Bandhani
The tie-dye of Gujarat and Rajasthan, made of thousands of tiny bound dots.
Also: bandhej, bandhni
Bandhani comes from a Sanskrit root meaning to tie. A pattern is marked on fine cotton or silk, and each dot is pinched up with a fingernail and bound with thread. A sari may carry many thousands of knots. The cloth is dyed, often several times from light colours to dark, with more knots added between dips. When the threads are pulled off, small rings of the earlier colours remain on a red, maroon or black ground. It is worn at weddings and festivals. The English word bandana comes from the same root.