Reviving the Ancient Craft of Patteda Anchu Saree weaving of

Karnataka, India

Ms. Hemalatha Jain, Dr. M. Vasantha

Lift the starched yarn, set the strings rightHave equal footing, but don't touch the loomThe shuttle which I am holding has swallowedthe bundle of yarnIs it you who wove the sari or I? - Vachankara by Jedara Dasimaya

AIM

Documentation of the Patteda anchu sari weaving and its types was undertaken to serve as a record of the traditional craft and its existence in earlier days to provide knowledge for future reference.

Creating awareness among consumers about existence of such craft

OBJECTIVES

To document the weaving process of Patteda anchu sari and its types

To recommend new products to be de developed without changing the width frame of the loom.

METHODOLOGY

I. Documentation of the craft Secondary data collection

II. Market Survey, Adaptation of Saree Layout Interview Design intervention

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

I. Documentation of Craft:A. Weaver’s Profile

Only two weavers are working on The traditional pit loom and Weaving the sari to carry on the tradition. Its a languishing craft the literature in Vachana’s available in Jedara Dasimayya scriptures the Patteda Anchu sari weaving existed from 300 years

B. Raw Materials and Equipments

The yarns were earlier procured from Gadag mills but now they procure from Coimbatore. The yarn count used for sari was 20s count but now it is made in 20s X 40s and also 60s.

The other preparatory processes to make the sari

Scouring of Cotton Yarns: Soap oil is used to remove the impurities from the yarn. 250 ml of soap oil is poured in 10 litres of water and 4.5 Kgs of yarns are soaked for 3 – 4 hours.

Dyeing of Cotton Yarns: Earlier it was dyed with natural dyes but now it is dyed with Naphol dyes

Warping: It is known as hasuvadu in Kannada is done on the warping frame known as reshmi hari

Setting up of Loom: Preparing of loom is called gadidara katuvadu in Kannada.

Winding: The process of winding of weft yarns from bobbins to the pirns is known as khandaki

Loom: The patteda anchu sari is woven on the Kuni magga or throw shuttle pit loom

Types of Patteda anchu: There are many varieties based on checks and colors like kempukaddi, kavali hoova, raagavali, gejjetagi, rathavali, elluhoova, aidumani elumani elluhoova, kondichikki, kaddigekannu, chowkaani, kumkuma gani and kadichaapa. Kempukaddi is woven with fine checks of dark brown and red color with a yellow color border. Kempukaddi is the only saree woven rest of the saree do not exist any longer.

Color: Yellow (Pantone 13 - 0758 TPX Dandelion), red (Pantone 18 - 1852 TPX Rose Red) and dark brown (Pantone 19 - 1118 TPX Chestnut). Black

Checks Effect (Kondi Chikki) Warping Warp Beam

Setting of Loom Pit loom Weaving

Weaving Process: The patteda anchu weaving (neyuvadu) with check body and plain contrast borders is done using three shuttles. One big shuttle carry weft yarns for the body and small shuttles carry weft yarns for the borders. The checks are called kondi chiki. Earlier he width of the sari was 38” and 5and half yards but now it is woven in 44” and 6.25 yards.

Taking up and Let off: The extra warp on the old cloth beam are left. The new sets of warp are then twisted and joined to the old warp using a weaver's knot known as hipani. The process of tying knot is called kechchuvadu.

Market Survey of Craft Products: The survey was conducted in outlets of Karnataka handloom development corporation, Cauvery, Desi, Srikriti and Madhurya. The sari was available in the outlet of Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation in Gadag. Other outlets were not even aware about the sari.

Patteda Anchu Seere Scarf

Patteda Anchu Seere Layout and Suggested Product Design Sketches

Shawl or Duppata Stole

II. Adaptation of Product Pattern To Patteda Layout

Interview was conducted with weavers and weavers societies showing the sketched samples

65% disagreed for scarf because four sides borders can’t be created and there will be lot of wastage

70% disagreed for shawl because the dimension could waste fabric so there will be need of changing the width of the traditional loom

95% agreed stole dimension because it will create the modernized version of patteda anchu without changing the dimension of traditional loom.

CONCLUSION

Preserved at least through the documentation of its

traditional knowledge

It is a languishing craft

Analysis of the feedback suggest making of Stole Creating awareness about sari

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Sincere  thanks to master weavers Mr. Sangappa Mante and Mr. Kulkarni for providing information on the patteda anchu sari weaving in earlier days and heartfelt  gratitude to Weaver's service center, Karnataka Handloom Development corporation officers, Cauvery, Sirkriti and Madhuraya for spending valuable time and providing information on the sari.