Printed and Painted Textiles
Kalamkaris (meaning pen craftwork) and mata ni pachedi (cloth of the mother goddess) were both traditionally hand-painted textiles. Today, both are commonly block printed with just the central motif painted by hand, for example, the mother goddess in the mata ni pachedi. Block printing is a time consuming and labour-intensive process, that consists of several stages and involves a number of craftspeople. From the carving of the intricate wood block through to the preparation of the cloth, the dyeing processes and the printing itself. In recent years, the increased cost of raw materials and dyes has exerted pressure on this process and modern mata ni pachedi are also commonly screen printed.
