Drying the dabu clay paste

After stamping on the dabu clay resist paste onto the motif, the printer dusts the freshly printed sections of wet dabu with a light sprinkling of powder, thus ensuring not only quick drying but additionally preventing smudging. The dusting powder used is beden, the insect eaten waste of wheat flour.

The printing of dabu is often the occupation of women, working either in their homes or in the karkhana workshops of the printers.