RAS question
Bandhej (Bandhani) technique involves:
Correct answer: (A) Tying tiny knots before dyeing.
Bandhej or Bandhani is a tie-dye technique in which tiny knots are tied on fabric before it is dipped in dye.
Explanation
Bandhej, also called Bandhani, is not surface decoration added after colouring; it is a resist-dyeing process built around tying. Thousands of tiny knots are tied on the fabric, often with fingernails, before the cloth is dipped in dye. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes bandhani work as Indian tie dyeing or knot dyeing: parts of silk or cotton cloth are tied tightly before dyeing, and when the threads are untied, the protected parts remain uncoloured. That is why the pattern appears only after the knots are opened. The essential action, therefore, is tying tiny knots before dyeing.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Embroidery adds designs with needlework or thread after or on the surface of fabric, whereas Bandhej depends on tied areas resisting dye.
- (C) Machine printing would mechanically place a design on cloth, but Bandhani creates its pattern through tying, dyeing and then opening the knots.
- (D) Painting applies pigment directly by hand, while Bandhej forms designs because tied portions of the cloth stay protected during dyeing.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan art and culture through a craft-process identification question. It recurs in RAS because Bandhani is a well-known textile tradition associated with Rajasthan and is often tested through the technique, not just the name.