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Kalamkari: Where Artistry, Fashion and Sustenance Aligns
It is the synergy of art and craft
A worship, one of its kind
Using pens and dyes of nature divine
Kalamkars are the ones that thrive
Amongst the finest painters, those who practice the mythological art of Kalamkari consider it a worship of their deities. An art form originated from Andhra Pradesh, Kalamkari is a marker for its excellence in intricacy and depth in the story the artist depicts on yards and yards of cotton.
Origin
The art of Kalamkari has a history of about 3000 years. Although painting on cloth seems to have been practiced since the age of the Indus Valley Civilization, Kalamkari takes it to the next level, making a fabric last longer than 50 years without any damage or even a tear.
Originally, Kalamkari was known as ‘Pattachitra’ (patta meaning cloth and chitra translating to picture). The historic paintings on cloth are discovered in smaller dimensions, often annexed with Hindu, Jain and Buddhist literature. The term Kalamkari proliferated during the Islamic rule. The practitioners of this craft at the time were known as ‘Qalamkars’, hinting at the origin of the craft’s name.
The term is self-explanatory to beauty, with…
