Tree Of Life (Kalamkari)

This is a Kalamkari textile depicting the Tree of Life, created using natural dyes on cloth by artist Niranjan Jonnalagadda (b. 1967).

Kalamkari is a textile tradition where cotton fabrics are hand-painted with pictorial narratives using a bamboo pen called a kalam. This tradition originated along the Coromandel Coast in southern India and is primarily centred around Srikalahasti, with other key production hubs including Machilipatnam (formerly Masulipatnam) and Madurai.

The central motif, The Tree of Life, has been a symbol embedded in numerous mythical, spiritual, and philosophical traditions worldwide. Historically, the Tree of Life in India has been derived from various sources. In Buddhism, it is the Bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment. The Peepal and Banyan trees are significant in Hindu mythology, and the tree of immortality is referenced in Islam.

Textiles like kalamkari, chintz, and silks were traded by British East India, Dutch, and other colonial companies, many of which featured the Tree of Life design. In Europe, this symbol was popularised by the British East India Company on important everyday household textiles.