The word bandhani was coined from the Sanskrit word “bandhna”, which means to bind or tie. Also known as Bandhej, this art form dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization as early as 4000 B.C. Evidence also shows designs of bandhani print found in 6th Century paintings of Lord Buddha present in the Ajanta Caves. 

In India, Bandhej work is said to have been started by the Khatri community of Kutch, Gujarat.

Most Indian art forms have auspiciousness attached to their relevance and creation. The same stands true for Bandhani. Formerly known for its striking traditional colour palette of yellow, red, green and black, bandhani print has expanded its horizons to almost every hue possible. 

Each colour symbolizes different occasions in one's life. Red is adorned during weddings, yellow marks the onset of spring and happiness, saffron is said to be the colour of divinity, and black is meant for mourning. 

The patterns created find their names in the number of dots and different designs made.

Ek dali is one single dot, and four dots are called Chaubundi whereas seven are known together as Satbundi. Clusters of designs are Trikunti.

Motifs created by different formations of dots are usually leaves, flowers and human figurines.

A highly skilled process starts with imprinting the dotted patterns in desired formations done with charcoal on a pre-bleached fabric ready for dyeing. Passed onto the community's women for tying, the next step is to tie the material on each dot. One's left hand is used for pinching at the dot, and the right moves in swift motions to wound the thread into a tight knot. 

Sent to the dyer for dyeing, every colour desired in the textile sees the entire process repeated. After multiple rounds of dyeing and drying, the fabric is finally washed and dried one last time. 

Dyes are traditionally made from natural ingredients such as leaves, flowers and roots.