Art & Crafts : Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh is a treasure trove of rich art and crafts that are of great demand in international markets. The handicrafts occupy a special place and possess timeless charm. Nirmal is well known in the state for its wooden toy industry. The craftsmen use locally found light wood to carve soft toys viz. the replicas of vegetables, fruits, animals, dolls etc.

Andhra Pradesh has an old tradition of making hand woven clothes. The State is very much famous for its handlooms and textiles; its silk sarees are among the best produced in the country. Kalamkari, a special art of dyeing clothes with vegetable oils still exist in the state. These are called
handlooms. The style of fabric and design vary from place to place. Sarees are the most exquisite among all fabrics. The most popular handlooms in the state are found at these following places:

    * Chirala Textiles, Chirala Handlooms
    * Dharmavaram Sarees, Dharmavaram Handlooms
    * Eluru Carpets, Eluru Handlooms
    * Gadwal Sarees, Gadwal Handlooms
    * Ikat Weaving Handlooms
    * Kalamkari Fabrics, Machilipatnam Handlooms
    * Mangalagiri Sarees Mangalagiri Handlooms
    * Uppada Sarees Handlooms
    * Venkatagiri