The sarees of Ilkal

What is woven here

The Ilkal sari has a cotton body and a silk pallu, usually in a contrasting colour, with a border and a pallu in a stepped design. The pallu is attached to the body by interlocking the warp threads with a loop, known as the tope teni technique. The body often carries checks or stripes, and the pallu usually has a red base with small white patterns. The sari is worn daily and for festivals.

The craft and its people

Weaving is done in homes and small units on pit looms, with several people in a household each taking a part of the work. The craft has declined in recent decades, and cooperative and government bodies support weavers. The sari is a traditional dress for many women in north Karnataka.

Seeing it

Ilkal can be reached from Hubballi or Bagalkot and is usually seen as part of a trip to the temples of north Karnataka, such as those at Aihole, Pattadakal and Badami. Ask locally for weavers' streets in the town and for cooperative society showrooms.

A trail idea for Ilkal

1. Weavers' streets of Ilkal Look for pit looms set into the floors of family homes.
2. A cooperative society showroom See how the silk pallu is joined to the cotton body by looping.
3. Badami and Pattadakal Early temples of north Karnataka within a day's drive, a good complement to the weaving visit.