The indigo blue and sea green Kalamkari sari awash with flowers, tendrils and birds could well be a piece of brilliant wall art. Another flower-strewn Kalamkari sari has the Dasavatar theme on the pallu.
However, for their creator, National awardee D. Lakshmiammal, it is all in a day's work. Or 30 days to be precise, during which time she creates a stunning piece from concept to conclusion, transforming a five-metre fabric into a piece of heritage or wearable art.
She explains: “I buy the cloth and wash it till the starch goes. Then I make a mixture of milk and crushed kaduka seeds in which I soak the cloth for five minutes or so, after which it is dried. A kalam made out of tamarind sticks burnt at one end till black soot appears, is then used for sketching.”
Lakshmi's motifs and compositions are painstakingly executed over the entire canvas of the sari, after which she sets about creating the natural dyes, an art she learnt from her son, also a National award winner -- black comes from soaking iron filings and jaggery in water, blue from indigo bars, yellow out of turmeric and red by boiling paduka seeds in water.
The artist now begins to paint on the cloth. This is a laborious process since after applying one colour on the background or motif, the cloth has to be washed in running water and dried.
Only then can the colour be applied. The entire process is repeated until the canvas is complete.
Lakshmi's is a rare case of a woman artist pursuing the art of kalamkari, as traditionally, the craft is a man's preserve, with the woman doing the washing and drying.
Her saris form part of a priceless Festive Sari Collection of exclusive one-off saris brought together in an exhibition put up by the Central Cottage Industries Emporium, Nandanam.
Poetic touches
Other saris in the collection also speak of the artisan's passion and sense of poetry. Like a tussar that celebrates the stylised charm of Madhubani on its pallu or lovely white on white Dhakai with swirls of flowers creating ethereal shadowy patterns.
There are butti spattered Chanderis in saffron and red, exquisitely embroidered kanthas, a range of au naturel tussars with temple borders and textured Bagalpuris and Maheshwaris in plain, tonal and block printed elegance.
M. Jalandaria's Chettinad cottons are also a compelling draw. Above all, there is the drama of a black and white Sambhalpuri silk woven with gold and copper motifs created by National Award winner Swarnalatha Meher.
The Festive Sari Exhibition is on at CCIE, Temple Towers, Nandanam, Anna Salai, till November 5.
