Kalaga Thalaivan
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Kalaga ( my, ကန့်လန့်ကာ) is a heavily embroidered appliqué tapestry made of silk, flannel, felt, wool and lace against a background made of cotton or velvet indigenous to Burma (Myanmar). The word ''kalaga'', which means "curtain," comes from the Burmese language, although Burmese refer to such tapestries as ''shwe gyi do'' (; ). These tapestries use a sewing technique called ''shwe gyi'' () This artform emerged during the Konbaung dynasty in the mid-19th century and reached its zenith during the reign of Mindon Min, when velvet became fashionable at the royal court. In a typical tapestry, padded figures are cut from various types of cloth and sewn onto a background, usually red or black cloth to form an elaborate scene, traditionally from Burmese classical plays (e.g. Ramayana, Jataka). The figures are sewn using a combination of metallic and plain threads and adorned with sequins, beads and glass stones.


See also

*Culture of Myanmar


References

{{Embroidery Arts in Myanmar Burmese art Embroidery Textile arts