Kalamkari - exquisite prints from elementary hand techniques

Kalamkari or Qalamkari is hand painted or block printed textile. It is derived from the Persian ‘drawing with a pen’. There are two styles in India. The Srikalahasthi style which is based on themes of religious hangings, temple engravings, scrolls, deities, scenes from epics etc. based on the influence of Hindu rulers of the Malla dynasty. The Machilipatnam style based on Islam influence of the Mughals and evolved with themes of flora, fauna and nature chosen.

The essential features of Kalamkari

Using Natural dyes mostly, hand block printing is used for the printing of the fabric and the pen used for the finer details and inner filling of colours.

The elaborate process of Kalamkari

The initial weaving of the fabric completed, is when the Kalamkari process takes over. The cotton fabric is immersed in a fine mix of myrobalan ( a resin) and cow’s milk to provide the adhesion of colours. By soaking it for an hour a unique gloss is achieved. It is after this that the finer lines and details are drawn with a bamboo stick styled like a pen soaked in fermented jiggery and water. After this the vegetable dyes are applied. The application of each colour done, the fabric is washed. This leads to the fabric being washed a number of times to see that the colours have adhered and do not spread.

For extra colouring effects substances like cow dung, seeds, crushed flowers and plants are also used. The richness of the colours and the use of natural dyes has slowly given way to lesser vibrancy on account of the use of chemical dyes which are easily and abundantly available.

Buy online Kalamkari sarees at Unnati Silks

There is a fine collection of Kalamkari work sarees at Unnati Silks. You have Chanderi Sicos in light colours and breezy hues with floral patterns and attractive bootis, the elegant contrast borders with floral kalamkari and the designer pallus with brilliant floral patterns. There are handloom cottons with a lot of Kalamkari hand painting and attractive borders. There are fine Tussar Silks that have contrast patch borders plus block printed designs and floral spreads on the pallu. You have Kalamaris that have entire themes from epics, nature scenes in fine, sharp detailing that is exquisite. The Meghalaya Silks that have charming motifs distributed in a pattern across the saree over light coloured fields, geometrical patterns adorning colourful fields, motfs in a pattern across the saree, and very elegant borders.

Buy online Kalamkari work sarees and get the Unnati advantage

Unnati silks, largest ethnic online Indian shop offers exquisite designer Kalamkari work sarees with matching blouse for sale.

Online shopping store with the widest range of ethnic Indian Sarees and Salwar Kameez. At Unnati Silks, you can buy Kalamkari work sari online from the exclusive range of saris - a unique, fancy, exclusive collection of Traditional, Wedding, bridal attire, stylish, party, trendy fashion, formal, corporate, office, daily casual saris in silk, cotton, sico, art silk georgette, chiffon, dupion, tussar, organza, crepe, gicha, jute and other fabric varieties at attractive prices. 

You can buy Kalamkari sarees online at Unnati silks and products will be dispatched within 24 working hours of placing the order. We have free shipping and Cash on Delivery (COD) facility for Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Indore, Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Dispur, Itanagar, Kohima, Chandigarh , Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jullundur, Ernakulam and many other Indian cities and towns. We also do Worldwide fast shipping or express shipping to countries like UK, Canada, USA, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Seychelles, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Myanmar, Mauritius, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and many more.

Click here for kalamkari Work Sarees

For more collection visit www.unnatisilks.com

Epic Tales on Canvas - Patachitra Sarees

Patachitra or Pattachitra has its origin in Odisha, India. ‘Pata’ is cloth and ‘chitra’ means picture or painting in Sanskrit. Hence Pattachitra would come to mean painting on a cloth or canvas. An old art form, it displays epics and religious themes in detailed narration on any broad canvas. The Indian saree with its ample spread offered sufficient scope for this painstakingly executed, unique ethnic offering that ‘wowed’ even the contemporary audience of today.

What is Patachitra ?

Pattachitra is painting done on canvas, manifested by rich colourful application, creative motifs and designs, and portrayal of simple themes, mostly mythological in depiction. The tradition of pattachitra paintings is more than thousand years old. A traditional art dating from historical to ancient times, this Odisha craft of painting on any form of canvas has themes from Hindu mythology inspired especially by the Jagannatha and Vaishnava cult. Rich in colour, with extraordinary designs and motifs, the Pattachitra painting on the saree involves the narration of mythological stories in a simple and lucid manner. Murals of religious venues centred around Puri Konark and Bhubaneshwar. All colours used in the Paintings are natural and paintings are made fully the traditional way. Themes are mainly on Lord Jagannath and radha-krishna, Jagannath, Balabhadra and temple activities, the ten incarnations of Vishnu basing on the Gita Govinda of jayadev, Kama Kujara Navagunjara, Ramayana, Mahabharata.

The Patachitra process

The area for the painting to be made is prepared by coating a mixture of chalk and a special kind of gum. This gives a leathery finish to the surface on which the painting with vegetable and earth colours is done. Lines drawn are direct, without any tracing and then colours are filled in. This is then given some form of coating to provide the gloss. Organic colours used in the Patachitra saree are primarily bright, with red, yellow, indigo, black and white given prominence. Application of colour is through the use of hairs of domestically reared animals, bunched together and tied to a small stick. It is a marvel that despite the crudity of the tool, the outcome is so sharp and detailed. Despite the time consumed, the effort being tremendous the devotion and dedication of these ethnic craftsmen remains intact even today. Small wonder that the exquisite, flawless Patachitra creations enjoy the attention of an appreciative market.

Buy online exceptional Patachitra sarees at Unnati Silks

The Patachitra painted on fine Tussar silk and Jute Gicha silk sarees available at Unnati Silks, as a style within the designer range, have certain marked features. Lines are bold, very clean, angular and quite sharp. There is an absence of landscapes, perspectives, or intended views. The backdrop would have flowers and other floral representations to distinguish the figures that are drawn or represented in the foreground. There are decorative borders and a theme designed in the form of a narrative becomes evident. Unnati creations do not dilute traditional style in a weave. There is only additional adornment incorporated to market taste that comes off beautifully. This confidence comes from close association and working with master weavers and craftsmen of different traditional styles across India since three decades.

Shop online Patachitra sarees and get the Unnati advantage

Unnati silks, largest ethnic online Indian shop offers exquisite designer Patachitra Sarees with matching blouse for sale. Online shopping store with the widest range of ethnic Indian Sarees and Salwar Kameez. At Unnati Silks, you can buy Patachitra sarees online from the exclusive range of saris - a unique, fancy, exclusive collection of Traditional, Wedding, bridal attire, stylish, party, trendy fashion, formal, corporate, office, daily casual saris in silk, cotton, sico, art silk georgette, chiffon, dupion, tussar, organza, crepe, gicha, jute and other fabric varieties at attractive prices.

You can buy online Patachitra sarees at Unnati silks and products will be dispatched within 24 working hours of placing the order. We have free shipping and Cash on Delivery (COD) facility for Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Indore, Lucknow, Jaipur, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Dispur, Itanagar, Kohima, Chandigarh , Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jullundur, Ernakulam and many other Indian cities and towns. We also do Worldwide fast shipping or express shipping to countries like UK, Canada, USA, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Seychelles, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Myanmar, Mauritius, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and many more.

Click here for Patachitra Sarees

For more collection visit www.unnatisilks.com