Lahariya - Dyed Textile

Rajasthan is well known for its lehriya (waves) pattern. This is one of the so many tie and dye patterns that results in wavy pattern, which symbolizes water waves.

In the stripes of lehriya different colors are usually arranged diagonally and use two colors are common. The two colors alternate in waves. Originally, the two colors used were the auspicious colors of yellow and red.

Turbans, odhnis and saris with lehriya are liked and worn all around year but carry a special meaning on and around the time of Teej festival and monsoon. Lahariya is dyed in different colours and Udaipur is very famous for this craft.

A tie-dying method called ‘lahariya’ is used in India for turban cloths. Fine cloth such as muslin is folded concertina-fashion and tied tightly at intervals. It is dipped quickly in dye of a pale colour. Some areas are then unrolled and the process is repeated with progressively darker dyes, to build up a range of colours in stripes.

Popular Dyes for lahariya

Vat dyes are an ancient class of dyes based on the original natural dye, indigo, which is now produced synthetically. Cotton, wool, as well as other fibers, can be dyed with vat dyes.

 Direct dyes also known as hot water dyes, direct dyes can be used with hot water and require no binding or exhausting agents. They are convenient but lack in color fastness and wash fastness. They are used on cotton, wool, silk and nylon. The colors of direct dyes are duller than those provided by reactive dyes. They can be found in powder form as well as in the form of a liquid concentrate. They do not require any form of 'fixing'.

Reactive dyes are specially formulated for cellulose fibers like cotton, linen and rayon. They also work well on 


. They are considered 'cold water' dyes making them great for solar dyeing, tie and dye. Procion fiber reactive dyes can also be used on protein fibers but different auxiliaries are needed and the dye bath must be simmered.

Designs

The red and yellow odhani called piliya, from pila, yellow, or pomcha, from padma or pom, lotus, when it has a stylised flower in the centre, is probably the most frequently seen garment in Rajasthan. specially for lahariya patterns colors always use vibrant like yellow, red, orange, green, dark blue. With beautifully white stripes and in multi-colors also.