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Designs from deft quills

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Dexterous: Wall hangings and table cloths decorated with Kalamkari art on display at an exhibition in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: The age-old Kalamkari art weaves magic into the exquisitely designed wall hangings, colourful table cloths, bed and pillow covers, and lends a striking look to cotton linen at a week-long exhibition.

“Kalamkari means working with pen. Our association works with destitute women including widows, abandoned and poor women. We had trained 58 women in this art. The main purpose is to help the women live with dignity and improve their living conditions. It is their works which are displayed here,” Sister Mary Josephine of Asaniketan said.

Asaniketan, an association from Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, formed by Sisters of Foreign Missions, have displayed the creative pieces of Kalamkari art at Maison Colombani of Alliance Francaise. Inaugurated on August 20, the exhibition will close on August 26.

With designs aplenty, the Kalamkari art on the cotton linen, ranges from trees, roses, dancing girls, elephants, nightfall, gods and demons, birds and butterflies. Of all, the portrayals of Rukmani Kalyanam, Ramayanam, Sita Rama Kadah and basket makers at work stand unique in the collection.

With colourful patterns on display, the intricate designs and handiwork of the artists catch the eyes of the onlooker. The price of the products displayed starts from Rs.100 and above.

In Kalamkari, which is a pictorial art from south India, the unbleached cotton linen is hand painted with a quill or by impression with wood blocks using plant dyes.

“We either use pure vegetable colour or a mix of chemical with vegetable colours for the work. The vegetable colours used include those from indigo flowers and special plant barks. A mix of chemical with vegetable colours gives a bright and attractive look,” Sister Mary Josephine added.

“We use a specially prepared black ink to draw on the cloth. It is made of a mix consisting jaggery, rusty iron and water which is stored in a pot and buried for six months in the ground. Then, we draw on the cloth using the pen and soak the cloth in cow dung. Later, it is kept on sand for four to five days. We apply colours to the drawing and apply gum to prevent diffusion,” she said.

She said that the Kalamkari art form was dying now and they are making efforts to improve it and at the same time help marginalised women.

Apart from these, they have displayed saris, greeting cards and handkerchiefs at the exhibition.

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