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Arts
& Crafts
In
keeping with the rich traditions of the State,
the people of Andhra Pradesh have patronised a
host of arts and crafts that not only enrich the
milieu but earn the artisans a decent
livelihood. Kalamkari, Bidri, Nirmal
paintings,
fascinating weaves from Pochampalli, Gadwal,
Venkatagiri and a number of other centres have
earned a name all over the world.
The
State is well known for its handlooms and
textiles and its silk sarees are among the best
produced in the country. The people of the State
too have been patrons of the arts and crafts and
this has resulted in the traditions being kept
alive through the ages.
It
is not only such exclusive and delicate material
as silk that the artisans of Andhra Pradesh deal
in, but metalware, carpets, wood and stone
carving too. From the exquisite silver filigree
and brass and sheet metalware, artisans of
Andhra Pradesh strive to bring out the best and
it is sheer magic when they get down to
producing their ware.
Kalamkari,
using a quill (kalam) and vegetable dyes, is an
art found nowhere else but in and around
Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti of the State.
While the Srikalahasti style is to draw outlines
with a pen or quill and fill in the colours
through a wax process, the Machilipatnam
practice is to use wooden blocks carved into
designs for printing.
All
dyes and colours are natural and the painstaking
process of Kalamkari printing on fabric goes
through as many as a dozen stages.
Wall
hangings come in another style from Siddipet in
Medak district. This method, known as Batik,
utilises the ‘cold’ process involving wax to
create graphic designs and figures. Batik cloth
also comes in the form of dress material,
scarves and even sarees.
Cherial
Scroll paintings done on cloth in earth colours
is one of the traditional crafts practised
mainly at Cherial in Warangal district. Painted
in freestyle and depicting mythological stories,
they are used as visual aids, and have attained
great popularity as wall decorations.
Decorative
hand-crocheted lace from Narsapur and Palakollu
of West Godavari district adorns many a dining
table in the form of mats. Curtains and
bedspreads are some of the lacework produced
here.
Sheets
of Artistry
Metalware
is another area in which the artisan of Andhra
Pradesh excels. Be it the brass sheet metal of
Pembarti in Warangal district, the silver
filigree of Karimnagar, the Bidriware of
Hyderabad or the bronze castings in Chittoor and
East Godavari district, the artistry stands out
to international acclaim and acceptance.
Bidriwork
originated some three centuries ago at Bidar,
which was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad State.
Alloys are used in moulds to create shapes and
the dark metal is then inlaid with designs using
silver thread. Decorative pieces, bangles,
ashtrays, pen-stands, caskets, cufflinks and
paper-cutters are some of the Bidriware
manufactured in and around Hyderabad.
From
sheet metal to wood, craftsmen vie with each
other to produce delicate and intricate designs.
Wood carving in Chittoor district is one of the
oldest traditional crafts. The carvings depict
scenes from mythology as well as figures of
deities.
In
other parts of the State, wood carving is done
to make musical instruments and in places like
in Vizianagaram town and in Nuzvid of Krishna
district, such instruments as Veena and Tambura
are carved out of a single block of wood.
The
Simple Wood
The
soft wood available in many parts of the State
is used in doll and toy making as well. The
wooden figures are painted in bright colours
that are pleasing to the eye.
Kondapalli
is a small village in Krishna district and it is
here that toys and dolls that have won
international acclaim are made. The
simple-looking
dolls
depict the typical rural Indian life. Kondapalli
dolls take the shape of humans,
birds, animals
and fruits.
The
craftsmen of Nirmal too take advantage of the
locally-available soft wood to carve brightly
coloured vegetables, fruits and animals. Wooden
dolls are made of the soft Poniki or Ankudu wood
and Etikoppaka in Visakhapatnam district is
another centre that makes exquisite dolls with a
rustic touch.
Weaving
Magic
An
area that Andhra Pradesh excels in is Sarees.
Silk and cotton and a mixture of both are used
to create alluring weaves and designs. Pochampalli,
Gadwal, Venkatagiri, Narayanpet and
Chirala are some of the places where some of the
world’s best sarees are woven.
Among
the cottons, Narayanpet and Venkatagiri are
preferred. Venkatagiri in Nellore district is
known for its excellent cotton sarees with gold
borders and large golden ‘pallav’.
Narayanpet cotton sarees are less expensive and
long-lasting. Silk sarees from Dhamavaram
compare with the rich silks of Kancheepuram in
broad borders with extensive gold ‘zari’
work.
In
Pochampalli sarees of Nalgonda district adjoining
Hyderabad, a unique method of tie-and-dye is
used and this is known
as ‘ikat’. Weavers in Andhra Pradesh have
mastered the art of using cotton and silk
alternately for warp (length) and weft (across).
Known as ‘Himroo’, the art originated in
Kashmir and was brought down south by Moghal
rulers.
Pearls
& Bangles
Shopping
for bangles in the narrow bazaars of the Old
City of Hyderabad is an experience one should
not miss. Lac is used to manually create designs
on glass bangles and the array in which they
come is mind boggling. More romantic are the
names given to sets of bangles by the local
sellers.
Hyderabad
is also known as the ‘city of pearls’.
Though not close to the sea, Hyderabad has had a
flourishing trade in pearls, as the Golconda
kingdom was famous for its diamonds. The
processing of pearls has been skillfully
mastered in Hyderabad in that craftsmen can
sort, refine and polish pearls with ease.
Andhra
Pradesh has turned out to be a gem of a State
even in the sphere of arts and crafts.
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