Between the lines: The truth about kalamkari

Discover authentic kalamkari through the eyes of researcher Nikita Shah.

Buying a handloom textile that uses a 3,000-year-old craft is akin to acquiring a work of art. Much like a painting or sculpture that holds value for its authenticity, a handmade fabric is worth every rupee spent, says Nikita Shah, a Brooklyn-based independent researcher affiliated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Nikita, who honed her skills in kalamkari while in Hyderabad, believes mindful consumption is key to keeping the craft alive.

She believes mass production has prompted many artisans to take shortcuts. “Kalamkari is a slow craft. Less is more — that should be the approach if we want it to survive,” she says.

Kalamkari, which takes its name from the kalam or pen used by artisans to draw motifs, involves a painstaking, multi-step process. The fabric — typically cotton or silk — is treated with milk and natural astringents before being hand-drawn and coloured with natural dyes. Srikalahasti in Andhra Pradesh is known for hand-painted kalamkari, while Machilipatnam is recognised for block-printed variations. Originally a medium for narrating folk tales, kalamkari later evolved into wearable art.

During a recent visit to Srikalahasti, Nikita observed that traditional pens were increasingly being replaced by thick brushes, fingers and even sponges — often used with chemical dyes. “It’s disheartening to see artisans prioritising speed over technique. Younger artisans, despite being trained by older generations, are under pressure to meet market demands and are compromising on the process,” she says.

In Machilipatnam, digital and screen printing are steadily replacing hand block printing, making it harder for consumers to tell the difference.

Mumbai-born Nikita is an alumna of National Institute of Fashion Technology Kannur and worked for nearly a decade with Hyderabad-based designers Gaurang Shah and Mamata Reddy (Kalam Creations) before pursuing an associate degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. In 2021, she launched her own label, Untitle by Nikita, in the US, creating separates like trench coats and dresses using traditional craft techniques. The name reflects her decision to break away from the seasonal cycle of fashion collections. “Fast fashion is not compatible with slow, traditional methods. Back when I worked with Gaurang for Lakmé Fashion Week, we would begin collections nearly two years in advance. You cannot rush kalamkari — it is not even feasible in the monsoon,” she says.

When she realised many NRIs hesitated to pay for cotton or appreciate the labour behind the craft, she began offering kalamkari workshops to bridge the gap. “Once people try it themselves, holding a kalam and attempting to paint on fabric, they understand why a sari or dress can take months to finish.”