ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the performative aspect of the mundane yet significant aspect of our lives – clothing, and more precisely clothing with the fabrics of block printing. It shows a strong relationship between clothing and social differentiation 'establishing, maintaining and altering the image of different social groups in the area'. Block printing as a craft has existed in India since a very long time. Rajasthan, along with Gujarat, is among the few prominent centres of this painstakingly colourful activity. Regions of Sanganer, Balotra, Barmer and Bagru among others are the more popular centres for printing in Rajasthan. The chapter looks at the performative aspect of block-printed fabric in general, keeping a close look at activity in Bagru. Interviews conducted with the printers and some entrepreneurs as part of doctoral fieldwork along with available literature around block printing helped in procuring detailed information. Block printing motifs differ in meanings from community to community, displaying the idea of an imagined community.
