The Rogan art of painting is an art over three hundred years old. The traditional Rogan flower motifs and designs speak of a Persian influence and the word Rogan itself means oil-based in Persian. Today, Nirona in Kutch is the only place where this work is created. When castor oil is heated over fire for more than twelve hours and cast into cold water, it produces a thick residue called rogan, which is mixed with natural colours obtained from the earth. With a six-inch wooden stick or pen, the craftperson then draws out from this a fine thread which is painted to the cloth. Rogan painting is delicately and precisely painted from one’s own creative imagination and is done with total concentration sitting on the floor without using a table-frame or any outline. Rogan painted cloth is used for making pillow covers, tablecloths, wall hangings, file folders, decorative pieces and even saris. Rogan art is a rare craft that is not well known even in India. It is practiced by only one family in India and they reside in Nirona village in Gujarat. In Gujarat, Nirona, Khavada and Chaubari were the hubs of Rogan art and bustling with its practitioners till a few years ago but not any more.PM Modi gifted a couple of exquisitely handcrafted Rogan paintings to Obama.