Two-sided Eri Silk shawl highlighting the vintage Kalamkari from Sri Kalahasthi.

I like working with Kalamkari a lot. The more it radiates that fragrance of natural ingredients, the more I feel its authenticity. The dyes spill out of lines, as any natural process should. The pencil drawings remain visible under the process of dyeing. 

The base textile loses its shine owing to the many layers of dyeing treatment and develops a look of age and “been worked upon”. iIt’s a craft I have not yet worked hands-on myself, though I have seen and sat with masters who do. Their humility with this craft is something I wish in myself, though I am far from having that ground of innate learning and doing without self-attribution. 

When I see them, I see my ego. That is why I remain in the artisan world because they carry that virtue so effortlessly that I practice so ardently. 

Mumma, too, has that innate ability to choose the background and let the light shine on others. I think my mother has an artisan’s heart. She crafts quietly and without intellectualising. When I intellectualise the design, she switches off my jargon. Hence, I know I have a long way to go. 

Yes, maa!

Kalamkari is a vintage piece procured from Sri Kalahasthi.

Kalahasthi is a one-of-a-kind textile designed to highlight a unique coming together of various techniques and creativity of handcraft. This design will not be recreated.

Kalamkari from A. Subbarao

Param did the beadwork 

Gurmail, the tailor

Narmohan Dada, the master Eri silk pioneer

Mumma, Madhu, technical supervision of stitching 

Midtoan.com, the photographer

Designed by Ritika