Bangalore Mirror

Karnataka Weave Stories

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As the buzz around textile revival gains ground we ask five Bangalore designers to pick out their favourite Karnataka weaves.

Latha Puttanna, Designer, Latha Puttanna

My personal favourite weaves from Karnataka is crepe. It is typical to Karnataka because of two reasons. The quality of mulberry silk found here is amongst the best in the world and back in 1912 the then Mysore Maharaja Sri Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar imported Swiss looms to start weaving crepe silk to basically supply the royal requirement.

Dr. Hemalatha Jain, Revivalist/Designer/Educator, Punarjeevana & Associate Professor, NIFT Bangalore

My favourite weave is Patteda Anchu because I got opportunity to work closely in reviving the weave. This weave was not only adorned by women but also carried a cultural significance. This weave built many stories for me like culture, prosperity to poverty, strength to tolerance, commitment.

Pavithra Muddaya, Founder and Managing Trustee, Vimor Handloom Foundation

My favourite Karnataka weave is the saree from Cubbonpet that is woven with a three-shuttle interlocking technique. Gandaberundas mark the join of the pallu and body in a way we had not seen before. There saree does not bear any of the motifs usual to South Indian weaves. Other pallu motifs help secure the threads on the reverse.

Deepika Govind, Fashion Designer

I must confess I have two favourite Karnataka weaves, the Mysore Silk Threads of Gold sarees and the Ilkal checks. In fact my collection, ‘Woman In Blue Checks: Cauvery’s Tale’  was an ode to the weaver’s town of Ilkal, Karnataka, that continued to uphold a 1400-year-old craft. Checks have always been an intrinsic part of our Southern textile heritage.

Ally Matthan, Designer, Ally Matthan Creations Pvt. Ltd.

The Molkalmoru Saree for me reflects the quintessential Karnataka weave. Like so many of us who call Bangalore home it has a multi-hued identity. The weave has survived famine and drought, economic uncertainty and changing living scenarios. It continues to change – the motifs have adapted to the tastes of patrons, the very fabric of the saree has embraced different weaving styles and techniques, Ikat included.

Read the full story that first appeared in Bangalore Mirror dated Oct 21, 2019 here:

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