soaking and bleaching muslin, and applying mordants and dyes using natural substances like indigo for blue, madder for red, mango bark and dried myrobalan fruit for yellow, palm sugar and rusted iron for black. The dyeing process is very elaborate and can take several days to complete. While some pieces are hand-drawn, large canvas and sheets are block-printed. The work done in Machilipatnam, often using block printing in conjunction with hand painting, features decorative floral and vegetable designs that appealed to local kingdoms and to export trade. This culminated in European demand for Machilipatnam chintz, which derives its name from the Hindi word chint (spotted cloth). Machilipatnam is also famous for imitation jewellery called Chilakalapudi Bangram - an industry involving over 200 companies and 30000 artisans. The jewellery is exported to countries in South East and Middle East Asia and is also sold domestically to the South Indian film industry. Weaving of sarees and cloth is another primary occupation.
Cuisine
Seafood is the most famous and delicious food; it is part of the servings in many restaurants served in Andhra, along with other cuisines. Sweets, mainly Bandar Laddu and Bandar Halwa, are also very famous here
