Map In My Pocket

Tag: Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh

Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Sri Kalahasti

Legends surround Sri Kalahasti, the temple town near South India’s most popular pilgrimage centre, Tirupati. Home to the ancient Shiva temple, the Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple, this town has been the centre of many legends, stories and folk lore.

But it isn’t as widely known that this town in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district also boasts of something that is in fact more renowned than the temple itself. Kalamkari.

Literally meaning craftsmanship of the pen, Kalamkari refers to the hand painted cotton fabric that is counted amongst one of the most beautiful traditional Indian art forms.

The Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple was originally built in the 5th century by the Pallavas under the shadow of a hill by the banks of the River Swarnamukhi. This was later extended by the Cholas in the 11th and 12th centuries. But it was in the 16th century, under Sri Krishnadeva Raya that it was most celebrated. And from then on, it hasn’t been just a mythical place of worship but the fountainhead for art and culture.

Vilasini Natyam, which is the traditional temple dance form, also originated here.

& what started out back then as a hand painted backdrop for the deities in the temple is what has today evolved to become one of the most appreciated fabric there is, purely for its artistic value.

That there is the story of Kalamkari.

But, there is more. For there is a variant, a different school of Kalamkari art that flourished under the Mughals and Qutb Shahis of Golconda. Here the fabric is block printed rather than hand painted and the motifs are more Persian than religious. This form of Kalamkari is produced in the town Machilipatnam, yet another town in Andhra Pradesh where flowing water is readily available. For whatever be the art form, it almost always draws inspiration from the society of the time, the geography of the land and availability of indigenous raw materials. And flowing water is an essential to the process of creating the Kalamkari textile.

Before the actual process of art begins, the cotton fabric has to be prepped for drawing by washing it in water and soaking it in milk. A master artist then draws the design freehand in bold black strokes using a charcoal pencil.

The cloth is then soaked once again, this time in boiling water before colours are filled in by the artisans using a bamboo kalam (pen).

The colours are always natural and made from ingredients like indigo and myrobalan fruit.

From sarees and dupattas to bed linen, this hand painted cotton fabric is considered hip and not just in the art circles. There is a huge demand for it today not just in India but internationally as well. Which is probably why now the Kalamkari motifs have grown to be so ubiquitous that you see them everywhere from bags to utility trays even.

Explorers Guide

Distance from Chennai: 116 Kilometres
Distance from Tirupati: 36 Kilometres
Trip Duration: One Day
Getting There: Less than an hours drive from Tirupati, this trip can be a detour on your journey there. One can also drive down from Chennai, shop and get back, all in a day.

Read More on Other Artisan Villages of India:

Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Uppada
Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Karipakam
Artisan Villages of Telangana: Nirmal
Artisan Villages of Telangana: Cheriyal

February 10, 2018
Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Uppada

Every second house in the village of Uppada, in coastal Andhra Pradesh is a handloom store. Just like Mangalagiri. It goes with the territory. For it too is a handloom village that has brought forth a commercially successful style of saree.

Known for its soft texture and lightness, what defines this saree is its thread count. A hundred threads go in lengthwise while a hundred and twenty go in sideways. Not a thread more, not a thread less. For it is this thread count that ensures the quality and feel of this beautifully rich handwoven fabric.

Once the royal garment of the rulers of Andhra Pradesh, weavers were prohibited from weaving these sarees for anyone outside of the royal household.

Though it is now the favoured form of wedding saree, the Uppada weave has had quite a roller coaster ride. From being a simple cotton saree in the 1950s, to fading out in the 80s to achieving the Geographical Indication tag in the 2000s. Today this saree sells from anywhere upwards of Rs.6000/- to around Rs.3,00,000/-, not taking into account the custom orders of course.

This style of weaving is a local variation on the three hundred year old Jamdani technique. The Uppada Saree evolved to its current form when Bangladeshi weavers came and settled in Uppada and the traditional Jamdani technique took on a new essence.

So, don’t be surprised if you hear the Uppada Pattu (silk) Sarees being referred to as Uppada Jamdani Sarees. For its origins can be traced back to today’s Bangladesh.

Would You Believe?
That late Ms.Jayalalitha, erstwhile Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu had once come to Uppada to commission a saree made with threads of pure molten gold!
& that today there still is a picture of her in that saree at the weaver’s house.

Explorers Guide

Getting There: 16 kilometres from Kakinada and almost 500 kilometres from Hyderabad, a trip to Uppada is better done on a road trip through Konaseema.
Remember: Avoid the bigger stores with the glass fronts and the air-conditioning. It is in the smaller houses that you will find the better stuff. Not just in terms of the quality of the threads used but also in terms of design and colour.
Don’t Miss: Sunset at Uppada Beach

Read Next: Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Karipakam

Other Artisan Villages of India:

Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Sri Kalahasti
Artisan Villages of Telangana: Nirmal
Artisan Villages of Telangana: Cheriyal

November 8, 2017
Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Karipakam

South Indian Silk Sarees have always been known for their elegance. Be it from Telangana, Andhra, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, every saree is unique in its design and technique to the region. & these sarees are usually eponymous of the region they come from.

One such are the Patur Sarees, which are quite in fashion today. Cotton, Silk and Zari (gold thread) threads are hand-woven together to craft these beautiful cotton silk sarees from the Village of Patur in Nellore District and the adjoining Village of Karipakam in Chittoor District.

There were around 150 weavers in Karipakam once. Today there are only 50, the lack of patronage pushing them to find work in nearby factories. Even the working conditions are not much to speak of. Though the dying of threads and getting them ready is more of an outdoor activity, the actual weaving is done in a pit loom.

What little work now comes into the village comes from the head weaver, who gets designs from speciality retail stores like Nalli Silks and distributes it amongst the weavers.

Since, the mainstay of the village is this craft, all the villagers/weavers get together every morning to dye silk and cotton threads sourced from different places. It is a sight to see. So, if you wish to see the weavers at work, do visit the village on a sunny morning. Sunny mornings, for even the weather needs to be conducive. Too much moisture in the air dampens the thread which makes it difficult for the colour to stick.

Once, the patterns and the spindles of thread are ready, they are loaded onto the loom and the weaving begins. Keeping with the trend and also the rules set by the buying companies, a design is not usually repeated.

Zari motifs are hand-woven into the saree, which takes 2-3 days to finish depending on the number of colours in the pattern. If the same saree were to be made on a power loom, these would have to be sewn on to the saree separately.

and, this is what sets these gorgeous lightweight sarees apart.

Starting at Rs.2,500/-, the sarees can be bought directly from the weavers houses.

Explorers Guide

Getting There
By Road – The most convenient way to get there is to drive down from Tirupati. This takes a little over an hour.
By Air – Nearest airports are Tirupati and Chennai.
By Rail – Nearest railway station is at Sullurpet.

Stay
Big Stay serviced apartments at Tada. With over 200 rooms, Indian, Oriental & Continental cuisines catering to people of all nationalities visiting/working at the Sri City SEZ and a travel desk that arranges your airport drop and pick up, they ensure a comfortable stay.

Things To Do
Trekking at Naagala Hills.
Kayaking at the creek in Sri City.

Nearby Places of Interest
Pulicat Lake – India’s second largest salt-water lagoon, it is the winter home to numerous migratory birds from Central Asia, of which Flamingos and Pelicans number the most. The state tourism department hosts a Flamingo Festival here in January every year.
Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary – Also known as Pelican Paradise, it is counted amongst the popular bird sanctuaries of India.
Ubbalamadugu – Jungle Pools and waterfall.

Read More on Artisan Villages of India:

Artisan Villages of Telangana: Nirmal
Artisan Villages of Telangana: Cheriyal
Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Sri Kalahasti
Artisan Villages of Andhra Pradesh: Uppada

March 12, 2016