Shri Abdulgafur Khatri is a famous name in Rogan Art . He has worked all his life to keep alive the precious Rogan Art of pigment painting on textiles creating livelihood opportunities through art and crafl in a remote village of Kutch . He has single handedly led to the revival and revitalization of unique Rogan Art of painting on textiles . At the most crucial point in its history of more than 400 years Nirona Village, Kutch, Gujarat to a family of Rogan Artist Abdulgafur khatri While many textile crafts are practiced in India , Rogan Art is unique due to the nature of its technique known utly to a handful of Muslim Khatris who specialized in this craft for many centuries . It is one of the most difficult and complex textile craft forms . Each pince has to be uniquely created . There is no scope for creating multiples by standardizing the production process using tools such as blocks or stencils. For many generations , Rogan art was the source of livelihood for
Abdulgafur Khatri faimly of Nirona village Local communities around them bought Rogan painted fabrics for their clothing and other uses .They were traditionally making Skirts, Quilt covers, Big size bags, Table cloths, Odhani and Ghaghara- Choli used by women etc. from Rogan art. When machine-made industrial textiles prevailed over handmade Alter 1950s , cheaper mill made and synthelic fabrics started coming into Kutch when the Art was going to become extinct for wont of markets , Local customers who patronized this craft for generations shifted to buy these cheaper fabrics . By 1978s , this art craft was on the verge of extinction due to these reasons . The Abdulgafur Khatri family who had been practising this craft for 8th generations had no more work .
Abdulgafur Khatri and his younger brother Sumar Daud Khatri was one of them. It was a difficult beginning for both of them. "The Abdul Gafur Khatri and his younger brother Sumar Daud Khatri ji did not even get the opportunity to study 4 Gujarati, I had to leave school to do other work."Abdulgafur KhatriDuring this period , Kutch was facing severe droughts making it all the more difficult for the Khatris to find even rasual labour work around . He realized that his family would not get other livelihood opportunities due to their age and lack of other skills or education . Due to his dedicated work over years. They did not have any other livelihood options available around their village, due to which it was difficult for them to survive. decided to take up a job in Ahmedabad and Mumbai around 1980s to support his family. his journey was cut short when he received a grandfather and father letter from home after two years.
Earlier, Rogan work was done. Our grandfathers and father used to do rough work. Abdulgafur khatri started Art form in 1985 The Gujarat government had a project for the family and he was needed back home. Today it is known as Rogan Art. the design of Tree of Life is famous in the world, Abdulgafur Khatri and his younger brother Sumar Daud Khatri, who invented this "Tree of Life" design. he explured new avenues by reinterpreting their traditional skills for creating products for new markets outside of their local communities , sustaining their art . The traditional Rogan art of Kutch has survived extinction. He successfully redefined traditional art that had lost relevance in its local context to create products with international appeal.
He raised Rogan art from the level of a craft once used to decorate textiles for local communities to the level of an art. It is now recognized worldwide as a rare textile art among arts and crafts lovers. Rogan is a unique art practiced with castor oil and mineral colour and a small stylus to paint. Hundreds of people have been able to improve their livelihoods through the direct and indirect contributions of Abdulgafur Khatri family actively participates in conferences, exhibitions and workshops to spread awareness about Rogan art. Visited Abdulgafur Khatri's home Nirona Kutch which is about 40 km from Bhuj, to see his unique Art Work. Many scholars have done research and Document book on Rogan Art Hundreds of students visit our homes every year to learn about design and this unique art. and our Art work has been represented in Lakme fashion week 2015 and UK Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week 2022,
The true renaissance of the art took place in 2014 when Indian Prime Minister Hon'ble Shri Narendra Modi sir became the Prime Minister and when he was on a tour of America, he created two artworks of Rogan Art's Tree of Life gifted them to former US President Barack Obama. and recently Queen Margrethea of Denmark a Rogan art piece, an orange colored Rogan Art Tree of Life made by Abdulgafur Khatri and his younger brother Sumar Daud Khatri. Depicted the tree of life. After that, tourists started coming to Nirona village to see the Khatri family working on their art. Peopl from more than 70 countries visited our home
hon'ble shri Narendra Modi sir met to me I telling live demo of Rogan art and I told a also requested Modi Sir that if the next generation does not take Rogan art forward then this art will get extinct. Modi sir accepted, whenever any Visit Gujarat VVIP came he was given the gift of Rogan Art Tree of Life. Since 2006 shri Narendra Modi sir has known about "Rogan Art" and Abdulgafur Khatri Family. I thank hon'ble Shri Narendra Modi sir very much for giving recognition to a rare art.
he Abdulgafur Khatri family undertakes the responsibility of the survival and growth of this intricate art form. The Abdulgafur are indeed trying their best to ensure that the legacy of this unique art form does not end anytime soon. Rogan Art's survival is necessary as a cultural asset of the country because of the distinct tradition of the art form. The Abdulgafur khatri play their part in sustaining the art form for the future in 2010 by teaching it to others. The biggest challenge they overcame was including women in practising the art. Earlier, women of the families practising it were not taught the art form. The thought that girls will go to another household after marriage and take the art form with them was not permissible. At present, the Abdulgafur's take pride in teaching hundreds of girls this beautiful art form. For the first time in the history of Rogan art, our family a woman has taken up this dying art, so these artisans want more women to join this art so that this art becomes alive again.