India
Shekhawati, Rajasthan
A desert region where cotton is tied by hand into thousands of tiny knots before dyeing, releasing a scatter of pale dots against deep colour.
Each dot in a bandhani cloth is tied by hand with a fingernail and thread before the fabric goes into the dye vat — a single length of cloth can carry thousands of individual knots.
The work is often shared across a household, with tying, dyeing and finishing passed between different pairs of hands.
Traditional dress — Shekhawati
- Community
- Ghisadi and Meghwal communities
- Materials
- Cotton, Silk
- Techniques
- Bandhani tie-dye, Hand embroidery