Object of the Month - June 2019
Janamaz (Prayer Mat)
Block Printed and painted on cloth
19th century CE
Acc No 54.7
Prayer mats (janamaz) were made in large numbers in Masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh and used by the local Muslim community. They were done in the kalamkari technique, which literally means 'pen work' where a bamboo pen or kalam is used to draw freely the design on the cloth. The design is block printed and then is painted in with kalam. This 200 year old janamaz is made up of six pieces from a larger textile and stitched together. The design recalls mosque architecture with its dome and central mihrab.