Batik, derived from the Javanese word "ambatik", means 'to dot' or 'to write', and is a print that originated in India over 2000 years ago in the 1st Century AD. After that, traces of it could be found in countries like Japan, Egypt, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and other regions in Asia.

While this craft was primarily done by the Khatris of Gujarat earlier, it transcended to Madhya Pradesh during the Mughal era. Since then, it has continued to gain popularity as a typical Malwa print.

Creating a one-of-a-kind batik print is a three-step process that involves waxing, dyeing, and dewaxing. Within these steps, there are sub-processes like preparation of the fabric, tracing motifs, and boiling the fabric. 

The production process starts with preparing the fabric by rolling it onto a beam and cleaning it. It's bleached for four hours using a hypo-liquid to give it a 'white wash', after which it is washed and dried under the sun for a few hours. Then, the dried fabric is folded and sized according to the requirements of the final product, like bedsheets, dress materials, etc. Next comes the designing part, which begins with tracing the design on butter paper and piercing it. The pierced paper is then placed on the fabric, and the colour is spread on top - forming a dotted guideline for the artisan to begin working with wax. 

A table especially designed with a bed of sand is used for the waxing step. This ensures that the melted beeswax (30%) and paraffin wax (70%) do not spread more than required and become sticky. Wax outlines are created with the help of ‘Tjanting’, a pen-like tool made from coconut husk. 

Small cracks appear in the wax that are filled with colours that transform into the desired shades when put in an acid solution. By using wooden blocks dipped in melted wax, bold prints are finally added to the fabric. Once this step has been completed, the entire fabric is dyed with the base colour and washed in plain water. 

Dewaxing is the next step in producing the batik print. The fabric is soaked in hot water to melt the wax off, and the patterns become bright, clear, and stand out. Sometimes, to give the traditional crushed look of batik, wax is poured once again, but instead of melting it, the wax is crushed off of the fabric.