The Art of the Pen: Kalamkari's Enduring Story
Kalamkari or Qalamkari is a time-honoured and widely admired traditional Indian textile art form synonymous with the culture and tradition of Andhra Pradesh.
Derived from the Persian words "qalam" (pen) and "kari" (craftsmanship), the centuries-old art refers to the ancient style of hand painting intricate motifs on cotton or silk fabric with a tamarind pen, using natural dyes. During ancient times, folk singers and painters used to meander from one village to another narrating epics such as the Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagavatam to the village inhabitants.
The artist’s tool moves along the fabric, creating the detailed linework that defines Kalamkari. Photo by Navaldeep Thareja
A steady hand applies colour within the intricate outlines of a Kalamkari illustration. Photo by Navaldeep Thareja
Over the centuries, this storytelling practice evolved. Instead of purely narrative performances, artists began creating detailed, standalone textile artworks and that’s when Kalamkari art was born. During the Mughal rule (1527 AD to 1857 AD), this style of painting gained massive recognition and was promoted in the Golconda and Coromandel provinces where skilful artisans (known as Qalamkars) used to cultivate and practise this art. And, that’s how Kalamkari evolved into the intricate, storytelling-rich textile art form we recognise it as today...
(...)
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
Or, to continue reading….
Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.
. . .
Written by Sanjukta Ghosh
. . .
Further Information:
Read more about Kalamkari in Selvedge Issue 117 Irresistible
. . .
Image Credits:
Lead: Natural pigments and fine brushes bring mythological figures and motifs to life on Kalamkari fabric.
All photos: Navaldeep Thareja (@behrupiaa)