Kalamkari Painting

Kalamkari Painting Latest News

Recently, the Prime Minister of India gifted a Kalamkari Mahabharata painting to the French President.

About Kalamkari Painting

• It is a highly popular form of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile and paintings, practised in Andhra Pradesh.
• It came up as a textile tradition during the reign of Qutb Shahis at Golconda in the 16-17th century.
•  “The word ‘Kalam’ meant pen, while ‘Kari’ meant craftsmanship.

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Kalamkari Painting Techniques

• The process of creating Kalamkari begins by soaking the fabric in a mixture of astringents and buffalo milk, followed by drying it in the sun.
• The outlines of the design in red, black, brown, and violet are drawn using a mordant, after which the cloth is dipped in an alizarin bath.
• Wax is then applied to the areas that remain undyed, and the fabric is immersed in indigo dye.
• Once the wax is removed, the remaining areas are hand-painted.
• Artists use a bamboo or date palm stick with fine hair attached to create design contours, applying natural dyes extracted from roots, leaves, seeds, and minerals like iron and copper.

Kalamkari Painting Styles

• It is broadly divided into two distinct styles based on the regions where the art form developed—Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam.
• Srikalahasti Kalamkari
  • It is practised in Srikalahasti of Tirupati district and is done entirely by hand using the kalam (pen).
  • This form is characterized by freehand drawing and intricate detailing.
  • Theme: It portrays mythological figures and themes. religious iconography, temple architecture, and Hindu deities.
• Machilipatnam Kalamkari
  • It is also known as Pedana Kalamkari, developed in Pedana near Machilipatnam.
  • It is deeply influenced by Persian art due to the patronage of the Mughals and the Golconda Sultanate.
  • Theme: It uses block-printing techniques, focusing on floral and geometric designs.
  • Common motifs include intricate patterns of leaves, flowers, cartwheels, creepers, and birds like parrots and peacocks.

Source: IE