Machilipatnam Case Study

Machilipatnam , a Muslim dominate region, artists were involved in block printing form of Kalamkari craft. The Kalamkari from Machilipatnam made at Pedana in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, bloomed thanks to the patronage that it received from the Mughals and the Golconda sultanate. Owing to these rulers, the Kalamkari from Machilipatnam was significantly inclined towards Persian designs & motifs, adapting extensively to suit their taste. Under this Muslim influence and strong trade relations across the continents of Asia and Europe, Machilipatnam surfaced as one of the major centres of Kalamkari art that catered to Islamic aesthetics.

The Machilipatnam motifs carry cross-cultural characteristics both indigenous as well as from Persia and later Europe. It evolved as a busy port on the Eastern Coast of India through the late medieval period. For the English, Dutch, Portuguese and French traders, this port was well-known for its textile. Being an important port town, for both the Vijayanagara and Bahmani rulers; Machilipatnam blossomed as the ‘melting pot’ of cultures. The English tailed a lucrative trade in

After drying the fabric, it is soaked in the mixture of buffalo milk and myrobalan fruit dust, and then squeezed and kept for drying again after taking it out. The initial drawing is then made using charcoal pencil which is typically crafted of a tamarind tree stick. A bamboo or date palm stick is used as kalam for colouring. For washing the material, it is taken to the Svarnamukhi River which being shallow is apt for washing. They are then kept for around 3 days to dry by the river banks. It is soaked again in the buffalo milk after this entire process. After drying, various colours and dyes are applied on the fabric. At the end of the process, the material is finally washed clean one last time in running water before it is