Handmade Paper and the Art of Sanjhi

Calligraphy, the art of writing has many names in India. Called su-lekhan (su meaning beautiful and lekhan meaning writing), khushan visi, su-lipi, sulekh kala, in Hindi, khushkhati, khush nafisi, kitaabat, suloos, and khattaati in Arabic, Persian or Urdu, they all refer to the beautiful art of writing.

These find a true partner in handmade paper especially when the texture does not soak in too much ink from a pen.

Brushwork, writing with bamboo pens, or even a simple sketch pen gives highly aesthetic and beautiful results when a calligrapher’s sure and thoughtful flourish lights up the paper.

The calligraphy of Japan, China and Korea where a few black brush strokes bring magical art to rich cream-coloured paper.

India’s calligraphy flourished during Mughal times, when Persian calligraphers wrote manuscripts illustrated and illuminated by Hindu painters or vice versa.

Paper making happened in many parts of India at that time, in spite of having 22 official languages, 13 scripts and over 700 identified dialects, Independent India has never been known internationally for its calligraphy.

It has many forms of classical and folk art, but although artistic sensibilities of its creative communities are high and widespread, they never extended to calligraphy.

Perhaps this was largely because the communities that painted or crafted did not value or feel the need for being literate. The skills of writing were left to those upper classes that served temples, kings or governments.

Calligraphers who continued valiantly were all Muslim, as the value of writing was originally attributed to the fact that the Prophet Mohammad’s sacred words needed to be written beautifully, so all holy sayings were inscribed lovingly and artistically on whatever surface was chosen.

Calligraphers practicing in multiple Indian scripts are few, but, in the 21st century, there are a growing number, demonstrating, displaying and selling their art works in galleries, schools and at prestigious international events.

The papers acquired from hosiery waste, elephant and rhinoceros dung and the argeli plant were given to four prominent calligraphers of India, Jamyang Dorjee, Rajeev Kumar, Qamar Dagar and Irshad Farooqi, and Sanjhi paper artist Ram Soni, to enhance the visual and tactile experience of exploring handmade paper with their art.

Ram Soni from Rajasthan practices another unique craft style called Sanjhi, using handmade paper.

It involves using just a tiny pair of special scissors. The texture of the paper matters as it has to be stiff and strong, while preferably still retaining a translucent quality.

Soni is another accomplished national awardee who has made Sanjhi images for a craft and calligraphy exhibition that has travelled to many countries.

Ram Soni has very finely cut out a bamboo plant with birds on green handmade paper created out of textile waste.

Ram Soni’s penchant for trees can be seen in its fullest expression in this image of multiple trees in a forest in Sanjhi art on handmade paper.

Read more about calligraphy in India here:
-Calligraphy in Sikkim
-Rajeev Kumar
-Qamar Dagar