This intricate and exclusively handcrafted block-printing technique came to Kutch from Sindh some 400 years ago at the behest of the King of Kutch, who invited craftsmen from Khatri community to come and practice their art on the banks of Dhamadka river. A large part of the credit of this art's revival goes to Dr. Ismail Mohamed Khatri, who has been acclaimed internationally as a master craftsman of the traditional Ajrakh, a craft that can be traced back up to ten generations in his family. His son, 40-year old Sufiyan Khatri, continues the legacy and is known for crafting the amazing two-sided printed Ajrakh, using an ancient technique that has remained unchanged over the last millennium. The popular story among local practitioners is that Ajrakh means “keep it today.” The cloth is made in a sixteen step process of washing, dyeing, printing, and drying, with one step being performed in one day and the fabric being put to rest for the day. The ingredients for Ajrakh are...