Kalamkari

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Revered to as the most beautiful ancient form of textile painting in India, Kalamkari finds its roots in Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The stunningly unique art form is believed to have existed since the time of Mohen-Jo-Daro civilization. It started to lose its charm during the British Raj. However, post-independence, Kamladevi Chattopadhyay, associated in the freedom struggle took upon herself to revive the handicrafts, including Kalamkari and Jaipur blue pottery.

                                                          Figure 1: Kalamkari art in making

As the name depicts, Kalamkari is an art form deriving its name from “kalam”, meaning pen and “kari” meaning craftsmanship. Initiated as a storytelling culture through paintings on fabrics, the art form developed as a means to etch the stories onto fabric. The designs include Hindu mythological stories of Radha-Krishna, Mahabharata etc. and designs from nature. Curated through an intricate process of 23 steps, one of which includes washing the fabric with milk, kalamkari is done on handwoven cotton and silk fabrics to produce artworks that woo the admirers of the art form. The fat content spreads on the fabric which prepares the fabric for easy sketching. Another speciality of kalamkari is tamarind twigs being burnt and used as pencils for sketching the design on the fabric. Craftsmen articulate the designs and prepare dyes with the help of natural ingredients like paddy husk, fermented jaggery, root extracts etc. The fabric is prepared by treatment with organic components and the brushes are usually carved out of bamboo sticks. The complexity of the designs makes it difficult to paint the fabric in a single go, hence, bamboo sticks wrapped with cloth are used for colouring the fabric with extreme attention.

The following diagram gives an overview of the process of preparation of kalamkari fabrics and dye preparation:

Figure 2: Overview of the Kalamkari Art Process

Kalamkari Artwork is bequeathed in 3 styles:

• Sri Kalahasti: Developed in the region of Sri Kalahasti temple, the designs of this region incorporate images of deities and events from epics like Mahabharata and Bhagvad Gita
• Machilipatnam: Influenced by Dutch and Persian motifs and the Golconda Sultanate, the designs helped develop the craftsmanship of the artisans and curated ‘Qualamkars’
• Karrupur: These designs were developed in the Thanjavur region including the gold brocade work on organic fabrics

Worn by working and household women, the kurtas, dupattas and sarees are a hit amongst them. Moreover, there are ethnic apparels available in the market for men as well. In present day scenario, the art form faces threat of imitation from printing precast designs on synthetic fibre that is available at competitive prices. However, keen, observant and true admirers can spot the difference clearly. This creates an edge for the practitioners of the art form. A big USP of the Kalamkari fabrics is that they are made from natural products and hence are likeable by the conscious youth of today. What is required today is to voice the stories of these craftsmen and provide them with a platform to sell their creations.

 

                                                                                                      www.emahila.org