National Handloom Day 2022: The enchanting legacy of weaves from Karnataka’s Bagalkot district

Home to dyers and artisans, Ilkal and Guledgudda is a cluster of villages in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, known for specialised knowledge and skills of loom with over a 1,000-year history. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

This National Handloom Day, celebrated every year on August 7, here are some glimpses of the weavers behind the heritage craft. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

National Handloom Day is observed on August 7 from 2015 to commemorate the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

With machines taking over and in search of job opportunities in the urban areas, today only a hundred families in Guledgudda and around 350 families in Ilkal are dependent on the handloom sector. Most of them have either given up the trade for the comforts of city or have switched to power loom. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

The rustic home doubles as a handloom set-up. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

“The techniques of cultivating organic cotton, preparatory processes for weaving, the intricacy of weaving styles, use of natural dyes in dyeing fabric and printing techniques are all inspired by culture and region. We want the art form to survive. A large number of women from the local communities are dependent on this,” said Ramesh, a young weaver from a distant town, with a diploma in textile design. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

Several years of experience of working with a well-known handloom cooperative, Ramesh came to Guledgudda with dreams of reviving the looms. He started working with a handful of weavers during the Covid pandemic, standing as a backbone to the Guledgudda weavers. He even started to sell their handwoven products online (www.khanaweaves.in) to provide them with a global market. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

While the market is flooded with machine-made sarees and blouses, the Guledgudda Khana whose fabric is exclusively woven for blouses, complement Ilkal sarees and the combination is famous not only in the northern part of Karnataka but also in Marathawada and Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

Detailing of the weave is quite a cumbersome process. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

The design and patterns have been inspired by nature, stone architecture of Badami Caves, Hindu mythology and folk art. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

Motifs of flowers, plants, the sun, moon, stars, and animals are widely used in the design palette making them artistic and intricate. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

A weaver at work. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

The current batch of the weavers fear they could probably be the last ones who are sticking to the roots, and the skills would die with them. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)

With exorbitant GST making the raw materials expensive, the uncertainty looms over the handloom sector. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)