Shopping In India : Know your cotton - 7

Guys, after silk sari one can must know about cotton. India has wide range of cotton saris delivered to the world ever. Here is an information about some popular cotton saris specially for you.

Jamdanis are amongst the most exclusive of muslins. These muslins have lyrical names like Shabnam (eveing dew), Malmal Khas (muslin reserved for kings) and Abrawan (flowing water). The base fabric for Jamdanis in unbleached cotton yarn and the design is woven using bleached cotton yarns so that a shadow effect is created.

Venkatagiris are saris of the Jamdani technique with stylized motifs woven in half cotton and half gold threads.

Ikat saris from Karnataka and the Narayanpet textiles from Andhra Pradesh are sought after cotton textiles. Gadwal and Wanaparti produce materials of thick cotton , mostly in checks with a contrasting silk border and pallu worked in gold. Nander is famous for its fine quality cotton saris richly worked in gold thread with silk border.

Bandhani materials are made using resist dyeing techniques popularly known as "Tie and Dye". These patterns are commonly seen on long scarves (chunnis), saris and turbans. The state of Gujarat and the princely land of Rajasthan have long been famous for practising this style.

Kalamkari - The Coromandel Coast of India has been the source of some of the most beautiful floral-designed cotton fabrics using brushes or pens. This painted cloth of Southeast India had been known as "Pintado" by the Portuguese and "Chints" by the English.

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Indian Art and Craft : India the home of painting - 3

The Kalamkari technique of painting involves drawing outlines with burnt tamarind twigs dipped in molasses and iron flings. Vegetables dyes of deep shades are used to create epic scenes. With repeated subdued colouring processes, a sober but fine effect is achieved. The finished product depicts mythological themes with larger than life figures. The enormous scope of expression ascertains that no two panels are alike.

The Pata Chitra painters are attached to the family of the Jagannath Temple of Puri. In this tradition, the cloth, cotton or tussar, is coated with a mixture of chalk, tamarind seed and gum giving the surface a leathery finish. These are also drawn on plam leaves. 'Scroll' painting or parchment, is perhaps one of the oldest traditions in painting. In this technique, a pictorial account of the deities and miracles are painted. The lines are distinct and vibrant colours are used. It is also practiced by a select group of families at Warangal. So minute are the details, that they can often be missed by the naked eye.

Phad painting is done by artists belonging to a family of painters in Bhilwara in Rajasthan. The themes usually depict historic tales of Rajput chieftains, painted on long cloth lengths. The outlines of the paintings are first drawn in block and later filled with colours.

Ivory Painting involves highly delicate brush work using the colours from crushsed stone. The ivory is first treated and smoothened. Outlines of the image, usually of a Mughal emperor, are drawn and delicately filled with colour. Today, however there is a ban on ivory and camel bones are used instead.

Thaka Paintings from Leh in Ladakh revolve around the Buddha and ritual worship. Forms of dragons dominate. Thankas, painted on silk, are popular for their brilliant colour display as wall hangings.

Miniature paintings used vegetable dyes and derivatives from nature. While the art exists today, it is not as refined and most of it finds itself on roadsides where it is picked up by tourists. It existed in different forms in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Buddhist deities, Jain forms, tales from the Ramayana and Mahabharata dominate. The paintings are replete with motifs of flora and fauna in bold and striking colours, with human figures in brilliantly designed turbans and outfits.

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