An ancient weaving centre, a medium-sized town, Ilkal is 60 km away from Bagalkot in Karnataka. It is said that weaving started in the 8th century AD. The patronage provided by the local chieftains in and around the town of Bellary was attributed to its patronage. Ilkal saree is a major item manufactured in this town. Ilkal sarees are also known as Ikkal or Irkal in many places.
The chief reason why the Ilkal saree is also famous in the states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh is due to the town’s unique placement in central Karnataka.
The Art and Process for Ilkal Sarees
The weaving of Ilkal sarees is an indoor activity. It is mainly a household enterprise. It involves the active participation of female members of the family. Depending on the design and pattern, it takes about three to seven days to weave a saree on a handloom.
What are the Materials used in Ilkal Sarees?
There are two types of Ikal sarees:
- One is made with the art silk warp for border and art silk warp for pallu portion and cotton warp on the body. Sometimes pure silk is used instead of art silk.
- The other is made with silk in both warp and weft.
What are the Colours used in Ilkal Sarees?
- The colours traditionally used are pomegranate red, brilliant peacock green, parrot green, dark indigo and purple.
- The bridal wear sarees are made in a particular colour called Girikumukum. This colour is associated with the sindhoor used by the priests’ wives in this region.
- The unique feature of this saree is the pallu woven in red and white. The style of weaving is known as Tope Teni Seragu.
What is the Weaving Technique of Ilkal Sarees?
- The peculiar characteristic of this saree is the joining of the body warp with the pallu warp with loop technique. This technique locally is called TOPE TENI. This technique exclusively is used in Ilkal.
- Warp is prepared separately for every part of this saree. The warp threads for the body is individually made ready. So is the warp threads for the pallu, which is either in art silk or pure silk, depending on the design and quality requirements. Lastly, the border warps are prepared just like the pallu warps, either in art or pure silk.
- The body of the saree is either (i) Plain or solid coloured, (ii)Stripe patterned or (iii) has checkered patterns.
- The colour of the border and the pallu warp is similar. While that of the body warp is different from the border and the pallu.
- Apart from himself, for preparatory work, a weaver needs two others.
- The length of the pallu ranges from 16 inches to 27 inches.
- The length of the sarees is available in 6 yards, 8 yards and 9 yards with contrast as well as solid colours.
- The saree is woven on a traditional pit or frame loom which is fitted with jacquard or dobby.
- The pit loom is locally known as Kuni Magga. It is used to weave the traditional Gomi or Chikki paras borders of the saree.
Borders, Pallus and Other Embellishments on Ilkal Sarees
Border:
- The border is the highlight of the Ilkal saree. They are broad with a size range from about 4 inches to 6 inches. These borders are made with different designs in ochre-coloured patterns.
- Traditionally, there are four kinds of borders, (i)Paraspet (divided into Chikki paras and Dodd paras), (ii)Gomi (also known as Ilkal dadi), (iii)Jari and (iv)Gadi.
- A new border has been introduced in Ilkal sarees, known as the Gayathri border. This modern border has a width ranging from 2.5 inches to 4 inches.
Pallu:
- The end part of the pallu has patterns of different shapes like Koti Kammli (fort ramparts), Hanige (comb), Rampa (mountain range) and Toputenne (jowar).
- A unique style of weaving done on pallu is known as the TOPE TENI SERAGU. In this pallu design, three solid parts would be in red and in between two parts in white colour. Tope Teni Seragu has been regarded as a state symbol. During festive occasions, it is greatly respected.
- Sometimes the beauty of Tope Teni Seragu is enhanced by weaving another design, known as Kyadgi, in its middle portion.
Embellishment:
- Ilkal sarees can serve as daily wear as well as festive wear. To enhance the saree and increase its festive worth, sometimes the body and the pallu of the saree are embellished with fine and delicate Kasuti embroidery. The embroidery is an influence of the nearby area, known as Dharwad.
- The traditional patterns are reflected in the designs used in Kasuti. The motifs used can be palanquins, elephants, lotuses and more, embroidered onto Ilkal sarees.
- The pallu of the Ilkal saree has motifs of temple towers.
What are the Unique Features of the Ilkal Sarees?
- The unique feature of this saree is the joining of the body warp and the pallu warp with a series of loops. It is locally known as the TOPE TENI technique.
- The weaver will gait only 6 yards, 8 yards, 9 yards warp due to the above TOPE TENI technique.
- The 9 yards saree is used for the Nauvari drape and the 8 yards saree is used for the special draping styles of Karnataka.
- A technique known as the KONDI technique is used for getting a solid coloured border using three shuttles.
- The border of the saree is very generally broad, about four to six inches.
- The traditional borders include (i) Paraspet (divided into Chikki and Dodd paras), (ii)Gomi (also known as Ilkal dadi), (iii)Jari and (iv)Gadi. The modern Gayathri borders are new and unique with the width ranging from 2.5 inches to 4 inches.
- TOPE TENI SERAGU is a weaving done on the pallu. In this pallu design, three parts would be in red and in between two parts in white colour.
- The domination of red or maroon on the border is its unique feature.
- The body of the saree usually has solid colours, stripes or checks, but not in the pallu.