These kalamakari saris shed light on the sensitivity of tropical rainforests

Roli Misra and Priyanka Rajwar’s sustainable sari label, Vayaka, is back with another brilliant kalamkari edit and this time around with a tropical twist! Titled, Noir Tropica — a French term that essentially means the dark, mysterious elegance of the tropics — the edit draws inspiration from the lush biodiversity of tropical rainforests.

“The latest collection is a celebration of nature’s most intricate creations. Drawing from the vivid flora and fauna of these vibrant ecosystems of vines, lush trees and shrubs, birds like toucans and hornbills and more — where each sari becomes a canvas of storytelling through motifs and form with kalamkari reimagined,” begins Roli.

But why did the label pick tropical rainforests as muse, specifically? We wonder and then Priyanka steps in to tell us, “tropical rainforests are characterised by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas. Lately, these forests have been facing severe threats from deforestation, driven primarily by agricultural expansion, logging, etc., posing a threat to biodiversity. We aim to spark conversations about the beauty and the significance of these forests by capturing and portraying their essence through this collection.”

Crafted using the time-honoured Srikalahasti-style kalamkari technique, the collection honours the age-old tradition of hand-drawn, pen-crafted textiles. The edit of 25 saris and dupattas is all illustrated and dyed using mostly natural pigments.

“The collection is hued in indigo, yellow, shades of green and reds. The entire process followed age-old techniques — starting with soaking the fabric in milk and drying it, before moving on to freehand sketching and natural dyeing. The final pieces are washed in the sacred Swarnmukhi River in Srikalahasti, a town in Andhra Pradesh that holds the Geographical Indication tag for kalamkari art,” Roli elucidates.

The new collection of saris is fashioned from soft silks and crêpe silks, while the dupattas use chanderi fabric. At a time when digital prints threaten to overshadow the authenticity of hand-painted kalamkari, Noir Tropica stands as a tribute to tradition, an ode to the beauty of untouched wilder ness, but also a gentle reminder of our connection to the Earth — expressed through consciously created clothing. Select saris in the collection are further elevated with delicate hand-embroidered accents,” Priyanaka reveals.

₹25,000 onwards. At Indiranagar.

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