Bhairogarh

Happily, this is still a village where they create bright wonders in the old. traditional, ways. Yellow-and-black patterned fabrics lie drying on wasteland. Through the open door of a small cottage visitors can see men drawing patterns with pens dipped in bubbling wax which wafts the fat, hot aroma of candles in an old church. In a large shed, with rays of sunlight shafting in from high skylights, more wax bubbles, vats of dye glimmer, master artists sketch designs on cloth stretched on waist high tables, more artists fill in these designs with wax.

Bare-bodied men dip the fabrics into vats of dye, draw them out dripping colour, hang them on metal drying rods. Water streams like red, black, yellow blood across the dyeing floor, merges in fluid patterns, flows into drains. Bollywood music blares through speakers. The shed is vibrant with sound, colour, activity, the aroma of melted wax sliced by the chemical sharpness of the dyes, billows of hot steam rising in clouds.Then, for those eager to take away these cottage creations, there is a sales   outlet: a shop offering the rainbow-bright fabrics of Bhairogarh.