Kalamkari

Application of Myrobalam

The filtered abstract of myrobalam fruit is diluted by the addition of about seven to eight buckets of water. The material is dipped into this solution, removed immediately, squeezed out and dried in the sun. The tannin in the myrobalam plays a special role, on reaction with iron salt a black color is produced. When the tannin reacts with alum it improves the fastness of the red dye. It also helps the cotton fiber to absorb the iron and alum salts more evenly.

Printing of Iron and Alum Mordants

The printing is done on a long wooden table at an elevation of about one foot from ground. The surface of the table is covered with gunny cloth over which a damp cloth is spread. The fabric to be printed is stretched out on the table. Mordant is placed in the printing pad. The basic structure for this is a rectangular tray made of deodar or teak wood. A lose bamboo frame is made which fits breadth wise into the bottom of the tray.

The printer sits cross-legged at the table with the pad within easy reach. Mordant is poured from time to time onto the pad from a brass lota ( mug). The bamboo separators act as the base from which the sponge layer absorbs mordant in limited quantities throughout the printing operation. The woolen cloth on top acts as a kind of blotter so that only the surface residue from the sponge layer permeates through to establish contact with the block. After wetting the surface of the block with the mordant solution, the printer presses it down on to the fabric. The block is hammered down after each impression with a round edged hammer mostly to soften the impact the surface of the hammer is covered with cloth padding. Block printing is an art that requires precision and skill to achieve necessary fineness.

The printing of the iron mordant precedes that of alum. The prepared substances are thickened with gum to facilitate printing.When the iron mordant impression is made on the myrobalam treated cloth, the tannin in myrobalam reacts to the iron acetate leading to the formation of black color.As alum solution is colorless, a fugitive color is added so that the outlines may be visible while printing. In past sappan wood was used, today vermilion is utilized. After mordant printing the cloth is kept for two or three days to ensure thorough drying.

Degumming and Washing

After mordants have dried, degumming and washing is takes place. The degumming has to so effected that there is no smudging of the outline. The cloth is taken to the river and left in water for about two to three hours. Utmost care is taken to ensure that the cloth is evenly stretched out to ensure all unwanted mordant is removed. The cloth is also beaten on the stones by the riverbed to remove the remaining impurities and later the fabric is dried in the sun.