Patna “Kalamkari” Sarees

What it is (and what it isn’t):
“Kalamkari” is a natural-dye, hand-painted (Srikalahasti) or block-printed (Machilipatnam/Pedana) textile craft from Andhra Pradesh with two registered GIs: Srikalahasti Kalamkari and Machilipatnam/Pedana Kalamkari. There is no GI for “Patna Kalamkari.” Patna’s historic fine-art tradition is the Patna Kalam school of painting (Company style), which is separate from Kalamkari.

Why you see Kalamkari sarees in Patna:
Patna is a major retail market; stores source Kalamkari sarees (often cotton/silk bases) from Andhra clusters and sell them locally under trade labels. (Examples: retailer listings in Patna.)

Quality & authenticity cues (what buyers should specify):

• Technique & dyes: Natural-dye recipe (myrobalan, alum; iron-jaggery black; madder, indigo, etc.), hand-painted (Srikalahasti) or hand block-printed (Pedana/Machilipatnam). Ask for GI-origin invoices and process notes.
  
• Labels: For handwoven bases, use Handloom Mark; for pure silk bases, insist on Silk Mark.
  

Export positioning & HS lines (operational):

• Indian tariff line used widely for handloom cotton sarees: HS 5209.11.12 – “Handloom: Saree” (unbleached >200 g/m² cotton fabric category used by HEPC).
  
• Handloom export markets: USA is consistently the largest destination; UAE, EU members (NL/FR/UK) follow (FY 2024-25 country split from GoI/PIB).
  
• Macro context: textiles & apparel including handicrafts ≈ 8.2% of India’s exports in 2023-24 (Ministry of Textiles Annual Report).
  
• Historical datapoint showing the line’s tracking: CEIC publishes export volume series for 5209.11.12 (handloom saree).
  

Strengths specific to India/Bihar region:

• Design adjacency: You can pair Andhra Kalamkari panels with eastern-India weave bases (e.g., handloom cottons from Varanasi/Banaras or Bhagalpur silk from Bihar) while keeping Handloom/Silk Mark compliance—useful for Patna-based collections and northern-market tastes. (Labels per schemes above.)
  
• Cultural fit: Patna’s own Patna Kalam painting legacy offers storytelling that pairs well with pen-work aesthetics in Srikalahasti Kalamkari for curated lines.
  

Quality checklist to include in POs/specs:

• Natural-dye only; azo-free pledge; colorfastness to washing/rubbing/light per buyer standard; base fabric gsm; GI source (Srikalahasti or Pedana) declared; Handloom Mark or Silk Mark tag numbers. (Handloom/Silk Mark scheme pages confirm their role in authenticity.)

Prayer Beads (Mala) — Rudraksha, Tulsi & Sandalwood

India-specific sourcing & cultural anchors:

• Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus ganitrus/sphaericus): Native to South/Southeast Asia; in India, natural populations and plantations occur especially in Northeast India and are promoted by ICFRE/FRI; there’s active research and plantation drives
  
• Sandalwood (Santalum album): ~90% of Indian sandal tracts are in Karnataka & Tamil Nadu; a high-value religious wood used for “chandan mala.”
  
• Bodhi-seed malas (Buddhist): Strong retail tie to Bodh Gaya, Bihar (UNESCO World Heritage site)—relevant for Bihar-origin assortments and pilgrimage trade.
  

Export HS classification (practical view):

• Worked vegetable carving material / rosaries often fall under HS 9602 (worked vegetable material; articles incl. rosaries).
  
• Depending on construction, imitation jewelry provisions may apply (e.g., US CBP classifies certain rosaries under HTS 7117; wood articles can land under HS 4421/4420 in some cases). Always classify by material & build.
  

Trade snapshots (indicative, shipment-based sources):

• India ships handloom sarees under 5209.11.12 and rosaries/prayer beads across multiple HS lines; shipment databases (Zauba/Volza) show active flows and top destinations differing by material (e.g., rosaries in glass under 7018; wood under 4420/4421; vegetable under 9602). Use these for lead-gen/market mapping, not for audited totals.
  

Regulatory & compliance points (exporters & importers):

• Sandalwood controls: India restricts export of sandalwood & moved sandalwood oil to “Restricted”—export needs DGFT licence; only specific categories permitted (e.g., certain handicrafts under conditions). Build sandalwood malas only with legal wood and retain permits.
  
• Red sanders (often misused for beads) is protected; exports generally prohibited (only special quotas/relaxations). Avoid any red-sanders components.
  
• Plant health: Many markets require ISPM-15-compliant wood packaging; some destinations may seek phytosanitary attestations for plant-derived articles. Ensure WPM is ISPM-15 marked; check buyer country’s NPPO rules.
  
• Consumer safety for metal parts (chains, spacers, crosses): For the EU/UK/US, observe jewelry limits on nickel release & lead/cadmium content (REACH/Prop-65 equivalents)—especially if your mala includes metal findings. (Classification examples for rosaries under jewelry headings show this matters.)
  

Quality & grading (what to write into specs):

• Rudraksha: species (E. ganitrus), mukhi count, uniform drilling, bead size tolerance, polished vs natural, stringing tensile strength. (ICFRE/FRI materials validate India’s ongoing scientific work & plantation sources.)
• Tulsi: botanical (Ocimum sanctum/tenuiflorum), seasoned wood (low moisture), smooth finish/no splinters, consistent aroma.
• Sandalwood: botanical Santalum album, legal-source paperwork (state transit permits, auction/lot documents), oil content expectations by provenance (Karnataka/TN), smooth finish and aroma persistence. (Regional distribution: IWST-ICFRE.)
  

Positioning & strengths for India/Bihar:

• Pilgrimage economy linkage: Bodh Gaya drives steady demand for Buddhist malas; Varanasi/Patna corridors drive Hindu mala demand (rudraksha/tulsi/chandan), enabling Bihar-based assortments with credible provenance stories. (UNESCO listing underscores site significance.)
• Material depth: Access to NE rudraksha plantings and south-Indian sandal supply chains (licensed) gives Indian exporters a full range of prayer-bead materials under one roof.
  

Quick buyer toolkit

• For “Patna Kalamkari” sarees: Confirm GI origin (Srikalahasti/Pedana), natural dyes, base fabric details, and attach Handloom Mark/Silk Mark tags.
  
• For prayer beads: Lock HS code by material, attach legal wood/DGFT licences for sandalwood, avoid red-sanders, ensure ISPM-15 packaging, and meet jewelry heavy-metal limits where applicable.