allover India) and generate ideas by them to restructure the craft scenario. They choose the place Kalabhavan, Shantiniketan as the venue to conduct the course. In the time of the course Hand Block Printing included as subject and started once at Shantiniketan with new enthusiasm. Later it has been continuing as a part of the lessons in textile department. Pranab Roy was appointed as teacher for the block printing and he started fundamentals of block making process as lessons.Afterward Viswa Bharati introduced short diploma course in textiles and block printing has been continuing as a part of that schedule as well. Sriniketan, also have own module of craft and deign education and block printing is one of the essential part in it.Regarding the context of block printing Amar Kutir commune in Shantiniketan had initiated the block printing around 1937 but later they closed this section due to some problem.Few students from Rajnagar came to Shantiniketan to study textiles and after finishing their schooling went back to their place and started career as hand block print maker. Some how I find that Shantiniketan is the pioneer of hand block printing of Rajnagar.


Printing at Rajnagar

Tantipara is a well known place for weaving tussar fabric and situated in the block Rajnagar (Tantipara is a Village in Rajnagar Tehsil, Birbhum District, West Bengal State. Tantipara is 6.9 km far from its Tehsil Main Town Rajnagar. Tantipara is located 25.5 km distance from its District Main City Suri. It is located 179 km distance from its State Main City Kolkata). The place is mainly known for woven Tussar fabric. The buyer generally comes from Shantiniketan to run their business. They mainly collect tussar fabrics from them and later introduce surface embellishment on fabric by famous Shantiniketani Kantha Stitch embroidery. Optional labour cost made them rethink to execute everything in Rajnagar, and that is the way Rajnagar people started doing embroidery on the fabric surface (Kantha Stitch) as Shantiniketan. The surface decoration started by that way in this region fairly a long back.

To cover the whole fabric surface by stitch is time taking process and that is why people started block printing as supplementary way to increase the production speed. They generally develop friendlier surfaces for embroidery (Kantha stitch) by block printing. From that notion block printing was started at Rajnagar area around 2004.

After finishing his graduation Anup Das (Ganga Dyeing & Printing) a young man from the place Tantipara started thinking about the business and fortunately mate a relative of his friend who was a dyer. He learned few dyeing techniques from him and afterward went to the Weavers Service Centre to study Dyeing and Printing. At the same time he met Pradip Majumder form Rajnagar who also interested about block printing process. Pradeep had done the certificate course in textile design under Visva Bharati University. Both of them simultaneously trained at WSC and started their small units at their own places. Later, Anup went through few more printing training programs at Shrerampore. People around them saw their

works and realized the potentials of the medium and started small units by personal initiatives around there. By the time Rajnagar Block area grows number of units but they do not have enough capable skillful craftsmen. The artisans are here learned techniques from two of the pioneers' guidance and trained themselves by using general knowledge. Therefore, technically they are not much sound and need training to develop their skills further.

Locally tassar weaving belt

Tussar is available locally and they source mulberry silk fabrics from the dealer of Rampurhat and Basaha(Jharkhand).


Here, people are doing surface embellishment on the fabric surface by stitching and silk is more economic viable than the cotton. Silk is easily available here and that potential makes this area is more concentrating on the silk rather than cotton. But the fact is cotton print always in demand. Now days few of the units started hand block printing on cotton to realize having better prospect in terms of marketting value. The printers at this place accepts that they started printing recently and running themselves by without proper training. Earlier two of the unit owners from them went out side and received training from some recognized government concern. Later they started their own units. Rest of the printers started afterwards by their own interests without any prior training. They generally visit each others unit and gain knowledge through vision. They do not have any formal training, therefore mistake happens all the time and they try to recover those mistakes through stitches. Better craftsmanship is the only solution to refine the medium up to the mark. Basically I feel a good training scheduled makes them confident to handle the medium in better verse.Concerning this issue they need to develop their design skills as well as better craftsmanship to fetch better earnings.

In respect of block printing they generally uses acid colours for the silk material printing. Now they are trying to diversify themselves in respect of material and colour. They are looking some help to learn and grow better understanding with the new verse. Cotton is a cellulose fiber and having different chemical compositions altogether. In relation to this matter they need to understand the different alkali based colours and their application. Chemicals are playing important role in the time of printing. Utilization of chemicals and treatment makes the difference in the time of printing. Now days they started Pigment printing in cotton fabrics. There are lot more different style of printing and different colours, which are more effective and economical in terms of business.Earlier they tried Vegetable colour, but the market did not allow them to maintain the cost and they give up the process as well.

The place is mainly followed the direct style of printing and Discharge

style of printing. Nobody tries the other processes of printing in this region. In the work shed of Pradip Majumder we found the continuous processing of pigment printing. But instead of that printing process they do not tried any other methods. In the time of need assessment survey we got to know that they don't have idea about the different colour processing. They heard about different style of colours but do not even tried earlier because lack of knowledge in chemical compositions and implementation. In the time of survey also I noticed that placement of fabric on the printing table needs better orientation to be printed well. If the fabric stretches well on the table then quality of printing comes out nicely, other way the small negligence detects the printing imperfectly.

Incorrect fabric orientation makes the printing mistake


Top: In the time of printing they are not very careful about the fabric orientation on the top of printing table and as result print get spoils.Bottom: Alternative colour practices.

In the time of execution printers are using colours according to their ideas. Thus, one element of design [colour] always depends on the intelligence of the printer's aptitude. Basic colours are available in the markets and they normally use those colours directly. But the trouble comes when they required complex colours and mix colour together. they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is completely an amateur practice. They don't have any colour master to check or have an inspection in the time of colour preparation. As fact, that their skill does not allow them to produce exact same colour in every time. The present market scenario does not restrict them regarding this matter [about uneven shade matching through different lots]. Thus, they never realize the importance of coloration in the time of printing. The craft person agrees the limitations of them and understands the necessity of shade matching and coloration. They urge some training program to develop skill concerning this issue. Anup Das and few having the silk shade card from Weavers Service Center which they follow according to the requirement. Still it not becomes a regular practice at Rajnagar.


Top: colour practices.Bottom:

AlternativeBlocks getting crack in the time

of storing.

The primary problem of that region is that they have no block cutter at that place. Requirement of new block means have to go to the Sreerampore or Sealdah at Kolkata and order them with design. Mainly Shirish and gama wood are preferable for making block. Here, they have been facing some problems since few days; some blocks are getting cracks in the time of restoring. Later, they put the block into the water before using once. After a day's treatment it has been recovering the cracks and keeping good impressions on fabric. Hand bock printers know that Shirish and Gama wood are better options for the block making, and do not have idea more than that. Generally, in Sreerampore Block Cutter charged a 6 inch - 6 inch block @ Rs 120 and 3 inches 4 or 5 inches @ Rs 100. Rajnagar printers never tried intricate designs in block therefore the charge is more or less same as mentioned. They did not manage to save their designs from the outside as block cutter produce more copies to sell outside.


Existing geometrical design. (Top left)(Bottom left)

Blocks storing on shelves. (Top)Colour tray.

They generally work with 2-3 colours design and neither tried more than that. People at this area never set primary design for the block printing. Here; it has been following as value addition in kantha fabric, which they create surface by the block printing. So, the final value comes from such other textile technique and that increases the overhead of the production as well. The mix media


concept runs their printing table instead of its proper establishment. Here, the possibility to come up with the concept of pure Hand block printing.

One more interesting point, they generally make mistakes in the time of printing and by kantha stitching they recover their mistakes very well. This always happens because lack of skillfulness and understanding with the medium. That is why they never realized the importance of skill up gradation and Hand block printing as the primary medium of execution. In the time of need assessment survey I noticed that in Rajnagar, not a single printer uses fine cloths on the top of the colour pad where every time craftsmen refill the block surface by colour to print. The colour tray needs the thick blanket to absorb the color and then it refines through the fine cotton cloth and makes even distribution on the block surface. Without the finer cloth the blanket surface becomes irregular and block takes uneven quantity colour from the blanket and as result impression gets spoiled. If colour quantity more than enough then prints gets overflowed by the colour (disturbs the form) and less colours derive patchy print. Sometimes excess colour drops on the surface of the fabric as well. They have not been through the methodical process earlier, thus they need elaborate discussion regarding these matter in the time of workshop.Block with excess colour

In trolley they put sponge below the colour tray.


Excess colour in block spoils the print. (Top left)Less colours makes uneven print. (Bottom left)The colour pad without fine fabric. (top)

Sari is the main product from the place. Also they print dress material, Dupatta, Scarf, Stole and engineered prints. The wages of craftsperson is Rs 14 per dupatta and they produce maximum 20 dupatta in a day. But irregularity of works makes their monthly wages around Rs 1200-1500.

This Birbhum region is having hard water naturally. Iron percentage within


the water is extremely high and that makes difficulty in the process of printing. Few units in Shantiniketan having installed water purifier plant, which is expensive for the new coming units. But for long term that investment could be the best solution to maintain the product quality.

They have problems with the steaming

Closed Chamber steaming at Pradip’s place. (Top left)Open Chamber steaming at Anups’s place. (Bottom left)Closed Chamber steaming at Pradip’s place. (Top)


system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes lengthier time to operate. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive shorter time processing. They need to learn that process to reduce production costing. In Rajnagar, Anup Das tried earlier and received good results in initials but later fabric gets spoiled by the water marks. Now, they are looking help regarding this matter to finalize the issue and ensure better costing. In open chamber we can check the fabric in the time of steaming when it requires by sample pieces and that is one of the finest aspects there.They need help to sought out the problem by some expertise.

They are doing calendaring through machine which having one at Tantipara, two at Dhannokone and one at Chandinagar. All the printers are using that facility by their requirement.

They are not focused in packaging. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.

All the Hand block printers at Rajnagar are not directly linked to the market, and for that reason the cream of the profit goes to some others pocket. They supply their products to the boutiques Sending products to the client

Calendaring machine


around the cities. Other way they have been participating fairs around West Bengal and other states of India. Few of them unit owners having government registrations therefore, rest of them are not eligible to participate those fairs solely by their name, so they send products through different people or organizations who took part those fairs directly. Now, these forms of customer are major criteria for them. They received short orders, sometimes 100 numbers of pieces in same designs. Instead of that variations are the main criteria to sell people. Designs and colours are depends of the choices of the customer. They generally get ideas Kantha structure by block surface

Printing surface for kantha design

Press


Block Printing to Kantha Stitch Embroidery

from buyers that could be floral or the geometric and later translated by their mind. Printers over there said that they have enough requirements from market but infrastructure did not support them to produce and fulfill the market supplies. The Rajnagar people getting silks easily form their own resource, doing hand block printing by them, adding extra value with embroidery and selling by the name of Shantinikatan Kantha Stitch. If they work hard to establish themselves in the field of printing then someday it could be an identical place for Hand Block printing. Basically, I feel that they need to develop their skill by some training program and reorganize their infrastructure to work as professional way. They need to feel about their work and even more careful about the mistakes. They need to grow organizational structure and their own identity and that only gives them the proper remuneration from market.


Production

Marketting

Design & Development

Infrastructure

AdministrationManagement

ResourcesStorageSafety

Ergonomics & Environment factor

PackagingFair

Middle manShop

BoutiquesBranding

Craft man shipSkill

EfficiencyQuality maintenance

MaterialTool

TechniqueTechnologyProcessingFinishing


Cluster Information and details of units

At the beginning we started survey in the region of Bolpur and visited few units. Primarily Amar Kutir Society for Rural Development which was one of the oldest printing units at that area (started around 1923). The commune started printing around 1937 and later they stopped their printing division. Still they are working based on the leather block printing. We then moved to some another unit owned by Ms Madhu Chhanda Ghosh (Seva Pally, Bolpur, Santiniketan) and she had not shown her interest regarding this program. Alcha, another good unit by Ms Keya Sarkar shifted her unit from Shantiniketan to Burdwan. After, a short research we found that printing units near Shantiniketan are more focused in printing on leather than fabric. Their enthusiasm, keenness to participate in the program and improve their design sensitivity was really unexpected.

While visiting Rajnagar Block Printing Clusters, we noticed large numbers of block printing units are working there and they interested to learn about design and technology to upgrade themselves. We visited 16 Block Printing Units in Rajnagar, and they were very keen to participate in this workshop, concerning this issue they provide us necessary support and ready to utilize design inputs for higher market penetration and value addition.These units are also economically healthy and doing good business. We felt that the workshop will create better impact in the people of this region and the possibility makes us to rethink and organize the workshop at Rajnagar. However, we had also invited units from Santiniketan and request them to participate in this workshop at Rajnagar.In view of this Need Assessment Survey, we have decided to hold the workshop at Rajnagar, an adjacent town to Santiniketan in the district of Birbhum.


Mr Avijit Guin

Kasturi, Unit of Handicraft

Vill & PO TantiparaTantipara, Birbhum

Contact: 9732291633

Started Unit: 2010

Number of craft person:03

Avijit Guin is running now two tables.

Generally he prints sari, dupatta and dress material. He works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Basaha (Jharkhand).

Acid colours and other chemicals are collecting from Kolkata, which is quite difficult for them all the time. Any new experiment needs extra time to keep stuff arranging form Kolkata.

Basic colours are available in the markets and they normally use those colours directly. Whenever requires some new colour (need to mix more than one colour), then they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is completely an amateur practice.They need to work under a good colour master for few days to learn the preparation of different colours.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes long time. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive and take shorter time in process. They need to learn that process to reduce production cost.

Earlier he started designing block thinking about Kantha stitch primarily, which the block embellishing as secondary element. Now, Avijit Guin wants to develop block for using block design only.

The Rajnagar craft persons had trained themselves by own. They generally visit others unit and gain knowledge through vision. They do not have any formal training, therefore mistake happens all the time and they try to recover those mistakes through stitches. Better craftsmanship is the only solution to refine the medium up to the mark. Basically I feel a good training scheduled makes them confident to handle the medium in better verse.

He is not having good storage facility, which I mentioned to him. As fact the poor storage spoils the quality fabric within a short span of time, also the material needs different storage system at same time.


Mr Sunil Das

Sipra Dyeing Center


Contact: 9434635193

Unit Started: 2007


Sunil Das is running now two tables and owns near about 360 blocks.

Generally he prints sari, dupatta and dress material. He works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Basaha (Jharkhand).

Getting colours and chemicals from Kolkata is always a difficult task. Available basic colours are easy to use directly. Whenever requires some comples colour (need to mix more than one colour), they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is not a professional attitude. They need to grow the technicality better through knowledge and practice.

This Birbhum region is having hard water naturally. Iron percentage within the water is extremely high and that make difficulties in the processing of printing. Alum can be use as water purifier temporarily.

The primary problem of that region, they have no block cutter neighboring this place. Requirement of new block means have to go to Sreerampore or Sealdah at Kolkata and order them with design. They did not manage to save their designs from the outside as because block cutter produce more than required copies of design and to sell to the others for better earning.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes long time. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive short time process. They need to learn that process to reduce costing.


Mr Madhab Mondal

Madhab Mondal Handicrafts


Contact: 9046916818

Unit started: 2008


Madhab Mondal is running now two tables.

Generally he prints sari and dupatta. He works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

He is working with block printing, hand painting and embroidery.

The primary problem of that region, they have no block cutter neighboring this place. As the matter of fact the design development process is become a hectic schedule for them. In that way secrecy of design also not is restricted as well.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes long time. He wants to learn the open chamber steaming process.

His unit is not taking care of their assets to manage and organize themselves well.I remind him to realize the value of their assets and their expenditure as well. Explain them about the usefulness of well structured organization and suggested few easy developmental plan like segregation of different colours, different chemicals, blocks of different patterns. Keep the staff with proper labeling in different shelves.


Mr Anup Das

Ganga Dyeing and Printing


Contact: 9233185986

Unit started: 2003


Anup Das is running now seven tables and having more than 1600 blocks. He owns the biggest unit at this region.

He prints sari, dupatta and dress material based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

Basic colours are available in the markets and they normally use those colours directly. Whenever requires some new colour (need to mix more than one colour), they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is completely an amateur practice. He is having few good craftmen too.He is quite familiar with dye stuffs and can able to manage the situation as well. He is having WSC's silk shade card but only practices when it requires. Still it is not become a regular practice.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes lengthier time to operate. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive shorter time processing. They need to learn that process to reduce production costing. In Rajnagar, Anup Das tried earlier and received good results in initials but later fabric gets spoil by the water marks. Now, they are looking help regarding this

matter to finalize the issue and ensure better costing. In open chamber we can check the fabric in the time of steaming when it requires and that is one of the finest aspects there. He needs help and guidance to find out the the changing livelihoodproblem by some expertise.

In the interactive session he shows interests to know the design process. He is one of the most well educated person at this place and aware about


Top far left: Processing of fabric.Bottom far left: Preservation of colour, chemicals and block.Top left: Arrangement of steaming set up.Bottom left: Working at the work shed.Top: Storage of final product at his unit.


Mr Pradip Mazumdar

Mohor Block Workshop

Vill & P.O. RajnagarBlock Rajnagar, District : Birbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 973205149

Unit started: 2005


Pradip Majumder is running three tables and having more than 1200 blocks.

Generally he prints sari, dupatta and dress material based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat. He also started cotton printing using pigment colour. There are lot more other colours in the market to reduce costing and maintaining better quality. He wants to explore this area and looking guidance.

Colours and required chemicals are not available locally; any new experiment needs extra time to keep stuff arranging form Kolkata. If locally they have any dealer then they feel more comfortable to handle such situation.

He has problems with the steaming system. He generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes lengthier time to operate. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive shorter time processing. They need to learn that process to reduce production costing. Earlier he tried once but did not get success through his limited vision.

He shows me few blocks which are getting cracks in the time of restoring. Later, they put the block into the water before using once. After a day's treatment it has been recovering the cracks and keeping good impressions on fabric. Hand bock printers know that Shirish and Gama wood are better options for the block making, and do not have idea more than that. Generally, in Sreerampore Block Cutter charged a 6”- 6” block @ Rs 120 and 3”- 4” or 5” @ Rs 100.

They are not concentrating in the packaging side. Normally they put pieces into transparent plastics and send it to the market. Usually he put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.

He needs help and guidance from good expertise concerning his field to come up with new innovative solutions. In the interactive session he shows interests to know the design developmental process.


Top far left: Arrangement of steaming set up.Bottom far left: Small laboratory for experimentation.Top left: Preparing fabric for steaming.Bottom left: Natural light set up for the unit.Top: Defective printing table.


Mr Durga Charan Das

West Bengal Handloom & Handicraft

Vill + P.O. TantiparaBirbhum Pin- 731131

Contact: 9932349020

Unit started: 2008


Durga Charan Das is running now 2 tables and having more than 1500 blocks.

Generally he prints sari, dupatta and dress material. He works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

This Birbhum region is having hard water naturally [Iron] and that make difficulties in the process of printing. Few units in Shantiniketan having installed water purifier plant, which is expensive for the new coming units. But for long term that investment could be the best solution to maintain the quality product.

Basically he is interested in mix media. Block printing, hand painting with hand embroidery.Basic colours are easy to use but whenever requires some new colour (need to mix more than one colour that becomes completely an amateur practice.

They are not concentrating in the packaging side. Normally they put pieces into transparent plastics and send it to the market. cities. They have own a shop at Delhi. He is also participating different fairs and supply products to NHDC. His turn over is around 30 lakhs.

He keen to know the process of changing design, and interested to know the design precess. He heard those words trend forecasts but do not know how it works and how to relate within his workculture.


Mr Debdulal Das

Debdulal Handicrafts

Vill + P.O. TantiparaBirbhum Pin- 731131

Contact: (03462) 274234

Unit started: 2008


Debdulal Das is running now 2 tables and having more than 700 blocks.

He prints sari, dupatta and dress material based on silk fabrics; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

He expresses that access colours and chemicals from Kolkata is difficult all the time. The printers over there feel difficulties to handle such situation in the time of design development.

Basic colours are available in the markets and they normally use those colours directly. Whenever requires some new colour (need to mix more than one colour), they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is completely an amateur practice.

They are not concentrating in the packaging side. He wants to create interesting folding to create packaging innovative. Normally they put pieces into transparent plastics and send it to the market.

In Rajnagar, not a single printer uses fine cloths on the top of the colour pad. The colour tray needs the thick blanket to absorb the color and then it transfer to the block surface by refinement through cotton cloths and that makes even distribution of colour on the block surface. Without the finer

cloth the blanket surface becomes irregular spongy and block takes uneven quantity of colour from the blanket and as result impression gets spoiled. If colour quantity more than enough then prints gets overflowed by the colour (disturbs the form) and less colours derive patchy print. I had seen in the earlier printed cloth.

In the interactive session he shows interests to know the design process.


Sk Nura Alam

Akash Handicrafts

Vill: Khodaibag, P.O. RajnagarBirbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 9732324610

Unit started: 2007


Nura Alam is running now 2 tables and having more than 500 blocks.

Generally he prints sari and dupatta. He works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat. He collected materials either Kolkata or Shantiniketan.

This Birbhum region is having hard water naturally. Iron percentage within the water is extremely high and that makes difficulties in the process of printing. Few units in Shantiniketan having installed water purifier plant, which is expensive for the new coming units. But for long term that investment could be the best solution to maintain the product quality.

Basic acid colours are available in the markets and the uses of those colours with no trouble directly. Whenever requires the colour mixing ability then they feel uncomfortable to produce same colour in multiple time. As I noticed that amateur practice is happening around the place.He also accepted that his workers have not well enough regarding ideas of colour matching.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which now days is quite expensive and takes lengthier time to operate. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive shorter time processing. They need to learn that process to reduce production costing.

They are not focused in packaging side. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.

He supplies pieces to the different boutiques in cities. Generally, peoples and organizations who don't have their own set ups and collected fabrics from different sources to put things together in different fairs are the major customer for him.


Ms Masroofa Bibi

Sahed Ansari Handicraft


Contact: 9800428245

Unit started: 2009


Masroofa Bibi is running now 1 table and having around 350 blocks.

She works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat. He collected materials form Kolkata and Shantiniketan too.

She knows the relation between block, table and on the fabric surface. She receives help from her neighboring units concerning colour preparation, and design motivation.

Basic colours are available in the markets and normally they use those colours directly. She also accepted that her workers have not well enough regarding colour matching ideas.

She showed us some technical problem of her products. Silks loose its lusture and smoothness after processing of printing. Basically, I feel in the time of washing they put excess alkali medium within the solution and that makes silk defective.

The unit is not focused in packaging. She told people are selling their products in different name, thus there is no need to invest more money concerning this issue. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.

She supplies pieces to the different boutiques in cities. Generally, peoples and organizations who don't have their own set ups and collected fabrics from different sources to put things together in different fairs are the major customer for her.


Ms Chameli Bibi

Chameli Block Print


Contact: 8926258432

Unit started: 2008


Chameli Bibi is running now one table and having around 300 blocks.

Generally she prints sari, dupatta and dress material. She works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

Acid colours and other chemicals are collecting from Kolkata, which is quite difficult for them to maintain time by time. Any new experiment needs extra time to keep stuff arranging form Kolkata. If locally they have any dealer then they feel more comfortable to handle such situation.

Basic colours are available in the markets and they normally use those colours directly. Whenever requires some new colour (need to mix more than one colour), they starts experimentation with colour by previous experiences, which is completely an amateur practice.

Few blocks I had seen in her work shed which gets cracks in the time of restoring. If they dip one night in the water then the blocks become ready for the further use. Hand bock printers know that Shirish and Gama wood are better options for the block making, and do not have idea more than that.

The work shed of Chameli Bibi is running with very less amount of light. I

had suggested her to ensure more amount of light by creating openings through wall. She also has the potential to increase a bit arrangement of lights which could be easily accessible naturally. She also can put one transparent cover on the top of the roof, and that provides the natural light effectively.

She does not have good idea about designs, and she would like to learn that transformation of ideas.


Ms Forzuna Khatun

Forzuna Handicraft

Vill: Malbani, P.O. RajnagarDist: Birbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 8116939553

Unit started: 2008


Forzuna Khatun is running now one table and having around 350 blocks.

She prints sari, dupatta and dress material based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

Arranging Acid colours and other material from Kolkata all the time is difficult for her; if locally they have any dealer then she feels more comfortable to handle such any untoward situation

Hard water is one more major problem of this region, as result the processing of fabric turn out to be unpredictable.

Basic colours are available in the market and easy to get the direct hue from them but experimentation with colour hue through mixing is still an amateur practice. As result exploring colour is easy but maintaining the same is difficult.

Many of units at Rajnagar developed their printing table by few temporary wooden frames and on the top of the table they used plywood as surface. Block printing table generally grasp pressure on the top and therefore we need firm supported structure. And finally I noticed that the top surface of the table become uneven and as result the quality of printing gets

deteriorate by the developmental process. As fact that they started their block printing developmental process experimentally which cause they invested small for their infrastructure and continuing till now. I had suggested them to ensure their table quality primarily and take steps ahead.

She needs to learn the steam system to reduce the production costing.


Ms Pinki Khatun

Pinki Block Handicraft


Contact: 9735884698

Unit started: 2009


Pinki Khatun is running now one table and having around 150 blocks.


She is having a temporarily structured printing table with wooden frame and plywood. The table gets distorted by the printing pressure and the uneven top surface does not support for the good quality printing.

Primary basic colours are easy to produce as they get directly from the market but the colour mixing methodology seems difficult for them.She needs to learn the steam process to reduce the costing part of the production.

She shows me few blocks which are getting cracks in the time of restoring. Later, they put the block into the water before using once. After a day's treatment it has been recovering the cracks and keeping good impressions on fabric. Hand bock printers know that Shirish and Gama wood are better options for the block making, and do not have idea more than that.

The printing pad needs more concentration to be taken care of.

The unit is not focused in the part of packaging and branding. She told

people are selling their products in different name, thus there is no need to invest more money concerning this issue. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.


Ms Anima Sarkar

Payel Block Making

Vill: Gangmori, P.O. RanigramBirbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 9735826836

Unit started: 2010


Anima Sarkar is running now one table and having around 100 blocks.


Access Kolkata from Rajnagar is quite painful to collect material as per requirement by time to time. They need some local dealer [colour] to handle such untidy situation in the time of business.

She is having an extended lawn for the work shed. Temporarily table structured by wooden frame, bamboo and plywood. I had noticed the table is not having enough firms but she has managing the workplace well. The lawn was a bit uneven and small in some parts that is why they are not using colour trolley. Here, some major issue is the packing of the printing table. She uses very few layers as packing of the printing table and regarding this context less or not sufficient amount of packing looses its printing quality. Generally we are using few jute layers as the lower surface and few layers of the marking fabric on the top of the surface.

Developments of new blocks are difficult for them because the block cutters are staying quite far from their place. Communication with them becomes difficult to them, and then design secrecy, material of blocks [quality of wood] is such major issues altogether at time. I had seen few blocks at her place got damage with cracks in the time of restoring.

She showed us some technical problem of her products. Silks loose its lusture and smoothness after processing of printing. Basically, I feel in the time of washing they put excess alkali medium within the solution and that makes silk defective.

Cotton cloth makes the printing pad smoother and finer impression to be portrayed. But here, the unit does not use the finer cloth to on the top of the printing pad. And as result the printing quality gets defective impressions on the fabric surface.


Ms Shyamali Konai

Saraswati Handicraft

Vill: Gangmori, P.O. RanigramBirbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 8001783551

Unit started: 2008


Shyamali Konai is running now one table and having around 200 blocks.

She works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat.

Mainly acid colours she is using and every chemicals collecting from Kolkata, which is quite difficult task for her to maintain time by time

She does not have colour master in her unit and therefore, her unit still sustain with the unorthodox amateur practice. There are so many different colours in the market which she does not have any clear idea as well.

Her table is also a temporary construction by the plywood and wooden frame. The legs of the table had not placed in even distance and the result the table surface has enough up and downs which creates trouble in the time of printing process. Furthermore the height of the table is a bit high and that ergonomically disturbs them too. I had mentioned them in the time of my visit.

She also shows me few blocks with cracks in the time of restoring. I basically feel that the wood was not seasoned or not treated well before processing as block.

Silks loose its lusture and smoothness in the time of processing as fabric for the printing. Basically, I feel in the time of washing they put excess alkali medium within the solution and that makes silk defective as I mentioned earlier.

I noticed that the colour tray does not contains the finer fabric on the top of the layer, as I described earlier the printing quality shows the imperfection on the printing surface.

She is not interested in packaging as the clients sell their product by their own name.Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.


Mr Ashim Mal

Sankar Block Print

Vill: Natungram, P.O. AligarBirbhum

Contact: 8926817146

Unit started: 2009


Ashim Mal is running now 2 tables and having more than 300 blocks.

He is a very well skilled printer also and prints sari and dupatta. He works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat. He collected materials form Kolkata and Shantiniketan also.

He mentions the common and general problem hard water. His unit is having a big water tank and he restores water with alum for a night before using the printing process. He noticed pretty good results by this orientation.

He manages his colour sole handedly by his experience which is not good enough he mentions and requires some training to expand his knowledge. Tight schedule of production did allow him to go outside to learn, as his family matters restrict him regarding this context.He also accepted that his workers have not well enough ideas of colour matching.

He shows me some problem regarding defected blocks, which being cracked by the time of restoration. He implied that they depend on the process of the block making by some craftsmen of other region, and they could not handle the situation well.

He aware of the open chamber streaming process of Sreerampore, but the technicality does not allow him to explore the process in his unit. He wants some guidance regarding this process to start in his unit which saves his money in processing matter, He is not interested in packaging side. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place.

He supplies pieces to the different boutiques in cities. Generally, peoples and organizations who don't have their own set ups and collected fabrics from different sources to put things together in different fairs are the major customer for him.


Mr Biswajit Garai

Biswajit Block Works

Vill: Ganguri, P.O. RanigramBirbhum Pin- 731130

Contact: 8926756351

Unit started: 2010


Biswajit Garai is running now one table and having more than 150 blocks.

Generally he prints sari and dupatta. He works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics collected from Rampurhat. He is also a very well skilled printer.

Hard water is one of the major problems of this area which I understand one more time. Every people are aware of that but they do not loose the potential of the business by this medium. They are using alum as an ingredient to purify the water but looking the better possibility to come up with better solution.

He is having a very good unit but the in-house lighting system needs slight more alteration to achieve better aspect. In the time of colouration they need better light position to understand reality.

His unit accepted that they have not such great idea about colouration and the workers also have not good in colour matching too. Generally they developed design by their wish to create something new. At that time whatever comes from the mind and however they translate through pencil or pen that becomes as design.

He showed us some of his silk products loose its silk quality. Technically deteriorate its lusture and smoothness in the time of fabric preparation. Basically, I feel in the time of washing they put excess alkali medium within the solution and that makes silk defective.

They have problems with the steaming system. They generally worked with closed chamber steaming system which is quite expensive and takes lengthier time to operate. On the other way Sreerampore is using the open chamber steaming and that is less expensive shorter time processing. They need to learn that process to reduce production cost.

He is not interested to think about packaging and other value addition. He thinks that whoever sells the product to the market that could be the responsibility of them. But he accepted my proposal that if some folding techniques add some extra value to fetch more money from the market then they will definitely do that.


Mr Sougata Hazra

Kalpana Handicrafts

Vill: Bolpur SuriparaP.O. Bolpur-SriniketanDist: Birbhum, Pin- 731204

Contact: 904614500

Unit started: 2011


Sougata Hazra is running now one table and having around 60 blocks.

He based from Shantiniketan and prints sari, dupatta and engineered prints. He works based on silks materials; Tassar and Mulberry. Tassar fabrics are getting locally from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics from Kolkata or Shantiniketan.

In Shantiniketan, he faced the water problem equally, but he tried with alum as water purifier and that solves partially his problems.He gets colour from the Shantiniketan as well, but the processing and application of colours makes him in trouble. He only uses the acid colour in silks, but simultaneously he got few works based on cotton cloth and because of colour preparation he did not able to take the order. He heard the terms of reactive, rapid colour, but he needs to know the processing as well.

He is having a small unit but the unit is so messy. He need to well structured and well organized. The place is too dark and needs more opening space for the natural day light. He does not have enough space in the side of table to move colour trolley for better printing.

He understands the lack of designing area and interested to know about that process. Generally he copies the designs from the market and that makes his skill better. After looking his work it makes us clear that instead

of design he is more in textile art.

He is not aware about packaging side. Usually they put pieces within huge bundle and wrapped around by clothe pieces and send it to the client's place. Different organizations and parties give him orders and sell them the products under their banner.


Ms Kalyani Bhattacharjee

Kalyani Block Works

Vill: Bolpur DharmarajtalaP.O. Bolpur-SriniketanBirbhum, Pin- 731204

Contact: 8436468655

Unit started: 2011


Kalyani Bhattacharjee is running now one table and having around 50 blocks.

She works based on silk materials; Tassar and Mulberry, which as sari, dupatta and dress material. Tassar fabrics are getting from Tantipara and Mulberry silk Fabrics form Shantiniketan.

She started cotton printing using pigment colour. There are lot more other colours in the market to reduce costing and maintaining better quality. She needs guidance to explore this area requiring better results. Acid colours and other chemicals are collecting from Kolkata and Shantiniketan.

She is running with one short table but the table is quite structured and firm. I had suggested her to increase the packing fabrics of the table to get better impression in the time of printing.

She is struggling with hard water and using alum to maintain the processing.

She is doing her steaming process by some temporarily arrangement but she keen to install the process in her unit. She would like to learn the open chamber steaming processing and need guidance concerning that context.

The region is doing mainly coarse formational design and that is why nobody using finer cloth on the top of the colour tray. Here, the extra colour some how did not disturbs the designs but minimum diffraction in the time of finer pattern easily can be noticed in once.

She is not interested in packaging as the point of value addition at present.


Infrastructure

Product:

Sari, Dupatta, Stole, Scarf, Dress material and engineered prints on apparel objects.

The place Rajnagar is quite difficult to access at any moment of time. Usually it is well connected by bus from Suri, but distance and frequency of service are not very good at all. Private vehicles are the best way to move around.

The Rajnagar area is dry and facing problem of water resources. Instead of rainwater, deep wells are the best solutions for them, but the natural water contains huge amount of iron and that disturbs the processing of printing preparation.Colour and Chemicals are not available locally which creates trouble to them in the time of experimentation.Silk and Tussar fabrics are available easily around there but difficult to get Cotton fabrics there locally.The local areas are having enough plantations and some of the Reserve Forrest makes the area green. Therefore, they have good wooden resources to accumulate their unit infrastructure well.

The workstation is mainly extension of their residencies. Only Pradip Majumder is hiring place for his workstation. All the work places are not very much organized. They need to structure their place in even distribution by priority obligation. Only six of the units are having enough space and quite well equipped. Rests of them are struggling to achieve better accommodation against poverty. Even light condition and day light allowance is also giving them better aspect of printing.Need to maintain the printing table well. Many of them started working with temporary construction of table with plywood and wooden frame and which needs renovation time to time. Few tables already get distorted but the pressure of printing. The legs of the tables are not placed properly as I noticed and proper distribution helps them to find out the balance of the table. As I feel that they need to convert their temporary construction to permanent and that helps them in future. Table needs good jute and fabric packing for the better impression.Need sufficient space to drying for the printed material. A water tank needs to develop in every workplace which helps them to cure water temporarily for day to day basis.They should be taken care about the utensils are using for colour preparation and need to clean the place as better as possible. Colour trolleys need to maintain in good condition, taken care about the wheels.

Connectivity

Resources

Workstation

Storage

Analysis

Uneven table surface does not connect fabric evenly.

The balances of printing table gets deteriorate.

Workstation needs to be organized.


Management

Safety

Ergonomics and Environmental factor

They need to grow managerial brilliance to shape up the unit better. Need to understand to utilize the resources carefully and thoughtfully to get better result. They need to expand their knowledge concerning administrative part either. Develop the understanding of relation between work and distribution. Arrange and deliver work, in between how they channelized the process to make workload simplify is important for them. Organize financial aspect also the part of this segment.Arrange funding for the different segment setup and help research and development become smoother.

Health and safety measures are the key factor in the time of work schedule. They generally work with chemicals and acid. Regarding this concern need to clean and clear their workspaces always to keep safe. Keep the chemicals in their proper place to protect us. As village women concern they need to take care about their kids to maintain safe distance from the chemicals Craftsperson maintains health & safety measures commonly as a part of their job. They are quite aware about chemical constraints and their after effects. Here, many of the craftswomen have their own work shed and they have their children, regarding this context I had suggested to use gloves in the time of colour preparation; try to avoid direct contact with chemicals and make some division between family and the workstation.

Regarding this context the cluster needs three types of storage.Primarily they need to store their material, such as colour, chemicals and acids. These are very essential because few of them react with environment and change its basic character. Some of them are looking same in visual perception, therefore, these elements needs to be labeled, packed and store in the safe place.Secondly, need to maintain their tools and equipments in better condition to get better print. Primary tool is block, and that needs to be preserving very carefully. It could be like a library, different types of pattern should be coded properly and restore them in categorically to be finding easily. And finally, the product storage needs safety, security and maintain good condition for looking better market possibility. They need to develop required infrastructure to save their assets and reevaluate, manage and organize their expenditure as well.

Ergonomics is the scientific study of the relationship between man and his working environment. There are two types of difficult factor arises in this industry; standing posture in printing and bending posture in washing. Increase the absence of workers due to back pain, lower back, shoulders and the cervical spine area. Till now the craftsmen and craftswomen are not having such problems here, and their working space also not much tidy as they using their residential lawns as workplace. I had noticed few work shed

Storage

having table with a bit space around there and printer gets difficulty to move around, some of them corners are not allowing trolley either. They are very least interested in this particular section. As they are very poor they do not bother those issues yet.I remind them the awkward body mechanics postures, repetitive movements and other economic hazards bring on or contribute to a surprising number of increasing trauma disorders.

Dyeing facility and environment.

Working environment of an unit.


Design & Development

Material

Material as fabric: Tussar available locally, Silks are from Rampurhat, Basaha and Kolkata. Cottons are from Kolkata and Shantiniketan.Mainly they produce Sari, Dress material Dupatta, Scarf, Stole and engineered prints.They have been using acid colours for the silk material and started working with pigment colour for cottons.

In hand block printing, block is the only major tool for them but block development process is not available nearby. Wood is easily accessible material but block cutters generally exist at Kolkata or Sreerampore. That is being difficult to maintain research and development process and become expensive. By this practice they never secure their design from other places.Some of them show me few blocks with cracks, which the crack seems disappear after putting long time within water. The problem could be occurring by the use of not seasoned material [wood].Sometimes colour tray does not placed on the gum-water solution which carrying colour trolley to use as colour pad, as result the impression gets dirty. Instead of gum solution, sponge can be use for better impression as I saw there.Every unit needs a weighting machine to ensure their colour preparation.They generally use two different sizes table, full size 21'-48” and small size like 10'-40”. Regarding this context they need to maintain the table carefully, as I noticed few defected table having uneven top surface which does not connect fabric uniformly.

Block printing itself is a technique of surface embellishment. Now it is your turn to how you beautify and simplify this technique by your own verdict. Everybody procure their own technique to simplify the job by their own way. Need to understand the logic and methodology to revive the path.They do not have any particular design development process and it has been developing according to their mood. They also received feed back from the market through middleman. In the way they did buyers development simultaneously. We need to teach them design element and development process in the time of workshop.Few of them heard about the term colour forecast and trend, which could be a positive design tool and technique for them, later. They need to concentrate about their colour tray, which they did not use fine fabrics on the top of the blanket where they mix colour. As a result impression gets defected by uneven colour distribution. Fine cotton cloth refines the colour quantity and makes the print smooth. This technique maintains Sreerampore and they suggested finer print needs more number of cotton cloth to be printed better. They need to adapt this technique to get superior impression.They need to clean properly their utensils and tools to get better result.The technique of colour development is an amateur practice here. Two units having shade card of

Tools

Technique

Small laboratory set up.

Natural colour decoration at their residence.

Instead of trolley colour tray placed on the table.


Weavers Service Centre but they are not uses regularly. They can grow one colour master from there place which could be a better option for them.

Technology rejuvenates the process of thinking, enriches the possibility, trim down the human error, increase the production and reduce the costing of the product. Need to upgrade as possible, because technology is expensive too.They are running by closed chamber process in steaming, but open chamber steam is more economical and time saving practice. In open chamber steaming we can put more amounts of fabrics in one batch. We need to focus that area in the time of workshop. We can upgrade this technology here to enhance their efficiency.Hard water is one of the major issues of that area, and I feel that basic water treatment could be the best solutions for them thinking long term in future. Regarding that context they can think about some common facility centre too. Temporarily they can use Alum or SHMP [Sodium Hexa Meta Phosphate] as hard water purifier.

There are two types of processing in textiles, pre-processing and post -processing.Before printing we need to wash and dried the fabric to make it dirt free to get easy colour absorbent. Then we bleach the fabric and according to requirement we dyed the fabric as well. In silk fibres are having some gummy substance in it, which is called serisin, after removing that part silk become having its lusture, the process is called degumming. These all parts are called pre-processing.Tassar bleaching is a difficult process and few units are making mistakes within the procedure. May be they are using excess amount of bleaching ingredients or the washing treatment did not removes the excess bleaching particle form the silk surface. And the effect of bleaching agent deteriorates the quality of tassar surface and become dull and irregular. That decreases the quality of shine and lusture of tassar fiber. And without proper degummed fabric does not accept colour smoothly and looks like uneven colour surfaces.All the printers are using silk as basic material. First, they boiled the material (60 degree centigrade) with water, soda ash and soap around 20-40 minutes and later washed the fabric with only water. They mix the colour paste with acid colour, warm water and acetic acid and later added gum solution in it. Then ready colour uses for printing and after drying send it for steaming. In steaming, fabrics placed one upon another on the surface and between them put marking cloth to save each designs. After sufficient number of fabric the bunch become as a roll and placed it within steam chamber, they put steam for 2-3 hours which makes the colour permanent and thereafter washing with liquid soap and finished with calendaring using arrowroot starch.

They are doing calendering through machine which having one at Tantipara (Hydraulic), two at Dhannokone and one at Chandinagar. All the printers are using the facility of calendaring over there.

Technology

Finishing

Processing

Unroll the fabrics after steaming.

Use sponge instead of gum water in trolley.

Colour tray placed on the trolley.


Production

Craftsmanship

Skill

Efficiency

Quality maintenance

In the time of printing craftsman need to know about the relation of block-colour and final impression. The expertise makes the production faster and also keeps the less wastage.Rajnagar printers are all self trained people. They develop themselves through visionary experience, by sharing each others knowledge and by practice. They generally go to the fair or outside Rajnagar and tried copy some designs which they liked from their choice. They do not have any particular taste but use of common sense makes them different from the others. They have very basic idea and carrying the processes quite well, but better execution needs further training to be more professional.They are executing their job well but needs more perfection to be come up with an extraordinary idea.

I mentioned earlier that all the craftsman grown by self motivation. They are good but need training and special care for making themselves best. They need to upgrade their skill as well as knowledge of printing processing.They have the skill to execute, but better execution needs improved sensitivity, detail understanding. They need longer training program to realize the effective printing solutions. Still some fabrics get colour drops from the block surface in the time of printing. That dictates inefficiency and lack of craftsmanship.

The craftsmen in this region are very efficient and hard working by the nature. Only the thing is to develop professionalism, which is assembling of skill, hard work and spontaneous remedial solution.Maximum 20 dupattas they produce in a day and they earn Rs 14 per piece. Lack of sensitivity shows their design because every printed piece would be supplementary of some new context. They need to grow sense relating to co-ordinate fabrics and their colouration.Acid colours are easy in production. They never tried other colours as experimentation. Few of them are interested in cottons; therefore, we could train them in cotton colours to open new avenues.In the time of steaming they spoiled fabrics as well. Open chamber steaming is more viable in terms of production. We can teach and demonstrates them the entire procedure in the time of workshop. Later they can use the contacts to develop better functional aspects in their units.

After making major mistakes craftsperson generally do bleach once and make new print on it, which the process generates extra overhead as well as deteriorate quality of silk fabrics. This is one of the major factors of business. Now, they successful regarding their local terrain segment but better market opening means better value product through maintaining superiority, too. Now they hide their mistakes by different techniques or overlook and sells to the market which they need to realize and keep maintain inspection after every processing.

Working atmosphere.

Working ambience.


Marketting

Tantipara is one of the best tassar weaving pockets in West Bengal. This place is well known for weaving tradition. As a fact, they have a different marketing chain. Tassar is quite expensive material and near situated Shantiniketan buyers used to bought tassar as material from them. Generally they develop Kantha Stitch sari by these fabrics. By the time Shantiniketan is become expensive and producers looking better opportunity towards outside. The people of Rajnagar started making Kantha Embroidery on fabrics since that time. That was the starting, later they introduce Block printing as supplement for the Kantha Stitch fabrics. Two of the people from Rajnagar area learnt Hand Block Printing from weavers service centre and started their units' there. Rest of the printers started afterwards by their interests without any prior training. They generally visit each others unit and gain knowledge through vision. They do not have any formal training, therefore mistake happens all the time and they try to recover those mistakes through stitches.

Mainly they sell their products to their fixed clients. Peoples and organizations who don't have their own set ups and have collected fabrics from different sources to put things together in fairs are the major customer for them.Other way few have been participating fairs around West Bengal and other states of India.They supply their products to the boutiques around the cities. They received short orders, sometimes 100 numbers of pieces in same designs. Instead of that, variations are the main criteria to sell designs to the people. Designs and colours are depends of the choices of the customer. They generally get ideas from buyers that could be floral or the geometric and later translated by their creation.

They all are least interest as because most of them selling their products through different organization or the people. Therefore, they felt that the extra cost must be added by the end person who sells the product to the market. They also believe that when they are having their brand then they will start thinking based on packaging concepts. They accepted my advice to add creative folding to the end product to look better and would be able to add nominal price as value addition in it.

Very few of the owners having their registration and they avail to get attained the state and national level fairs. Rest of them participated by some other person or the concern. The interesting part is they receiving feed backs from fair through somebody's interpretation, which lacks the direct connection to the market.

This is the major business of that area. The craftsmen here are directly contacted to people around Kolkata, Shantiniketan and North Bengal as they mentioned and doing business well. These people are giving them continuous order and that is the power of their business.

Packaging

Fairs

Middleman

Shop or Boutiques

Exhibition/ display opportunities

Few units are working with some local designer and boutiques to cater upper market and develop themselves based on that. This is one of the better ways of up gradation concerning exchanging ideas. It has also generating employment at this region too.

As they are catering state and national level fairs they can exhibit their works easily. The better possibility is to send them Delhi Hat or to attach them with Weavers Service Centre to display product in their stalls at different fairs and get ensure new contacts to business.

In-house shop.


Branding

Basically, I feel they are too far from that context. They are struggling by their existence, and need to develop lot of primary objects to be taken care. They interested to create branding in future, but before they need to establish themselves as a core branding from Rajnagar which strengthen them to identify their location and later they personalize themselves

Use alum or Sodium Hexa Meta Phosphate [SHMP] as water purifier temporarily.

Hard water did not allow soda ash to react easily to treat silk fabric degumming process, therefore little more extra quantity need to be added to the solution. Here, more than required amount usually spoils the silk fiber. Be careful in the time of degumming process.

Every unit must understand the importance of structure of table and they must be maintaining carefully. The top surface of table and balance defines the quality of print; therefore, table should be remaining in good condition always.

Use finer fabric on the top of the blanket in colour tray to get finer and better impression in print. Need to practice to understand the technique.

Silk fibres are very sensitive, thus develop better storage system for the silk fabrics.

In the time of printing take care about the block and the colour relation. If excess colour takes the side of the block surface then it also spoils the quality of print.

In the time of packaging use creative folds to make the product visible appealing and that can be a supplementary value addition and better lucrative opportunity in business end.

Start cotton processing to get better market opening.

Get adaptability with computer and take a look to contemporary designs through internet, develop the sense of design as best as possible.

Remedial Design Solution


Conclusion

In Rajnagar, hand block printing exists as a supplementary medium of Kantha embroidered fabric. Concerning this issue, the best possibility to establish itself is an independent medium. This will be reducing the overhead of their production cost as well.

Good quality of plantation has seen in and around Rajnagar, therefore, wood easily available at this place and that could easily develop their infrastructural requirement.

Water purification needs importance to develop the basic infrastructure for the printing preparation; temporarily they can use Alum and Sodium Hexa Meta Phosphate [SHMP] as water purifier. But, later they must need a water treatment plant as better long term solution.

In upcoming work shop we demonstrate and teach them the technology of open chamber steaming. They are very much interested to install the technology at their units to save time and cost equally.

They need lessons from some colour master to know about colour theory and techniques. Not only colour, they must have to aware about trend and forecast too. In addition, what design is about, design element and their application and finally design developmental process. Need management guidance to maintain balance between design developmental process and economical sustainability. That practice helps them to find funding opportunities from outside too.

They have nice terracotta Motichur Masjid. It would be difficult to find such a mosque with terracotta tiles have as a feature of such intricate floral designs. The Masjid is having enormous patterns of floral and geometric design. These designs sublime carrying typically Muslim architectural value but also describes the possibility of block printing designs.

Craft person needs skill up gradation training as well as knowledge of different colour preparations. Few units want to learn cotton colour processing techniques. I basically feel the market they are catering is more promising silk than cotton.

Need some more buyer linkages to the cotton world.

They are not selling the product by their names, as a result they loss huge amount of return which goes to the middleman. They need to work together as a whole and create brand Rajnagar, which could be the best possible solution for them to gain more and more remuneration. Rajnagar had rich royal traditions in past which lost much of its importance but now the new opportunity has come to establish once a new significance.

Motichur Masjid terracotta tiles

Regarding that assessment, I would like to suggest two more developmental project water treatment Plant & block making could be taken sincerely to the enhancement of area Rajnagar and Birbhum Block Printing Cluster.


Workshop Report; Block Printing Cluster, Rajnagar; Dist Birbhum; under MSME Design Clinic Scheme

Workshop

Regarding our need assessment survey and according to the availability of craftsperson we structured the time frame of the

th thworkshop on 05 - 09 November 2012, at Rajnagar. As venue, Pradeep Majumder's Mohor Block Workshop is situated near the Rajnagar bus stop and we realize the place seems suitable for the easy communication primarily. The unit is also having adequate facility to conduct such programme and they also organized a training hall [Maa Chandi Lodge] near to the workshop to conduct presentations and seminars according to schedule.

Workshop Report; Block Printing Cluster, Rajnagar; Dist Birbhum; under MSME Design Clinic Scheme 57

Design Awareness Workshop

The main objective of design awareness workshop is to develop overall understanding about design; analysis the survey assessment to come up with best possible solution through elaborate discussion and relating global scenario by the help of the design expert.

To study and analyze the opportunity based on common design related issues concerning the cluster as well as each individual unit level possibilities.

Share knowledge through the presentation of guest experts and their experiences.

Practical orientation make them confident relating to creative problem solving techniques and experimentation.

Better understanding through suggestions and remedial steps.


Design Clinic Workshop

Block printing Cluster, Rajnagar; Dist-Birbhum

by

Shantiniketan Society for Youth EmpowermentChirasree, Andrews Pally, Shantiniketan, Bolpur, Dist: Birbhum, West Bengal, India

Under

Design clinic Scheme, MSME

at

Mohor Block Workshop, Vill & P.O. Rajnagar, Block RajnagarDist: Birbhum, West Bengal, India

Monday, November 05, 2012 to Friday, November 09, 2012

Programme Schedule

05/11/2012

10:00-10:30am Registration

10:40am Welcome Address by Mr. Prabir Rakshit [project co-ordinator, Shantiniketan Society for Youth Empowerment]

10:50am Address by Smt Satabdi Roy [MP, Rampurhat, Birbhum] to speak on grace of the occasion.

11:00am Presentation of Design Clinic Scheme by Mr. Ashok Mondal. [Co-ordinator, Design Clinic Scheme -MSME, Regional Center, East Zone]

11:30-11:40am Tea and Snacks

11:40am Address by Mr. Asutosh Sen [General Manager, DIC, Suri, Birbhum] to speak on grace of the occasion.

12:10pm Address by Mr. Amol Das [Sr. IDO, DIC, Rajnagar Block, Suri, Birbhum] to speak on grace of the occasion.

12:30pm Lunch Break

01:15-04:15pm working method revision and demonstration of new techniques.[Short tea break between 02:302:40pm]


06/11/2012

10:00am Small Presentation done by colour experts from Sreerampore.

Make them understand different colour preparation and uses.

12:30pm Lunch Break

01:15-04:15pm continuing the process and print as well. Need to develop better understanding between block, colour and cloth. Simultaneously build up skill up as well.[Short tea break between 02:302:40pm]

07/11/2012

10:30am Address by Mr. S. K. Maitra, Ex. Jt. Director (SME) regarding infrastructural development.


11:40-12:40pm Address by Mr. Apurba Mukherjee, [CA] regarding financial opportunities and marketing solutions.

12:30pm Lunch Break

01:15-02:00pm Interactive session. [interaction with participants/discussion]

02:00-04:15pm Different colour preparation and application.

08/11/2012

10:00am Small Presentation done by steam experts from Sreerampore.Teach them the preparation, process and uses.

12:30pm Lunch Break

01:15-04:15pm continuing the process.[Short tea break between 02:302:40pm]

09/11/2012

10:00-11:30am Teach Design process by Mr. Rudranil Das[Design elements, colour, form, structure, forecast, and trend]


11:40-12:40pm Interactive session. [Interaction with participants/discussion]

12:30pm Lunch Break

01:15-03:45pm Practical session of design development process. [Short tea break between 02:302:40pm]

03:45-04:00pm Thanks giving by Prof Shashank Mehta [Project Director, Design Clinic Scheme -MSME, International center for Indian Crafts, NID, Ahmedabad]

03:45-04:00pm Thanks giving by Mr. S K Basu [Director, MSME Development

Institute, Kolkata]

04:00-04:15pm Thanks giving by Mr.Robin Ghosh [President, Shantiniketan Society for Youth Empowerment]


Attendance sheet of workshop:

Day-1 [05/11/2012]


Concerning their problems we tried to connect and arrange the best possible person as guest speaker to find out the finest solution for the craftsperson . We planned our schedule according to the suggestions of our guests but later it had changed slightly concerning their availability. At the beginning of the workshop we had started with registration programme and followed welcome note by Mr. Prabir Rakshit. Mr Ashok Mondal [Coordinator, Design Clinic Scheme-MSME, Regional Centre, East Zone] then discussed about the MSME Scheme and the facilities relating to the programme. Mr Amal Das (Sr. IDO, DIC, Rajnagar Block, Suri, Birbhum), then discussed about some regional support from the block development office also he highlighted that the registration policies and the facility provided by the government body.


Registration

Ashok Mondal’s presentation Amol Das’s presentation

Mr. Apurba Mukherjee is making them understand to organize money matters, costing and realize the profit margin. Also he discussed about how to prepare project proposal containing financial statements. He conducted there a thoroughly teaching based on profit and loss [A/C] and Balance Sheet. Basically that grows the sense of movement and of money flowing.

After finishing his conversation we took the lunch break. Later, in the second session I started practical interaction through colour, fabric and hand block. As initial, I give them freedom to work as their daily routine, and make them realize the fault within their system and slowly transform those mistakes in proportional right direction.


Apurba Mukherjee’s presentation Lunch time


Discussion with Pradip concerning the structure of printing table

Colour tray preparation

Started printing according their as usual understanding


Day- 2 & 3 [06/11/2012 - 07/11/2012]


Reasonably few issues I had noticed in the time of need assessment survey and planned to give some useful solutions in the time of workshop to develop concerning their skill and production quality. Second day of the workshop gives me time to explore their quality and understanding. At the beginning of the day I demonstrated


Day II

Rapid colour preparation


Fabric orientation on the printing table needs improvement Fabric needs even tension in printing table

Suggest them to put line by blue dust and used this as guidelineSuggest them to measure and draw the layout on the fabric to understand the printing area

Oo


them about the processing of Rapid colour for cotton printing. Later, they made more two different shades by the formation of two different groups.

Group discussion

Preparing the colour tray with fine fabric on top


Progression of printing

Guide lines for printing area


I had taken care about few small issues which are related to production-friendly quality-maintenance some useful solutions to develop their skill as well. Firstly, they did not taken care about the edge finishing in the time of pinned up the fabric on the printing table. The tables are not in good condition and as result they did not obtain even, smooth and parallel edge in both the sides. Therefore, I suggested them to put some mark on the table surface by blue dust and thread. In the time of fabric placement, they could have taken assistance by the guidelines and pin up uniformly both sides as balanced way keeping proper tension. The simple technique gives better fabric orientation on the printing table and as result the beautiful edge finishing revives some value added product.


Understanding about colour, block and fabric


I also suggested them to put some fine cloths on the top of the colour tray to get better impression on the fabric surface. This particular system needs practice and continuity to earn better result in day to day production. Mostly, how to start a product in hand block printing and continue the process till end with maintaining the continuity and quality is quite a time taking schedule. Placement of block defines the beauty of prints, therefore, the flow and movement also very important intent to understand in the time of printing. In addition, the outline border of the product defines the beauty of cloth.

Through out the time, furthermore, I described them different styles of design grammar like, floral, geometric, damask, lumpus, art deco etc; co-ordination, group of fabrics and their usefulness.

After lunch, Mr. N.D. Sarkar, (Sr. Manager, Marketing DIC, Suri, Birbhum), had a speech about the role of District Industries Centre on various schemes and incentives towards preparation of new projects. Also he was trying to describe the market viability of Block Printing Cluster in the district Birbhum, and marketing channels of those products.

Soumen Ghosh (Project Officer, Design Clinic Scheme MSME, Regional Centre, East Zone), talked about the purpose of the workshop and to increase the awareness, value of the Design and Innovation in the MSME Sector and to market the products locally and globally.

N.D. Sarkar’s presentation

Soumen Ghosh’s presentation


Day III

Colour preparation

Schedule for skill development


Third day begins with the practice of previous day's lesson. They prepared once rapid colour by themselves and started putting fabrics on the printing table. By the time I discussed about the printing design possibility at Rajnagar, instead of adding value through kantha embroidery.

Mr. Shantanu Kumar Jena, (Associate Professor in Design, Silpa Sadana, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan), delivered a presentation based on design in Traditional and Modern context. Through a slide presentation he explained the design evolution. How a design become successful, he tried to put the analytical views. He gave a brief understanding about design elements. Finally, he discussed about design as value addition and better market opportunity through design intervention.

Then, S.K. Moitra, (Ex-Joint Director [SME]), talk about how to materialize infrastructural development and regarding this context he elaborated his experiences in different perspectives. He also describes them the history of block printing in the district of Birbhum.

In the later half of the day, I had tried to develop a sari by the help of craftsmen; in the mean time I had explained them about the position and placement of block. The motion and the fall of the material redefined the fabric surface and the decoration in it. I tried to make them understand about the design elements and the inter-relations in between.

Fabric removing from printing table


Presentation of Shantanu Kumar Jena

Interactive session Mr. S K Moitra is sharing his experience


Rapid colour preparation

Mixing chemicals in exact quantity Mixing gum within the solution


Develop designs by the help of crafts PeopleSimple placement of block

Beauty of lines, borders

Neatly executed.


Measuring the placement of block

Washing the printed fabric


Day- 4 & 5 [08/11/2012 - 09/11/2012]



Day IV

We had two valueable guests in our schedule. At first, Mr. Atish Mukherjee came to discuss about the matter regarding colour processing. He is based from sreerampore and having a technical unit in his own place. He is the manufacturer and seller of colours and chemicals. He taught reactive colour processing, also few techniques relating to washing and finishing. After a short theoretical discussion he demonstrates the whole process in front of them. He discussed about how to defend colour bleeding, maintaining colour brilliance, luster and softening the fabrics. He also introduced them sodium alginate as supplementary gum solution instead of gum Arabic. At the beginning of the day he described elaborately about the process and chemical reactions regarding reactive colours. He also discussed other problems relating to chemical processing and given a small introduction of closed chamber steaming process. As water purifying agent he preferred sodium hexametaphosphate to neutralize the water and that could be the primary stage for every dyeing event. He told that for rapid colour everyday requires the fresh solution of Arabic gum, or else it forms the OH groups and spoils the rapid colour solution. A major application for sodium alginate is in reactive dye printing, as thickener for reactive dyestuffs (such as the Procion cotton-reactive dyes) in textile screen-printing and carpet jet-printing. Alginates do not react with these dyes and wash out easily, unlike starch-based thickeners. Then he demonstrated the entire procedure of reactive colour processing and printing.

Atish Mukherjee is taking class


Taking notes from speechDiagram of a closed steam chamber.


Teaching to prepare re-active colour processing

Taking print by re-active colour on cottonShowing treatment of washing


Different handling of hand blocks by re-active colour on cotton


Demonstrate the chemical compositions and the handling fabrics in the time of washing after printing


He had shown them the washing technique of printed cloth. Small amount of Acetic acid and Glauber salt to be added in the water and treated the fabric within the solution with less movement as possible. After 5 minutes treatment fabric should be washed with normal water and rinse lightly. He suggested every body to avoid normal soap in the processing of silk material; it could be always use non ionic soap to maintain the quality and luster of the fiber.


Steam expert Sasthi Baidya Taking care about markin cloth

Prepare the steam chamber and the heating system


Taken printed cloths and make them layer by the help of markin cloths

After lunch, Mr. Sasthi Baidya, (Steam Expert, Srirampore, Hooghly), had demonstrated the open Chamber steam processing. Particularly this technique is fairly reasonable for the production purpose as it saves time, money and energy as well. All the local crafts people requested me to ensure a training plan concerning this issue within workshop schedule. They invited many steam experts from Srirampore but unfortunately that did not worked earlier.

The technology is carrying very simple concept, it needs a steam chamber which is having water in it, fabrics are placed on the top of the chamber and a source of heat requires to produce steam. The fabrics are placed one by one as layers; in between each layer markin cloth keep the designs fresh till the end of the process. At the end of final layer few extra markin cloths has to be needed to absorb the excess moisture. The group of fabrics needs to roll for the further processing. Finally covered by a rexine cloth which does not allow steam to pour out within the process and the roll placed on the top of the steam chamber. The heat boils the water and produces steam, which passes through the fabric and colour fixation happened at that time. Here, two important steps needed to be maintain through out the steaming process, invariable heat and pressure and that defines the processing well.

The process contains maximum 90-120 saris in single time operation. The closed steam chamber generally takes approximately 02:30 hours for a single operation but the open chamber steam takes 50-75 minutes maximum. Sometimes they put swatches on the top of the open steam chamber and take out as test pieces in the time of processing. The process carrying less risk than the closed chamber, and produces less number of wastage too.


Placement of small pieces within the fabric roll Markin Fabrics covers a layer

If the markin fabric scratched then uses paper as supplementary solution


All the printed fabrics keep as layer formation primarily

After layering the whole group converted as a roll


In the time of making roll need to maintain the tightness, pressure and movement of both the sides evenness


As we had less number of printed fabric, added waste material to increase the size of the thickness of roll. Need to cover more than the diameter of steam chamber.


S t e a m c h a m b e r needs packing of fabrics to hold the fabric roll firmly on the top.

Start folding the group fabrics in roll formation


The steam chamber seems bigger size than the fabric roll; we do not have enough fabric at the workshop to enlarge the roll. Then we put jute packing to increase the diameter of the roll and getting better dimension in width.

Then, fold the extra rexine in top part of the roll in proper manner.


Fabric packing for Steam chamber to hold the fabric roll

Bind the roll tightly and checking finally before placed on steam Chamber

Always put the bigger size roll than the d i a m ete r o f t h e s t e a m c h a m b e r, which ho lds the heavy weight easily. The weight connects the chamber's face h a v i n g t i g h t l y compression and it blocked the uneven flow of steam.


Rolled fabric placed on the top of the steam chamber


After setting the fabric roll on top of the steam chamber, need to cover up the adjoining area consciously to make sure about the steam should not get released through this area. If this happens, then two problems arise simultaneously, primarily we do not able to achieve the higher pressure to conduct the process well. Secondly, whenever water vapour contacts the outside temperature, it absorbs moisture and creates water body within the surface of the fabric and that spoils the fabric too.

For this reason few extra layer of markin fabric always inserted in the outer side of the roll which absorbs the unfortunate water bodies and saves the product effect fully.

For the heating arrangement we hired gas cylinder and bigger size stove to control the requirement. The small kerosene stove they have been using for closed chamber steaming operation which is not sufficient to produce enough heat and pressure for the bigger open chamber. As we suggested them to buy diesel heating mechanism from Srirampore to save time, energy and fuel cost effectively.


In the process of steaming


Removing rexine packs in the process of unroll fabrics.

Small amount of steam releasing from the side and defines the high pressure


Unroll fabrics from the jute packing

Removing folds of the roll


Process of unroll the steamed fabric.

Remove fabrics from the roll after steaming.


Day V

Different orientation of same block creates new design as well as Develops skill.


Mr Debasish Ghosh talking to pradip about infrastructure

Discussion about the weight of the gum solution

Top: Preparation of gum sodium alginate.

Left: Discussion relating to Tussar preparation.

Far left: Acid colour preparation relating to Hand Painting.

Acid colour preparation relating to Hand Block printing


Design development by the crafts people Border development Decorative orientation of pallu by lines

Placement of motif Measurement of motif

In the last day, Debashish Ghosh had shared his experience as Print Expert from Hooghly. He owns a unit at Srirampore and he talks about to maintenance of a unit. He also taught few techniques of colour making processes and also pre and post fabric processing for the hand block printing. He is good in the processing of tassar silk which he demonstrated and explained well in front of them. In the second half, Mr. Utpal Roychowdhury, (Asst. Director [Chemical], MSME Development Institute, B T Road, Kolkata) discussed about the background of MSME in the role of Design Development in Block Printing. Finally, As a Designer I shared few of my experiences to the crafts people and discussed about significance of design, design process, design elements, trends, forecast, market segment and identity.


Utpal Roychowdhury at the workshop.

Train the craftspeople to place block properly by guide-lines. Utpal Roychowdhury delivesr his speech at the seminal hall.

In the starting of my presentation I had described the definition of art, craft and design precisely. In general, people relate the design as a decorative form of art. Here, I tried to relate with them through same ideology. I had chosen few particular products and analyze in reverse way which described the design process and finally make them understand that the design is a problem solving statement. Regarding printing design, I tried to explain them the basic design elements and the relation in between. Earlier, I had developed few designs in the time of workshop which was also explains my lessons to them. I had shown some different products and packaging and explain them to come up with new concepts in the area of block printing design. Sari, Stole, Dupatta, yardage materials are their main product, which is good but instead of that some other new areas are simultaneously promising. Keeping in the mind that packaging is having very good potential in the area of marketing.I feel, one of the most important issues for them is to establish their identity in the field of printing. Basically, they receive business because of the name of Shantiniketan and they produce alike (as Kantha stitch associated more with Shantiniketan). I provided them the basic idea of forecast and trend and how it links the textile world as the possible viable solutions.I shared my experiences need to know basis in the time of workshop, but at last in front of everybody, it was quite a fruitful interactive session I believe. At the end, Mr. Prabir Rakshit says thank you to everybody behalf of Shantiniketan Society for youth Empowerment and we all believe that the development had started relating to Hand Block Printing at Rajnagar would be flourish in future significantly.


Participants of the workshop.


need assessment survey report; block printing cluster, rajnagar; dist...

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