This is one of the new prints, designed by Vaishali Bahel for malkha, that will be ready in time for the Nature Bazar in October. The blocks were made at Gangadhar & Narsaiah's workshop. We have tried to retain the characteristic creeper format of traditional kalamkari, but would like to introduce local plants which would be familiar to the block makers and printers, rather than the stylized tulips and carnations that have been the basis of kalamkari for perhaps 400 years. Ideally, we would like to involve the block carvers and printers too in the design process, but this hasn't happened yet. We cautiously asked Gangadhar's opinion of Vaishali's designs [this one of course is the peepul, the other is the gulmohar]. "Baag unnaii kaani kalamkari ledu" he said ["Very nice but not kalamkari"].
Its a continuous source of wonder how different colours change the character of the design.Would love to get comments and suggestions.
lovely........definitely not kalamkari.....but lovely all the same.Breaking any tradition takes time and so will this.....looking forward to seeing the new prints at the nature bazaar
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