Rogan Art Nirona – A local art of Kutch

Early morning around 6 we started for Chhari Dhand which comes in Banni Grassland and is a famous birding spot in Kutch.

Taking help with the google map navigation system I have reached a place which confused us and then I stopped at a tea stall to enquire about Chhari Dhand (as it was locally called) to a local villager, BUT I was very very disappointed when he and the couple of other people at the tea stall said us that it would be difficult to go there with bike. We tried to go a bit after that but soon we realized that it’s better to postpone Chhari Dhand and explore rest of the places so we diverted toward Nirona village to see ROGAN ART.

ROGAN ART – Art of Kutch

Kutch, Mostly famous for the White Desert and Rann of Kutch. But most of the tourist miss out on local culture, art and tradition of place they visit as a tourist.

One such art is Rogan Art, Around 40 Km from Bhuj a village called Nirona is the place where a family (Khatri Family) practices Rogan Art form 7 generations. Yes you heard it right 7 generation into this.

The word ROGAN means oil in Persian, And Rogan Art is a process of applying oil-based paint on the cloths. The oil-based paint is made from boiling vegetables dyes and oil along with a binding agent for a long time. This forms a thick sticky paint which is used for painting on the cloth with a thick 6-7 inch needle.

Traditionally, Rogan art was used in painting bridal clothes, bed-sheets, Ghagras, etc. Now a day Rogan art is more famous as the wall piece and one of it has made it to the White House US as well.

Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has gifted a Ragan art painting to US President Barack Obama on his visit to the US. The painting was painted by Gafoorbhai Kharti from Nirona village of Kutch Gujarat.