A Bandhej Sari Depicting the Tree of Life

Bandhani is a type of tie-dye textile decorated by plucking the cloth with the fingernails into many tiny bindings that form a figurative design. Derived from the word meaning ‘to tie’, Bandhani is also known as Bandhej, Bandhni, Piliya, and Chungidi in various different Indian regions. Variations are produced with different tying techniques — essentially through the placement of knots in the ekdali (single knot), trikunti (three knots) or chaubundi (four knots). Clusters of knots are then worked into larger intricate patterns, such as the tree of life seen in this sari.