KALAMKARI

PAINTINGS

Kalamkariliterallymeans,Kalam-pen&
kari-work,i.e.,artworkdoneusingapen.
Vegetabledyesareusedtocolourthe
designsappliedoncloth.

Theartofpaintingusingorganicdyeson
clothwaspopularinseveralpartsofIndia,
butthisstyleofKalamkariflourishedat
Kalahasti(80milesnorthofChennai)and
atMasulipatnam(200mileseastof
Hyderabad).

TheKalamkaritraditionchieflyconsistsof
scenesfromHindumythology.Figuresof
deitieswithrichborderembellishments
werecreatedforthetemples.In
Masulipatnam,theweaverswereinvolved
intheblockprintingart,whileatKalahasti,
theBalojas(acasteinvolvedinmaking
bangles)tooktothisart.

OwingtoMuslimruleinGolconda,the
MasulipatnamKalamkariwasinfluencedby
Persianmotifs&designs,widelyadaptedto
suittheirtaste.Theoutlinesandmain
featuresaredoneusinghandcarved
blocks.Thefinerdetailsarelaterdone
usingthepen.

UndertheBritishrulethedesignsaswell
astheenduseofthefabricdiffered-for
garmentsaswellasfurnishings.During
thisperiodfloraldesignswerepopular.The
artisansweremadetocreateevenportraits
ofEnglishmen.

TheKalahastitraditionwhichdevelopedin
thetempleregionmostlyconcentratedon
themesformHindumythology,epics
(Ramayana,Mahabharatha),imagesof
Godsandheroes.
Theartistsuseabambooordatepalmstick
pointedatoneendwithabundleoffinehair
attachedtothispointedendtoserveasthe
brushorpen.

Thedyesareobtainedbyextractingcolours
formpartsofplants-roots,leavesalong
withmineralsaltsofiron,tin,copper,alum,
etc.,whichareusedasmordants.

KarrupurisastyleofKalamkarithat
developedintheThanjavurregionduring
theMaratharule.TheKalamkariworkwas
afurtherembellishmenttothegoldbrocade
workinthewovenfabric,whichwasused
assarees&dhotisbytheroyalfamily
duringtheperiodofRajaSarfojiandlater
RajaShivaji.

AfterindependenceofIndia,theHandicrafts
DevelopmentBoardtookupthetaskofreviving
thisart,whichhaddwindledduetolackof
buyers.
Thespecialtyisthatthefinishedproductsare
mellow.Brightcoloursareusedbutthefinishis
notgaudy.Thefabriclooksbetterandbetterwith
furtherwashing,withthedesignsstandingout
evenbetteragainstthebackground.

Masulipatnam style of Kalamkari:featuresPersian

influencewithintricateanddelicateformsandmotifs
commonlyusedweretrees,flowers,creepersand
leafdesigns.WiththeDutchinfluence,kalamkariart
wasstartedonbedcovers,curtainsandgarments.
Mostoftheindoorhomedcoritemsareusually
placedaccordingtocolourschemesandeven
themessuchasanimaltheme,naturetheme,floral
theme,spiritualitytheme,etc.

Srikalahasti Style of Kalamkari:

thisstyleofkalamkaripaintingisinfluenced
byIndiantemples.Scrollsandwallhangings
withnarrativesandfigurinesfromepicssuch
asMahabharata,Ramayana,Puranas,etc.
deitiessuchasKrishna,Brahma,Ganesha,
Durga,Kiratavinyaarjuna,Lakshmi,Rama,
ShivaandParvathiwerethemainsubjects.

Technique: Thekalamkarigoesthrougha
vigorousprocessofresistdyeingand
handprinting.Kalamkaripaintinggoes
throughalotoftreatmentbeforeandafter
thepaintingisdoneonthefabric.The
colourschangedependingonthetreatment
ofclothandqualityofthemordant.

Everystepintheprocessispainstakingly
doneandwithperfection.Kalamkari
paintingshaveaflourishingmarketinand
outsideofIndia.Thekalamkariartforsale
isavailableinleadingexhibitionsthat
showcaseandpromoteIndianhandicrafts.