What’s in a word?

“We would say everything. Give me some ‘PEAS’ or you will have no ‘PEACE’.”

To use a word wrongly, with a craft as exquisite and timeless as Kalamkari, is disrespectful to say the least. We are referring to a very popular online store using “White Gold” instead of Wheat Gold with reference to Kalamkari.  The striking quality of Kalamkari comes from the wheat background and hence the name Wheat Gold.

The elegant Kalamkari begins its journey from a cotton cloth. This cloth called the Gaada is washed and treated elaborately for the natural dyes to seep in and to avoid spreading. The next step is the most significant, which gives the wheat colour to the cloth. It is called the Myrabalam process where the Myrabalam seeds are powdered and soaked in water for a whole day. This water is filtered the next day and the cotton cloth is dipped in the juice extracted. This process is done carefully for all the threads of the cloth to absorb the juice evenly. The cloth is then squeezed and dried in sun.

The unique wheat coloured cloth is now perfect for printing or natural Pen Kalamkari painting. The entire process of Kalamkari ensures that this wheat colour gets refined and enriched at each step of the process. To the extent, that this wheat colour takes on gold tone.

Master Weaver are concerned with usage of the word White Gold and urge textile makers and designers to use the correct terms, when dealing with our crafts and traditions which will be passed down from generation to generation.