Reviving Kalamkari
Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
touch of heritage Shakuntala Ramani in New Delhi.
“Kalamkari is the only art and craft in the world where vegetable dyes were used to paint in such a fine way on cloth creating fast colours and giving a touch of sophistication,” declares Shakuntala Ramani. And that such a
unique genre of Indian art and craft should have dwindled markedly without a whimper is definitely a matter of regret.
Chairperson of the Craft Education and Research Centre at the Chennai-based Kalakshetra Foundation, Ramani’s “Kalamkari and Traditional Design Heritage of India” (a Wisdom Tree publication),her third and latest book, is born out of her research in the area spanning nearly four decades. .
Age has not deterred this septuagenarian’s commitment to promote the Kalamkari art and craft .
What is the significance of its revival? Ramani points out that the mordants, dyes and gums used are entirely herbal or natural and therefore eco-friendly. Also, the process being chemical-free, these clothes would be allergy proof for people . It is the nuances and intricacies of the singular processes involved in creating both the hand painting (with a kalam, pen) and block printing (a Moghul period development) kalamkari works that the coffee table book deals with. The richly il
lustrated tome also traces the historical journey of the art that dominated the entire Coromandel Coast. Kalamkari (so named by the Mughals in the 17th Century) readily adopted motifs and designs to suit the changing times. It mutated from “being an exclusiveHindu temple craft some five centuries ago to become popular among the Mughals too. Prayer mats, tapestries and garments with distinct Persian designs were made. To cater to the huge European market Victorian motifs like vases, flowers and laces also got incorporated in the designs,” explains Ramani. “The aesthetic appeal, the sophistication with muted colours and the fastness of the colours made people the world over go crazy about Kalamkari by the 17th Century,” she emphasises. However, the imperialists began enacting laws back home forbidding the import of Kalamkari. With the introduction of chemical dyes, the craft suffered a setback.
“People began to prefer the garish colours produced by chemical dyes. The Kalamkari artisans too started using the chemical dyes,” explains the author. As a consequence, the cultivation of the herbs, essentially Ayurvedic, plummeted. But thankfully, the art survived in a small way in pockets like Masulipatnam, Kalahasti and Salem.
Have the revival efforts over the last few decades brought Kalamkari back onto India’s art and craft map? “No” avers the stalwart. “But, it has been brought to the notice of the people and some understanding of it has emerged,” she adds.
What does the future hold for this craft? “It is presently seen only as an esoteric craft and not a mainstream one. Positive change can come only if we respect the crafts,” says Ramani. “The scientific community must conduct research in this area,” she adds.
Ramani reveals that the present-day heavily processed cotton yarn and weaving processes actually render the fabric unsuitable for Kalamkari work. And what’s the way out? “Back to Gandhiji’s style of weaving as a cottage industry,” is her opinion. Will it be feasible? “Yes”, she says with firm conviction.
N. KALYANI
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