Ajrakh print origin dates back to the Indus Valley civilization, Ajrakh was practised on the banks of the Indus. The art bloomed in India in the 16th century when the Khatri community was called to the district of Dhamadka, Kutch in Gujarat by the then ruler.

Post the 2001 earthquake, the art form shifted its base from Dhamadka to what's now called Ajrakhpur.

An extremely laborious and tedious process, Ajrakh block printing process involves multiple repetitions at various stages. It starts with preparing the fabric by immersing it in a solution of camel dunk, soda and castor oil, rinsing it thoroughly thereafter. Next, it is dyed in myrobalan to ensure that the colour after dyeing is caught on equally all through the fabric. Block which are used in Ajrakh block printing process is made by block maker from indigenous wood pieces.

A resist of gum arabic and lime is printed on the fabric to outline the motifs that have to be white. It is followed by indigo dyeing and boiling it in alizarin. For every colour used on that fabric, this process has to be repeated and kept out for drying for one whole day. Hence, “Aaj rakh” or keep it today.

It is known as a celebration of nature, evident in the aesthetics of its colours and motifs. The traditional colours found are deep and earthy, crimson symbolising the earth, and indigo, twilight. Black is obtained through a mixture of iron shavings, jaggery and tamarind seeds.

Red is obtained from alizarin found in the roots of madder. Indigo is found in indigo plants. The designs are a combination of various symmetrical geometric jewel-like shapes that symbolize elements of nature such as flowers, leaves and stars.