Ajrakhpur Craft Village

Ajrakhpur Craft Village is a dedicated artisan village located about 15 km from Bhuj in Kutch, Gujarat. Established after the 2001 Bhuj earthquake to rehabilitate Ajrakh block-printing artisans from Dhamadka, it is now the main centre for the traditional Ajrakh craft. The village is known for workshops where Khatri artisans create hand-block printed textiles using natural dyes and intricate geometric patterns.

Visitors can expect a small rural settlement with open workshops and artisan homes where Ajrakh printing is done. You can observe the multi-stage process of washing, resist printing, dyeing with natural dyes like indigo and madder, and drying fabrics in the sun. Workshops display carved wooden blocks, dye vats, and finished textiles. Visitors can interact with artisans, learn about motifs and techniques, and purchase authentic Ajrakh fabrics, sarees, stoles and yardage directly from makers.

Ajrakhpur was established in 2001 after the Gujarat earthquake severely damaged Dhamadka, the original village of Ajrakh artisans. With support from NGOs and government agencies, Khatri families practicing Ajrakh block printing were resettled in the new village of Ajrakhpur to revive and sustain the craft. The village represents the continuity of a textile tradition said to be over 400 years old in Kutch.

The village is the principal centre for Ajrakh, a traditional hand block printing technique practiced by the Khatri community using natural dyes and complex resist-printing methods. Ajrakh textiles are characterized by geometric patterns, indigo blue and madder red colours, and are significant to the cultural identity of Kutch. The craft demonstrates intergenerational knowledge transfer and sustainable textile practices.