Kalamkari Sarees - Adorn Yourself with this Whimsical Hand-painted Beauty

by Beatitude IN Executive

Indian handloom are revered across the globe for their quality and versatility, as the skilled craftsmen of the country has been always associated with impeccable weaves, rich work and remarkable textiles. Whether it is the matter of showcasing thread-work, painting or patchworks, the craftsmen are trailblazers in pouring out their imagination on fabric. As far as hand-painting or printing is concerned, kalamkari is a type of hand painted or printed designs done on cotton textile that was born out of an art of story-telling in ancient India still holds prominence among the fashion enthusiasts. Kalamkari handcrafted saree is a piece of wearable art that takes an artist a month or two of dedication and artistry to create a saree that is simply remarkable and stunning. With so many varieties of handcrafted sarees available in the Indian market, kalamkari handcrafted saree is one that has managed to hold the attention of women for a long time.

Kalamkari is an ancient style of hand painting that is carried out using natural dyes with a tamarind pen. The ancient art of Kalamkari includes motifs such as flowers, peacock, paisleys along with divine characters from Mahabharata and Ramayana. Since natural dyes are used for painting, use of any harsh chemicals or prolonged exposure to direct and strong sunlight cause the saree colour to fade over time. The process of kalamkari painting is slow and tedious and involves 23 steps, where every step requires optimum precision and an eye for detailing. Kalamkari art that originated over 3000 years ago to be the prime attraction of handicrafts still is the center of many wardrobe's attention. However, this style of art gained its actual recognition in the Mughal era and also during the 18th century while the British were ruling the country. Ever since, kalamkari art has changed a lot and is primarily used in the making of kalamkari sarees in India.

In the present time only a few craftsmen of Andhra Pradesh is mainly carrying out the kalamkari style of painting. Complicated process involved in the making of kalamkari sarees is mainly the reason behind this art losing its charm in the world. However, the few artisans are making effort to revive this art form and serve several kalamkari saree connoisseurs with this brilliant and stunning range of sarees. The designers are trying hard to bring back this form of art by increasingly using this art on sarees that are either hand-painted or printed by machine with the use of technology. Kalamkari is one such handloom sarees that requires art, dedication and love for paintings and the sarees turn out be simply exquisite and stunning.