Locally called Rogani Kam, is an intricate and skillful painting done on inexpensive textiles using a thick paste of castor oil and color. The Persian art technique travelled and settled in India from years was a part of bridal trousseau. The process itself is so beautiful that a viewer is captivated of instinctive yet calculated moves of craftsmen in imparting color to the fabric.
Rogan painting was traditionally a seasonal craft, utilized to ornament various traditional attire components like Ghaghra, Lehenga, Odhani, Dupatta, Dharajo, Chabla and the household fabrics such as bed sheets, quilts, pillow covers and small pieces of fabrics used to cover dishes, these fabrics were main constituents of dowry fabrics.
Castor being the major cultivation draws the natural connection to the craft as the main ingredient of the colors. A unique feature of this craft is that once the outline of the design is painted over the fabric, it can be folded or pressed against another fabric or the fold of the same fabric to get the second impression of the same design.
Muslim Khatri community in Nirona Kutch area from last eight generation are practising these artform.
As per Islam community, human figures are not allowed as motifs. So, the general features are curvilinear patterns repeated geometrically. Phool (flower), Trikhani (three dots), Vesur (wavy border motif) and Jhad (trees) are the oldest found motifs.
Boiling the castor oil is a risky process and has to be done with utmost care to avoid fire accidents. The odor and fumes emitted are harmful to the workers.