"Tying the knots"- to Dye!

Dry as it is the climate or surroundings of the states of Rajasthan and Gujrat, the people are full of vigour and mirth and so is reflected in their lifestyle. Culture takes a holy dip in these states of sand and sandstorms. Red, green, yellow, black colours are played predominantly and with vibrance- this was a preamble to the famous cloth dying technique of ' tye and dye' which hails from Rajasthan and Gujrat.

In this technique, as the name suggests, cloth is first tied according to a predetermined design in small and big and medium sized knots in order to prevent the tied area from getting the colour when the cloth is dyed. This leaves the cloth with intricate designs in base colour, i.e. white, or other light colours as the designer wants them to be. The dying always starts with the lightest colour and the darkest shades are given in the end, not to forget the in-between drying of the cloth and also tying the portions to be left in the earlier dyed shade.

Tie-and-dye, today, is done on anything from a saree or a dupatta, to a lehnga or a pair of shorts! Though the colours traditionally used are quite vibrant, lately designers have been using the techniques on lighter shades like browns, turquoise blues and pinks with stunning results.The technique though simple is quite time consuming and tedious. Its popularity, however, is immense.

Splendidly used in cottons and silks this traditional technique can help create an unconventional trousseau with a dramatic eclectic look for the woman who wants to be noticed.