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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 7(1), January 2008, pp. 178-181 Contemporary breakthrough in Ahimsa silk spinning Sanapapamma KJ & Shailaja D Naik* Department of Textiles and Apparel Designing, College of Rural Home Science, UAS, Dharwad 580 005, Karnataka Received 5 July 2006; revised 28 September 2007 Karnataka is the premier mulberry silk producing state in India, contributing nearly 73% of the country’s total production. Around 764 drainages distributed in different parts of Karnataka cater to the seed requirement of the Seri culturist. During drainages operation moths emerges out by piercing the cocoons thus become unreelable. Such cocoons amount to about 240 tons per year, hence proper utilization of these cocoons is of utmost importance for product diversification. The silk spun from pierced cocoon without letting pupae to die considered as Ahimsa silk is widely accepted by Hindus. Ahimsa silk spun on traditional devices viz., Takli, NR Das, Chuodhary Charaka and Medleri Charakas, did not produce regular tpi though the production was less. Hence, there was need to develop appropriate technology to spin quality spun silk. The CSTRI, Bangalore realized the necessity and to develop the improvised “Motorized Spinning cum Twisting Machine’’, a real break through in silk spinning. This machine was perfectly suitable to spin unreelable silk to 30-35s and the production rate ranged to 100-40g/8 hrs, which exhibited greater tenacity with remarkable elongation. Keywords: Ahimsa silk, Silk spinning, Cocoons, Traditional spinning devices IPC Int. Cl.8: D01 Karnataka is the premier mulberry silk producing long spindle having a basal round plate placed slightly state in India. Rearing silk worms and commercial above from one end of the spindle whereas the other production of cocoons as well as silk in Karnataka end formed into a hook1-3. Silk is drawn on takli from dates back to 18th century, when sericulture was softened cocoons by twisting between fingers and patronized by the ruler Tippu Sultan of erstwhile wound on the basal plate of the spindle. Mataka Mysore states. Today, Karnataka produces 9,000 tons spinning is nothing but takli spinning well-known in of mulberry silk of the total 14,000 tons produced in West Bengal, wherein Bengali Mook means mouth the country. They contribute nearly 73% of the and kata means cut or pierced. Further, mataka country’s total mulberry silk production. Unlike other spinning famous in Murshidabad and Malda district of states, the department of sericulture in the state has West Bengal was the main occupation of the poorer fully developed infrastructural facilities to meet the families. Tracing back the history, it is observed that demand of silkworm eggs not only of the state but mataka fabric was largely used by Hindu and Jain also from the districts of neighboring states. The state royal families as is produced in Ahimsa way. Ahimsa, is producing nearly 20 corers of silkworm eggs a Sanskrit word means non-violence, inurn means enabling the farmers to produce about 48 MT of non-killing of pupae for silk extraction. Thus, the silk cocoons annually. In Karnataka, around 764 drainages obtained from pierced cocoons is called as Ahimsa are situated in different parts that cater to the seed silk. This sentiment made the Ahimsa silk fabrics requirement of the sericulturist. During the drainage quiet popular among the Hindus and Jain operations, moths emerge out by piercing the cocoons communities, who strongly believed in non-violence. thus become unreelable. Such cocoons amount to The spinning process in practice for mulberry about 240 MT per year, hence proper utilization of pierced cocoons (Fig. 1) is rather primitive and these cocoons is of utmost importance for production traditional ones like takli, which could spin 50 gm of quality spun silk as well as product diversification. yarn/8 hrs with 10s-14s. Similarly, NR Das spinning Ahimsa silk machine, which worked on the principle of ‘Flyer Traditionally, the pierced cocoons were spun on a system’, could spin silk of about 80 gm/8 hrs with very simple rudimentary device known as Takli, a thin 10s-14s, the yarn found to be non-uniform with _________ irregular twist. Another Charaka, famous in North *Corresponding author India, the Choudhary Charaka worked on the SANAPAPAMMA & NAIK: AHIMSA SILK SPINNING 179 Cooking principle of ring and traveler system of spinning. It Ingredients MLR helped to produced comparatively better quality yarn media over the traditional devices, but lacked in yarn Plain water Soft water 1:30 uniformity. On this charaka, it was possible to Soap + Soap (501) – 3 gm/lt; Soda – 1.5 gm/lt 1:30 produce 80-100 gm yarn/8 hrs of 10s–15s. The soda Central Silk Technological Research Institute Oxyphon Oxyphon oil – ½ tps/lt 1:30 oil (CSTRI) pedal operated spinning machine worked on Ezee Ezee – ½ tps/lt 1:30 the principle of ring and traveler and produced about detergent 40-90 gm of yarn/8 hrs with a count of 15s–25s. Another manually operated charaka famous in The material liquour ratio mentioned was 1:30 Northern Karnataka, the Medleri Charaka a new throughout testing. The spun silk yarn was later invention by India Development Service (IDS), an subjected to physical testing to assess the impact of NGO at Dharwad, with the technical assistance form cooking media on quantity of spun silk. the TOOL of Netherlands for wool spinning, was later modified to spin pierced cocoons. However, the yarn Ahimsa silk spinning did not produce regular twisted yarn though the The term spinning may be defined as the process of spinnability was 80-100 gm. Hence, it was a felt need formation of yarn by a combination of drawing, to develop a most appropriate technology of spinning twisting and winding operation, applied to prepare to suit the region wise production and promote quality fibre mass. These 3 basic operations were carried out spun silk production. This prompted CSTRI, sequentially in spinning. Ahimsa silk was spun on Bangalore to develop an improvised ‘Motorized CSTRI Motorized spinning cum twisting machine. Spinning-cum-twisting Machine’ during 1998-99. The new machine is an improved version over the 5 This machine was perfectly suitable to spin Ahimsa devices existing in the field. It is a table top model, silk. It was possible to produce 100-140 gm yarn/8 hrs made of cast iron frame with a dimension of 25”× 14” of about 30-35s, almost 2½ times greater production × 25”. It consists of one horizontal spindle and gets than takli (Table 1). drive from motor step pulley through urethane belts. Table 1—Traditional V/s contemporary spinning techniques adopted for Ahimsa silk or cut/pierced cocoons Spinning machine Production/ Twist level Count Mode of operation Utility 8 hrs (gm) (tpi) range (s) Takli 50 4-5 10-14 Intermittent of spinning Furnishing NR Das 60-80 4-6 10-14 Works on the principle of flyer system Furnishing and (only pedal operated) upholstery Choudhary 80 4-6 15-28 Ring and traveler system Furnishing, upholstery Charaka CSTRI-Pedal 40-80 8-12 15-25 Ring and traveler system Furnishing, upholstery operated machine Medleri Charaka 60-80 15-20 15-28 Flyer system (pedal and motor operated) Furnishing, dress and shirting material CSTRI Motorized 100-140 15-25 30-35 Ring and traveler system Furnishing, dress and spinning cum shirting material twisting machine The bivoltine and multivoltine pierced cocoons Table 2—Effect of different cooking media on physical properties of Ahimsa silk yarn were procured from the State Department of Sericulture seed grainage at Rayapura (Dharwad Physical Cooking media properties Plain Soap + Deter- Oxyphon district), for the production of Ahimsa silk yarn water soda gent oil (Fig. 1). This is an important process, by which the quality of raw silk and the efficiency of the spinning Average size 28.65 35.4 32.5 29.75 (NM) machine are dependent. Before spinning, the cocoon Average twist 176 232 254 155 must be degummed to ensure removal of the serecin (TPM) to facilitate easy spinning. A required quantity of Average 1.82 1.67 1.87 1.45 cocoons was boiled in the selected media and the tenacity (kgf) recipe is: Elongation (%) 6.95 6.75 7.34 6.90 180 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, NO. 1, JANUARY 2008 Spindle runs at a speed of 850-2,800 rpm. Changing This device is comprised of a large wheel (1.5 m pulley steps can regulate the speed. The motor runs by circumference) made of wooden batten, a handle a frictional current of 1/8 HP single phase. A ring is attached to the main shaft of the reel for its revolution. fitted exactly on the axis of the spindle, which moves A transverse mechanism and an iron frame with to and fro, by means of cam lever arrangement. To horizontal rod to keep reeled bobbins for unwinding. and from movement of ring and traveler is responsible Four ends can be operated at a time. Silk yarn was for uniform built up bobbin. The twist is imparted to transacted in skein form and subsequently aged in wet cocoons by means of ring and traveler. Spinning winding to prepare different size packages of suit was done by drawing the wet cocoons by hands, weaving. Thus, main aim of silk re-winding was to twisting of yarn by means of rotation of spindle and produce quality skeins that facilitate smooth and travelers and winding on to the bobbin. Drawing of efficient operation in winding (Fig. 3). cocoons by hand produces spun yarn with uniform twist. The desired count can be produced by means of Physical testing of Ahimsa Silk drawing the cocoons by a skilled hand.

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