Very Large Kalamkari South Indian Wallhanging

A very large hand painted kalamkari wallhanging from south India.

Kalamkari is a style of temple painting traditional to Andhra Pradesh in South India. In fact there are two forms of kalamkari, this painting is in the Srikalahasti style, painted by hand using a kalam or bamboo pen. Another style of kalamkari uses printing blocks to create a beautiful chintz type of decorative pattern.

This large piece contains many figures of people, gods and animals and will describe an legendary story from the Hindu epics. It could have been used as a backdrop to a theatrical enactment.

The dyes are obtained by extracting colors from various roots, leaves, and mineral salts of iron, tin, copper, and alum. Buffalo milk and indigo are used. We bought this piece 40 years ago and it still has faintest smell of milk.

Dimensions: approx 5.5m x 1m.