Kalamkari is a traditional Indian textile art that involves hand-painting or hand-block printing designs on cloth, especially cotton. The word “Kalamkari” is derived from the Persian words *kalam*, meaning “pen,” and *kari*, meaning “work” or “craft.” Thus, Kalamkari literally means “work done with a pen.” It is one of the important traditional art forms of the Indian subcontinent and has a close relationship with India’s religious, cultural and artistic traditions. Kalamkari developed particularly in the regions of present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Two major centres associated with this art are Srikalahasti and Machilipatnam. The Srikalahasti tradition is mainly associated with freehand painting using a pen, while the Machilipatnam tradition is known for block printing. Both traditions use natural dyes and traditional methods of preparing and decorating cloth. The making of Kalamkari is a detailed and time-consuming