Kalamkari

Did You Know?

• Kalamkari was originally referred to as 'Vraata Pani' in the native Telugu language.
• Myrobalan is used in kalamkari to remove the odd smell of buffalo milk and to fix dyes.
• In recent times, figures such as musical instruments, small animals, flowers, Buddha, and the swastika have been introduced to Kalamkari.

History

Kalamkari evolved about 3000 years ago in Andhra Pradesh. A resist-dyed cloth piece on a silver vase at Harappa (c. 2600 BC) confirms the ancient tradition of Pattachitra. Some sources cite the oldest Kalamkari fabric from the 4th century BC, found in a Scythian tomb, featuring a vine pattern recalling Persian and Greek design. Musicians and painters called chitrakars moved from village to village narrating Hindu mythology, illustrating accounts on canvas with plant dyes. The Mughals patronised the craft in the Coromandel and Golconda province, calling practitioners 'Qualamkars', from which 'Kalamkari' evolved. The Pedana Kalamkari craft near Machilipatnam developed under Mughal and Golconda sultanate patronage, influenced by Persian art under Islamic rule.

Styles

The Srikalahasti style, produced in Srikalahasti of Tirupati district, uses a kalam for freehand drawing and colour filling, entirely hand worked. It flourished in temples, appearing on scrolls, temple hangings, chariot banners, and depictions of deities and scenes from Hindu epics, giving it a distinct religious identity. Artists depict figures such as Brahma, Saraswati, Ganesh, Durga, Shiva, and Parvati, and scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. In ancient times, groups of singers, musicians, and painters called chitrakattis moved from village to village narrating Hindu mythology, illustrating accounts with canvas and plant dyes. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay popularised the art as first chairperson of the All India Handicrafts Board.

Technique

The first step is steeping the cloth in astringents and buffalo milk, then drying it in the sun. Red, black, brown, and violet portions are outlined with a mordant, and the cloth is placed in an alizarin bath. The cloth is then covered in wax except for parts to be dyed blue, immersed in indigo dye, the wax scraped off, and remaining areas painted by hand. Artists use a bamboo or date palm stick with a bundle of fine hair as a brush, soaked in a mixture of jaggery and water, then vegetable dyes are added. In Isfahan, Iran, the fabric is printed using patterned wooden or metal stamps.

Modern day

Contemporary kalamkari shows departures from the past. In Masulipatnam, mordant is uniformly printed with a block; indigo dyeing has been given up and wax resist by kalam has disappeared. Iron acetate has replaced indigo for dyeing larger areas black. Yellow dyes are made from dried flowers of myrobalam. Nowadays, silk, mulmul, cotton, and synthetic saris are sold with Kalamkari print, and Kalamkari dupattas and blouse pieces are popular among Indian women.