The Kalamkari guide

Cloth with a memory in every line.

Kalamkari is older than most of what's written about it online. These are the questions we're asked most — about the craft, the regions, and how to keep a piece looking its best for years.

What Is Kalamkari?

The 3,000-year-old art of hand-painted and block-printed storytelling on cloth.

Srikalahasti vs. Machilipatnam Kalamkari

Two regions, two techniques — pen-drawn mythology and block-printed pattern.

How to Identify Genuine Kalamkari

What to look for — and what a printed imitation can't replicate.

How to Wash and Care for Kalamkari Fabric

Natural dyes need gentler handling than synthetic prints. Here's how.

Pedana Kalamkari

The printed Kalamkari of Pedana and Machilipatnam, and how it's made today.

How Kalamkari Is Made

Pen, block and screen: the three ways Kalamkari is made today, and how to tell them apart.

Kalamkari Motifs and Their Meanings

Peacocks, elephants, lotus, mudra hands and kolam: the designs and the stories behind them.

Buying Kalamkari Sarees and Dress Materials

Fabric, length, blouse piece, metres for stitching and care: what to check before you order.