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One of my projects of Khamir was to edit their book Kachchh Ji Chhaap and capture photographs for it. "Kachchh Ji Chhaap" means, quite literally, the mark of Kachchh.
The book details the history of the Khatris, the traditional block printers and how their knowledge of natural resources, resources spread over the Indian and Pakistan border, helped them create dyes and eventually prints. My work involved making trips to the village of Ajrakhpur, where a part of the Khatri community settled after the 2001 earthquake. Ajrakhpur today is an oasis of creative talent, with many Khatri families innovating in block-printing and dyeing. A beautiful film by Khamir about Ajrakhpur can be viewed here and alongside are photos I took of the block-printers, their village and their work-sheds. |