RAS question
Sanganeri print has which characteristic?
Correct answer: (C) White/light background with floral patterns.
Sanganeri print is characterised by delicate floral patterns on a white or light-coloured background, traditionally made with natural or vegetable dyes.
Explanation
Sanganeri hand block printing is a Rajasthan textile craft associated with Sanganer near Jaipur. The Incredible India page describes it as fine block printing on white and off-white fabrics, marked by floral and nature-themed patterns. Sanganeri prints are recognised for delicate floral motifs on a white or light-coloured base, made with vegetable dyes. The background matters because it separates Sanganeri work from darker-ground traditions such as Bagru or Ajrakh in the option set. The motifs also matter: floral forms and intricate detailing are noticeable features, so the best answer is not a generic reference to animals, geometry, or dark colour.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Animal or bird motifs may appear in Sanganeri work, but the defining tested feature is delicate floral and nature-themed printing on a white or off-white base, not animal prints as the characteristic.
- (B) Sanganeri is not limited to geometric patterns; Incredible India describes floral, animal-themed and geometric motifs, with floral detailing especially prominent.
- (D) A dark background contradicts the recognised Sanganeri feature of fine printing on white, off-white or light-coloured fabric, and Ajrakh or Bagru are associated with dark backgrounds instead.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan’s traditional textile crafts, especially how block-printing centres are identified by motif, colour ground and technique. RAS repeats such questions because art-and-culture facts often hinge on distinguishing nearby craft traditions such as Sanganeri and Bagru.