Wednesday, April 7, 2010

HISTORY OF AJRAK

1. DESCRIPTION, HISTORY & BACKGROUND OF AJRAK.

The name of Ajrak is derived from “Azrak” which means “Blue” in Persian & Arabic.
It is a textile item with rich crimson & deep indigo. It relates with the ancient civilization of Indus valley. The civilization was found its existence around 1500 BC to 2500 BC.
While excavation of Mohenjodaro. A kind priest was found with a shawl around his shoulders, decorated with a trefoil pattern (like a three leafed clover) with small circles and the interior of which with red pigment. Similar trefoil pattern has been discovered in Mesopotamia and also on the royal of Tutankhamen (of the ancient pharaohs).
The combination of three colors is a symbol of three sun disks to-gether to represent unity of god’s of the Sun, Water & Earth. It also reflects in the current / modern Ajrak.

 DEFINATION OF AJRAK
Ajrak is an un-avoidable part of clothing culturally inherited by males of Sindh province. Normally men wear it around the shoulder, where as female use it as Dupatta / Chaddar as shawls. Ajrak is usually around 2.5 to 3 meter piece of cotton sheeting / silk sheeting (some time in two parts) duly hand block printed in mostly three dominating colours where as a little black and white is also used to define geometric pattern.
In Sindh Ajrak is also offered as token of high respect to the guest. Further more ajrak also place on the caffen of departed persons as taken of respect from society. It is extensively used as gift on happy & sorrow occasions.
 Geographic Location
Now a days Bhit shah, Khyber, Matiyari, Matli, Tando Mohammad Khan are the main and well known centres in which artisans are settled and engaged in the production.

Core Actors of Ajrak
 i. Number of manufacturing units
i. Around 50 to 55 small manufacturing units are engaged in the production of Ajrak in Bhit Shah, Khyber, Matiyari, Matli, Tando Mohammad Khan.

1 comment:

  1. May Allah show us the right path.
    No doubt every civilized culture sets some norms, symbols, to highlight their unique identity, and no stone has had been left unattended in Sindhi culture, which comprises of all Gold standards set forth as RICH and Unique, from the most powerful and most authenticate research institutes and individuals.
    Ajark( a colourful sheet used for finest and greatest occasions in sindhi culture)has earned respect, recognition and appreciation at highest levels from array of varied forums, councils, bodies, institutes including political, linguistic, and religious to purely research oriented types.

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