Indian Batik Is A Glorious Offshoot of the Javanese Art

A Brief History of Batik

Batik is an ancient technique of wax resist dying of cloth. There are no certain whereabouts of its origin. The last traceable historical record demonstrates that Batik was practiced in different countries throughout the globe. Java (an Indonesian island) is a key hub for the art form and is believed to be its place of origin. We can etymologically attach Batik to the Asian culture of tying and dyeing a fabric. Today, many countries, like Africa (Egypt), Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand, India, etc. are the big suppliers of Batik products.

Essence of Indian Batik
Batik was probably introduced in India in the fourth or fifth century. Traditionally, the Indian Batik displayed the Hindu belief of three Gods as creator, nurturer, and destroyer. Accordingly, three fundamental colors of life were used to represent the entirety of the universe. Indigo represented Lord Brahma, dark brown signified Lord Vishnu, and white symbolized Lord Mahesh (Shiva).

Presently, several other colors and designs are practiced. Conceptually, the Indian Batik well fits the canvass of retro aesthetics. Inspired from religion, nature, rural life, and intricate designs, the Indian Batik works mainly include paintings, wall hangings, clothes, bags, covers. Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are the main centers of the art form.

Raw Material for Batik

Clothes
The chosen cloth should be able to tolerate the heat of fire & wax, such as cotton, silk, poplin, voile, and cambric
Wax
Bee's wax & paraffin wax
Dyes
Mostly bold colors like dark brown, indigo, orange, red, yellow, lilac, mauve, and black are used.

Threads
To tie the cloth
Heating Source
To boil dye & de-wax
Soap
To wash the painted cloth
Batik Technique
An extension of tie & dye method, Batik involves the following steps:

Preparing the Cloth
This involves soaking the cloth in water for a few hours to de-starch and allow for the shrinkage.
Designing
A design (religious, natural, life, or abstract) is drawn on the soaked & dried cloth.
Framing
The cloth is fixed tightly on the Batik frame.
Waxing
A wax layer is spread on the design parts that are not to be dyed at all or in certain colors.

Tying
The cloth is tied now at places as per the desired requirement. This is the trickiest part and the Batik effect depends entirely on it. The cloth needs to be crushed properly to allow the dye to seep into the desired places to form the signature cracks of the Batik style of painting.
Dyeing
Dye is boiled and the cloth is soaked in it. Alternatively tie & dye for different colors.
De waxing
The cloth is now boiled in water to melt the wax.
Cleaning the Cloth
The cloth is finally washed with detergent and is dried in shade.

Product Shaping
You can use the cloth to make anything:
- Leave it as such as a painting
- Covers (bed covers, cushion covers, pillow covers, etc.)
- Wall hanging
- Bags
- Clothes

Maintaining a Batik Cloth
This mainly involves preventing the dye from fading.
Less Caustic
Use a very mild detergent or even a shampoo for washing.

Shaded Drying
Dry the cloth inside out in shade. Definitely avoid direct sunlight on it.
Avoid Scents
Never spray perfume directly on the cloth. It has harsh chemicals.

Indirect Ironing
Lay a newspaper on the cloth and then a run a mildly heated iron over it.
No Insect Repellant
Never use any insect repellent. Instead, use pepper.