Design Resource
Traditional Roagn Art - Nirona, Gujarat
Unique Painting Technique
by
About Rogan Art
Nirona is a small village located in the middle of Kutch. Kutch is a district of Gujarat State in India. This place is very well known for its rich traditional culture. Bell making and lacquer work are the distinctive crafts of this village, but an award-winning ancient Rogan art makes this small village famous worldwide. With its origins in Persia, an ancient textile art came to Nirona village around 400 years ago. Only one family, the Khatris, preserves the centuries-old art form.
A world-known Rogan Artist, Mr Abdul Gafur Khatri, is from Nirona village. Mr Abdul’s family is eighth-generation, sustaining this declining traditional Rogan art. His brothers have also acclaimed Rogan artists. Mr Abdul Gafur Khatri and his brothers have won many awards, including one of the most prestigious awards of India Padmashree in 2019, four National Awards, three National Merit Certificates, and seven State Awards.
Rogan is an art of painting on a piece of cloth using natural handmade paints. The paint is made by using a thick, brightly coloured castor seed oil. A thick bright paste is prepared by boiling castor oil for two days and then adding pigments, mineral colours, and a binding agent. These colours are applied to a piece of cloth using a stylus. During the late 20th century, Rogan art was declining due to the availability of cheap machine-made textile. But eventually, a single-family, Khatris continued the Rogan art.
