Kalamkari is a type of hand printed or hand block printed cotton textile. Kalamkari refers to the ancient style of hand paintingthat is done with a tamarind pen, using natural dyes. Literal meaning of Kalamkari is kalam, which means pen and kari which refers to craftsmanship; which is derived from a Persian word. Motifs drawn in this ancient art of Kalamkari, include flowers, peacock, paisleys and also divine characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata. Kalamakari was born out of an art of story-telling. In ancient times, people used to travel from village to village and told stories; some of them even drew it on a canvas.
 
Kalamkari is a 3000-year-old art form practiced in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.