The Ancient Art of Kalamkari: Problems and Prospects with Special Reference to Pedana, Andhra Pradesh

This article is a descriptive study on painted and printed textile tradition of Kalamkari units of Andhra Pradesh, using mordants and natural dyes. Initial representation of Kalamkari art was as religious paintings that depicted Indian Gods. Kalamkari started off during the Mughal dynasty and presently Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of Kalamkari fabric. With the emergence of high quality machine looms and acceptance for printed textiles; Kalamkari art came on the verge of extinction. However, printed Kalamkari is a new craze among the current generation, as it is a combination of traditional and modern trends. Present research study examines brief history of Kalamkari Art and this article is an investigative in nature. Present study sheds some light on Kalamkari workers of pedana village. It is an attempt to reveals problems and prospects of Kalamkari workers in various aspects like change in production process or technology, marketing opportunities, availability of raw materials, infrastructure, environmental factors etc.