Batik is an ancient form of art that has its origins in Indonesia. It is a wax resist dyeing technique that is used on cloth. It reached India through trade centuries ago. Batik can only be done either on pure silk or pure cotton fabric. The design is transferred onto a white or light colored cloth and using special implements like the spindle, molten wax is applied onto the cloth.

The wax used is a mixture of beeswax and paraffin wax combined in a special ratio. The wax is applied onto the areas of the cloth where the original colour needs to be retained. Then the entire cloth is dyed in the next colour. Only cold process dyes like naphthol dyes can be used in Batik.

The cloth is dried in shade and the areas that need to be retained in the second colour are waxed. This process is repeated from light to dark colors till the last colour is dyed. The cloth is then boiled in soap water for a few hours till the wax melts away or in the case of silk it is soaked in kerosene. This leaves us with a cloth that is patterned in different colors. The most interesting thing about Batik is that it is reversible. The wax cracking during the dyeing process gives this art form its unique cracks within the design.

Shri P.M Prasanna Kumar has been practicing this form for almost half a century now and is the recipient of several awards including the Lalit Kala Academy Awards.