A Wonderful Chrysalis of Melting Wax: Sri Lankan Batik

The art of Batik making is relatively a new industry that established itself amidst the greenery of Sri Lanka. Being a cottage industry, it employs local artisans, who create various repertoires of products in which one can see the glimpses of Sri Lankan life. Some of the earliest examples of batik works displayed individuality of the artist with varied themes and emotions, but over the years the art has degenerated to a fewer quick selling themes, the procession of the tooth relic in Kandy being one of the popular ones. Products like cushion covers, table-cloths, sarongs, shirts and wall hangings to name a few, are a big craze among the hordes of tourist that flock in this tropical paradise, although one may be cautioned to buy only the authentic batiks as many are fakes.

A visit to a state owned (?) Batik making factory, it was realised the time intensive process of the art form, which also makes it extremely expensive. Every design requires several process of waxing and dyeing, the waxed space resists the dye and only the desired space which remains uncovered with wax, gets coloured. Even when the design is finished; it goes through several processes of cleaning and finishing.

Stages of Batik. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Batik studio, Sri Lanka. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Ready for dyeing, Sri Lanka. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Process of batik, Sri Lanka. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Cleaning process. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Products of Batik, Sri Lanka. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Author in a Batik Sarong-ensemble. Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Fishermen, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Women in the fields, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

A lady with a deer, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

A lady by the tree, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Two bathing women, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

Lovers, Batik, c.1975, Sri Lanka, (Private Collection). Photograph courtesy: Sushmit.

4 thoughts on “A Wonderful Chrysalis of Melting Wax: Sri Lankan Batik”

manorath says:

Very well written articles indeed. Well described and yet not too long.
Keep writing and educating us. 🙂
Thank you !

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March 18, 2015 at 6:17 pm Reply
1. sushmit03 says:
  
  Thank you Manorath and all my friends, the world is full of beautiful things, which I always wanted to share what I saw and experienced, and finally I started this blog…..:) thanks again for the constant support…..hope to write a lot more in the times to come……..
  
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  March 19, 2015 at 3:04 am Reply
Stefano says:

Dear sushmit03 i have batiks of the same painter, the girl with leaves And pitcher .
do you know the factory or the artist?

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July 7, 2015 at 3:33 pm Reply
1. sushmit03 says:
  
  Dearest Stefano, the paintings in the entry that are in the frame, belongs to my friend who bought them during the mid 1970’s. The photographs are from a factory, I forgot the exact name, it was ‘magic batiks’ or something like it. I will get back to you if I remember it correctly. Again, Thanks for the interest in my blog ! regards.
  
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  July 8, 2015 at 1:59 am Reply