Kalamkari alludes to the technique of hand-painting or block-printing on cotton or silk using natural dyes. The etymology of the word emanated from the early period of alliance between the Persian and Indian merchants. Persian word Kalam refers to a pen or an instrument used for painting whereas the Urdu word Kari implies the craftsmanship involved.
 
Andhra Pradesh, a pilgrimage center, a place with subtle allure, serene traditions and extensive history of spiritual scholarship and religious harmony is the birthplace of the 3000-year-old craft.
 
There are two major styles of Kalamkari art: the Srikalahasti and the Machilipatnam. The former is characterized by freehand drawing using the kalam. This style, being developed in the temple region, draws inspiration from the Hindu mythology, and depicts epics such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas as well as images of gods and heroes. The later has a distinct Iranian influence and involves both painting and printing.  The outlines are printed with magnificently carved blocks, while the interiors are filled in with the vegetable dyes using the kalam.  The Machilipatnam style portrays an intricate plethora of motifs and forms including the tree of life, creepers and animal figures.

The production process for both styles of Kalamkari painting is similar to a large extent. The technique consists of a painstaking process of resist–dyeing and handprinting.  It involves seventeen meticulous steps for the Srikalahasti style and 12 laborious steps for the Masulipatnam one.
 
Traditionally, only natural dyes are employed to color the fabric. The fabric is first treated in goat or cow dung to be whitened. Milk is mixed with the solution to inhibit the color to spread to the next step. The iron acetate solution is filled in for solid spaces or as outlines, and all the areas intended to be red are tinted or printed over with the alum solution as a mordant.
 
In the following step, the parts that are not meant to be blue are covered with wax before being dipped into the indigo solution. The yellow is dyed on to create the yellow and green motifs. After each treatment, the fabric is washed. The piece of Kalamkari undergoes at least 15-20 washes before the final colors become apparent.  A complex piece can take up to 9 months to be completed.
 
Kalamakari, one of the most celebrated textiles in India, continues to epitomize the inventive dexterity of the Indian artists and the wisdom of this ancient civilization who found materials in nature to express their creative beings and honor esteemed persons among them. When Mahatma Gandhi visited Aryavatam village in Andhra Pradesh before India’s independence, the village dweller made him walk on Kalamkari printed cloth. Presently, the J. J. School of Art in Mumbai is exploring the possibility of reproducing Kalamkari art on silk ikat and Pochampally silks hence combining the ingenious techniques of two delicate textiles in one piece.

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