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Kain Prada
These are lustrous fabric woven of cotton or sometimes silk decorated with silver, gold thread, or paint. Pure gold leaf or gold dust, and increasingly more affordable bronze dust, can also be used, adhered by a unique process onto the fabric by using a natural glue (ancur) obtained from bones. These dazzling boldly patterned textiles, that almost blind you with their shine are worn only during festivals or by dancers in theatrical performances. A gilded ceremonial cloth two meters long could take three weeks to a month to weave, depending on the intricacy of the design. Since kain prada was initially brought to Java by Indian traders, then later carried to Bali, stylized Hindu motifs like sacred lotus blossoms and Indianized swastikas, as well as temple relief designs and ancient woodwork patterns, still decorate the borders. The old courts of Klungkung and Karangasem were the most important centers of prada production. Prada fabrics used for wall decorations feature entire scenes from the Mahabarata or Ramayana painstakingly painted on, giving them a mural-like appearance. Both kinds of prada are not washable, so clean by dusting, then let them air in the sun. |
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