Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi today once again gifted Gujarat origin art piece to foreign counterpart. The Prime Minister is in Tokyo at present and he gifted Rogan painting from Kutch in Gujarat to his Japanese counterpart.

Rogan painting, is an art of cloth printing practiced in the Kutch District of Gujarat. In this craft, paint made from boiled oil and vegetable dyes is laid down on fabric using either a metal block (printing) or a stylus (painting). The craft nearly died out in the late 20th century, with Rogan painting being practiced by only one family. This art object is a combination of two different arts-Rogan painting and wooden hand carving.

The word ‘Rogan’ comes from Persian, meaning varnish or oil. The process of making Rogan painting is very laborious and skilful. Artists place a small amount of this paint paste into their palm. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image. In effect it is a very basic form of printing. Previously the designs were simple and rustic in nature but with the passage of time the craft has become more stylized and now is regarded as a high art form.

Hand carving on wood is an intricate art inspired by traditional jali designs taken from famous monuments of India. The designs are created by the experts in the most synchronized manner. The skill of wood carving is an example of the excellent craftsmanship & rich tradition of India.

This is not for the first time that Narendrabhai has gifted Gujarat origin craft piece to foreign dignitary. In his previous visit to Europe as well, the Prime Minister had gifted Rogan art piece, Kutch’s wall hanging piece and Surat’s Parsi art piece to foreign dignitaries. The Prime Minister has in the past also gifted Akik made items from Khambhat in Gujarat to foreign nation prime minister and President. DeshGujarat