ISO 9001:2015

INSPIRA-JOURNAL OF COMMERCE,ECONOMICS & COMPUTER SCIENCE(JCECS) [ Vol. 12 | No. 3 | July - September, 2026 ]

A Comparative Study of Bagh Print and Tarapur Print: Traditional Hand Block Printing Techniques of Madhya Pradesh

Ms. Rupali Mishra

Madhya Pradesh is home to several indigenous hand block printing traditions, among which Bagh print and Tarapur print hold significant cultural and economic importance. Both crafts use natural dyes such as alizarin for red and iron-based compounds for black, and both were developed by artisan communities whose ancestry is traced back to the Sindh region. Bagh print, practised near the Baghini River in the Dhar district, is known for its bright red colour and bold geometric and floral motifs, and it carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Tarapur print, practised near the Gambhiri River in the Neemuch district, is known for its deep black and indigo shades combined with red, giving it a richer and darker colour palette. This paper compares the two crafts on the basis of their history, dyeing process, colours, motifs, and the present condition of the artisans practising them. The aim of the study is to understand how two similar hand block printing crafts, originating from communities with a shared ancestry within the same state, developed distinct visual and technical identities, and to highlight the need to preserve and promote both traditions.

  1. Dr Anjali Karolia and Arooshi Mogha, Fading Impressions: Documentation of Tribal Printed Textiles of Tarapur and Umdephur, West Madhya Pradesh, India: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
  2. Anshika Jain and Dr Amrita Rajput, Bagh Print, a beautiful fusion of traditional block printing and natural dyes, celebrate the heritage of Indian craftsmanship, International Journal of Research and Technology Volume 12.
  3. https://imp-art.org/articles/bagh-print/
  4. https://gaatha.org/Craft-of-India/nandana-dabu-print-madhya-pradesh/

DOI:

Article DOI:

DOI URL:


Download Full Paper:

Download