Kalamkari Mangalgiri Silk Cotton Saree Cream Multicolor

A handloom Mangalgiri silk cotton saree on a soft cream ground hand block printed with large Kalamkari elephants peacocks and florals in indigo olive and madder a true conversation piece drape Woven in Mangalgiri Andhra Pradesh and block printed in the Pedana Machilipatnam Kalamkari tradition with natural dyes the cream body carries big scale figurative motifs elephants birds and flowering creepers outlined in iron black and filled in indigo blue olive green and madder red A fine gold zari border and a deeper printed pallu finish it How to spot the real handloom Black outlines come first from the iron acetate kalam block then colours are filled and fixed by repeated washing look for that hand built layered look rather than a flat single pass print Colours are earthy natural dyes indigo madder myrobalan the cream ground is the un bleached mordant cotton faintly off white rather than bright white Large motifs show small block join seams and gentle irregularities between repeats the honest signature of carved block printing not a flawless screen Wear it for Festive lunches art and craft gatherings and pujas let the print lead with plain oxidised silver and a maroon indigo or mustard blouse