The Colors of the Clothing: A Short History of Dyeing Process in India

The significance of the dyes that are used extensively in Indian textiles is discussed in a variety of different types of literature, including religious and philosophical texts, poems, accounts written by travelers, and even trade manuals.

ceremonial banner. Gujarat, for the Indonesian market, found in the Toraja area of central Sulawesi, (c. 1340)

The Indians' mastery of a wide variety of dyeing techniques enabled them to produce colorful textiles from the very beginning of their culture. The vibrant and long-lasting colors of these textiles have made them easily distinguishable for millennia.

The dyeing process is depicted in Ajanta Caves murals.

Indian textiles were revered in Chinese texts as early as the Tang Era in the seventh century due to their "dawn-flushed cotton," which the Chinese authors compared to the "sunrise clouds of morning."

“The Fabric of India”. (c. 1630) at Victoria & Albert Museum, London

In the 18th century, a French traveler noted that the dyes of Indian fabric lasted “as long as the fabric itself"—a quality that was unmatched at the time. In fact, for thousands of years, the majority of the world’s red and blue-colored fabrics were primarily produced in India.

It was their skills at the process of mordanting that gave Indians an advantage, and Indian finished products held a competitive advantage in the market. Mordanting is a process that refers to the treatment of a fabric before it is dyed. In India, some of the most important centers for mordanting were located in the state of Gujarat, as well as in Masulipatnam, Kalahasti, and Pulicat, and in the Tanjore region, which is located on the Coromandel coast. Indian craftsmen developed and perfected a wide variety of techniques at these centers for dyeing decorative patterns on cotton with vegetable colors. These patterns were used for a variety of purposes. These patterns were used for both practical and decorative purposes.

Sources:

(i) Gittinger, Mattiebelle. Master dyers to the world: technique and trade in early Indian-dyed cotton textiles

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/yQWhQg4HIebaKg?hl=en

(ii) Jain, Jyotindra, and Jasleen Dhamija. Handwoven Fabrics of India. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing Pvt., 1989.