A Living Portrait of India
A Living Portrait of India |
India Heritage:Science:Print Technology |
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Established opinion holds that paper - specifically, Kurasani paper - was introduced to India in the eighth century by Arabs who had learnt the art from Chinese prisoners at Samarkand. Another view is of a Nepal-route between the seventh and ninth centuries. The indigenous methods of paper manufacture in the states of Maharashtra and Bihar were noted by many in the centuries that followed. In the former state, a wooden block was fixed at the centre of an 8-foot diameter shallow well. Over several days, bark, hay, rags, tents and gunny bags were moistened or soaked as per requirement. These were then placed on the central wood and beaten to a pulp with a beater. This pulp was subsequently placed in limewater (chunamed) reservoirs with a little water, and gum of the babul tree was dissolved into the mixture. Bamboo moulds were inserted and the material that adhered was lifted out and dried to form paper. In Bihar, the materials were beaten with a wooden instrument called a dhenki, and then bleached, using soda water. The total was washed, next, and the procedure repeated six times. After this, the pulp was placed in a water-containing cistern and well-stirred. An hour later, the material was cut up into sheets (of paper). |
