Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. .7(1), January 2008, pp. 197-203

Protection and revival of traditional hand , Kasuti by automation

Shailaja D Naik* & Jyoti V Vastrad Department of Textiles and Apparel Designing, College of Rural Home Science, University of Agricultural Sciences, 580005, Received 31 July 2007; Revised 8 October 2007

The handloom industry is highly labour oriented, having legacy of unrivalled craftsmanship. Handloom goods are no longer the choice of poor alone, but a weakness for the elite in and abroad. Ethnic designs woven in brilliant coloured fabrics bear a distinct seal of magnificent, magical and traditional artistry of Indian weavers and bear their own regional identity. One among such exclusivity is the polycotton with contrast border having demand not only in India but also in the international markets especially when embellished with the traditional hand embroidery of Karnataka, Kasuti. Of the four stitches in kasuti, negi is rarely used by the embroiderers since it involve lot of skill, patience, expertise and intricacy. To achieve the embroidery, almost parallel to the interlacement of warp-weft is very difficult by the commercial embroiderers of today. Hence, many professional do not adopt negi stitch and hence this stitch of kasuti is unnoticingly going extinct. The paper explains the efforts made to revive and preserve the traditional negi motifs by way of computerizing and mechanizing.

Keywords: Traditional embroidery, CATD, Handloom weaving, Jacquard designing, Kasuti IPC Int. Cl.8: D01

India is the country of villages, where the main fabrics and highly labor intensive nature, handloom occupation of the people is agriculture, followed by weaving activity has immense potential for providing other subsidiary occupations such as weaving, gainful employment to the people and to act as a carpentry, black smithy, gold smithy, pottery, etc. The vehicle of growth both in rural and urban areas of the handloom industry is highly labour oriented, having southern region of India. However, the sector is beset legacy of unrivalled craftsmanship. The handloom with manifold problems, such as obsolete sector provides employment to the largest population. technologies, unorganized production system, low Besides direct employment to the weaver, productivity, inadequate working capital, manipulating warp and weft on the looms, the conventional product range, weak marketing link, industry generated indirect job work potential to overall stagnation of production and sales and above persons engaged in ancillary mills, pre-loom and post- all the competition from mill sector. There is need to loom processes. Earlier, there was no bar of caste or upgrade the skills, equip them with better tools and creed in the occupation of weaving. But later, the provide them suitable working conditions to enable artisans fragmented, separated and organized them to improve their quality of life and there by themselves according to their profession viz., socio-economic status. carpenter (made loom and other wooden accessories), The art of weaving is inherited right form the start blacksmith (provided nuts, bolts, nails to prepare the of civilizations. However, it is difficult to say as to wooden frame, the loom), rangare, rangaraze or dyer when the feminine made-up the sari came into (dyed and fabric), nekar (the actual weaver) and existence, since the existence of sari is seen in some so on. Presently, muslims, brahmins, OBC, SC/ST ancient sculptures of the Sumerian tradition. and even lambanis (tribal community) have opted Hiranyadrapi, in Rigveda is an example of the sari, a weaving as their main occupation1. Due to its inherent fine cloth with border as pattas. In Mahabharat, strengths such as flexibility of production in small minicheri is nothing but a woven sari interwoven with quantities, openness to innovation low level capital pearls and glittering borders. In Ajanta, there are investment and immense possibility of designing of various specimens of woven with different ______techniques. The chief characteristic of colour in sari is *Corresponding author to produce rhythmic contrasts, which have been 198 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 7, No. 1, JANUARY 2008

displayed in the murals of Ajanta2. The word sari is To achieve the embroidery, almost parallel to the believed to be derived from sat’ or shati, a Sanskrit interlacement of warp-weft was very difficult by the word which means ‘a sley of cloth’ or ‘pattas of commercial embroiderers of today. Hence, many cloth’. From shatika word satee was formed and later professional do not adopt negi stitch and hence, this it came to be known as sadi in Marathi and sadee in stitch of kasuti is unnoticingly going extinct. Hence, Oriya, Bengali, Bihari and Hindi. Sari is simply a the present investigation was undertaken with a key long fairly wide strip of cloth with a knot here and objective to revive and preserve the traditional negi pleat there, is transformed into graceful drapery motifs by way of mechanizing it. lovingly following the feminine figure. Ethnic designs woven in brilliant coloured fabrics bear a distinct seal Digitizing folk embroidery Kasuti of Karnataka of magnificent, magical and traditional artistry of The first stage is the design input stage, wherein Indian weavers and bear their own regional identity. the designs selected for weaving were both created To name a few are the Kanjeevaram, Kumbhakonam using mouse and keyboard or the existing designs (Tamil Nadu, Dharmavaram, Pochampalli, were transferred onto the system using a colour Peddapuram saris (Andhra Pradesh), , scanner (Fig. 1). Design processing was the second Bangalore saris (Karnataka), Silk brocades of stage of designing. On opening the PSP software the Banaras, Mekhla Chaddar of Assam, Patola saris of designer has two options: either to create a new file or Gujarat and Balampuram saris of Kerala. Karnataka to open an existing one. If the option was ‘new file’ state is producing variety of traditional saris, viz., then the designer had to specify the width x height of Bangalore silk saris (Bangalore, Doddaballapur), the design required. On the other hand, if the option Mysore silk saris (Mysore, Channapattana), Gadi- was ‘existing file’ then the designer had to resize the dhadi saris (Gadag, Betageri, ), Ilkal saris existing design (scanned) by specifying the width x (Ilkal, Surebhavi, amingad), Molakalmuru silk saris height required. In practice, majority of the designers (Molakalmuru, Kondlahalli) and Dharwad polycotton use the product of the reed count and the actual width saris (Lakkundi, Shigli, Bhagyanagar, ). of the motif as required on the fabric for the width value. The product of the number of picks/inch and Polycotton saris woven presently have demand not the actual length of the motif as required on the fabric only in India but also in the international markets. is used for the height value. For example, if a 5 cm x With warp as cotton and weft as polyester, is 5 cm motif is to be woven on a fabric with 60 ends identified as the most suitable for all seasons and age and 70 picks/inch, then width x height for the groups both in rural and urban areas. The use of particular motif is 120 x 140. Soon after this polyester not only made the sari light in weight but command, the bit map (bmp) sheet with the above also has improved the resiliency. Further, the care and specifications is ready for design creation or editing. maintenance practices are made simpler. With Once the design is ready, the designer has an option to harmonious matching of colours in the body, border take the simulation of the design produced or can save and pallav, these saris are identified as the most the same as a ‘bmp’ file. The third stage of designing elegant and thus adopted as casuals as well as party was a key process, that provided the textile designer wears especially, when embellished with the with the design plan (on graph base), which aided in traditional hand embroidery of Karnataka, Kasuti. easy and speedy card punching. The existing ‘bmp’ Kasuti, the world derived from kara means hand and file was opened in GC Kala – 2000 software. Here, suti is cotton thread in regional language (), further refinement with respect to the colour of graph, that explains handwork of cotton thread. This design and grouping of squares was carried out. embroidery is comprised of four types of stitches viz., Grouping of squares in the graph depended on the gavanti, murgi, negi and menthi. The motifs capacity of the jacquard and is as follows: embroidered with gavanti and murgi stitches appear identical on either sides of the fabric. Gavanti 10 x 10 squares - Normal graph produces straight lines, whereas murgi produces 12 x 12 squares - 120s jacquard staircase like effects. Negi resembles the woven 16 x 16 squares - 172-400s jacquard 3 24 x 24 squares - 400-600s jacquard motifs and menthe, the cross-stitch . Of the four stitches, negi is rarely used by the embroiderers since Finally, the print out of the design plan was it involve lot of skill, patience, expertise and intricacy. obtained. NAIK & VASTRAD: TRADITIONAL HAND EMBROIDERY, KASUTI 199

Type of stitch, traditionally employed for the Table 1⎯Commonly used kasuti motifs selected kasuti embroidery motifs (Table 1) and Type of stitch Motifs repeat unit (design size) of the kasuti motifs selected traditionally employed for the study (Table 2) have been presented. It is Bird’s flower pot (Pakshi hoodani) Negi, Menthi imperative that birds flowerpot was designed on 65 x Cashew (Godambi) Negi, Menthi 99, followed by cashew requiring 62 ends and 81 Chariot (Teru) Menthi, Murgi picks, chariot on 61 x 105. Elephant with howdah, Coconut band (Tenginahoovina patti) Gavanti, Murgi Deer band (Chigari balli) Gavanti, Murgi flowerpot, flower, gopuram, lotus (all three types) Elephant with howdah (Aane ambari) Murgi were designed on 88 x 100, 69 x 82, 93 x 80, 83 x 74, Flower pot (Hoodani) Menthi 45 x 45, 61 x 59 and 79 x 79 respectively. Bands, viz., Flower (Hanigi hoovu) Negi coconut flower, serpent, swan and zigzag bands were Gopuram (Gopura) Gavanti, Murgi designed on 161 ends since the bands were supposed Lotus (Kamala) Gavanti, Murgi to move from one edge of the sari to the other. Lotus (Kamala) Gavanti, Murgi Lotus (Kamala) Gavanti, Murgi However, the number of picks varied from 38 to 92 Serpant’s band (Nagar patti) Gavanti, Murgi that depended on the width of the band selected. Swan lotus (Hamsa Kamala) Negi, Murgi Swan band (Hamsa patti) Gavanti, Murgi The Loom Traditional Aasana (Paramparika nakshe) Gavanti, Murgi The fly shuttle loom (Fig. 3) came into existence Vanki flower (Vanki flower) Gavanti, Murgi around 1950s to cater to the requirement of speed and Wheat spike lotus (Godi Teni Maggi) Gavanti, Murgi greater productivity. These looms are very popular in Zig zag band (Vanki patti) Gavanti, Murgi northern Karnataka because they mean a great deal of Table 2⎯Repeat unit of the selected motifs after digitizing convenience for exclusive productions. Motifs Repeat unit

Additional attachments incorporated Bird’s flower pot (Pakshi hoodani) 65 x 99 Cashew (Godambi) 62 x 81 The Tappet Chariot (Teru) 61 x 105 The shedding, during which the warp threads are Coconut band (Tenginahoovina patti) 161 x 81 manipulated to produce a given interlacing, is Deer band (Chigari balli) 158 x 32 achieved by threading each end through an eye of a Elephant with howdah (Aane ambari) 88 x 100 heald wire, and raising or lowering this wire Flower pot (Hoodani) 69 x 82 dependent on whether it is required to lift the end Flower (Hanigi hoovu) 93 x 80 above the weft, or to keep it below the weft during Gopuram (Gopura) 83 x 74 Lotus (Kamala) 45 x 46 picking. In the tappet and dobby shedding systems Lotus (Kamala) 61 x 59 heald wires are not operated singly but are attached to Lotus (Kamala) 79 x 79 heald frames or heald shafts and each wire on a given Serpant’s band (Nagar patti) 161 x 82 shaft conforms to the movement of that shaft, rising Swan lotus (Hamsa Kamala) 88 x 88 or falling together with it (Fig. 4). The tappet or cam Swan band (Hamsa patti) 161 x 38 system is used to control the shedding where, due to Traditional Aasana (Aasana) 105 x 101 Vanki flower (Vanki flower) 97 x 95 simplicity of interlacing only few heald shafts, or Wheat spike lotus (Godi Teni Maggi) 69 x 81 healds are required (Figs. 2, 5). Zig zag band (Vanki patti) 161 x 92

The Jacquard either in singles or groups of 2 or 3 to a single needle. Weaving kasuti motifs in the polycot sari required Two or three warp ends were connected to a single a handloom jacquard of 180 needle capacity. Hence, needle alternated with a single thread left untied the 180s jacquard was mounted onto a wooden square on latter intersected with the weft and checked the length the top of the loom. In practice, there are two methods of the float. Hence, this single thread formed the of adding interlacements to floats in a design. The bottom line of the shed and was responsible for first method is by adding additional marks in twill or interlacements between floats (Fig. 6). satin order, done manually on a computer while designing. The second is achieved on the loom, while Card punching and lacing connecting the jacquard needles to the warp threads. Card punching Depending on the type of design and capacity of the Holes were punched on the jacquard cards as per jacquard the weaver has an option to tie warp threads the design using the conventional card-cutting 200 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 7, No. 1, JANUARY 2008

machine (Fig. 11). A carriage on the surface pushes the yarn is drawn through a small reed and wound on to the cards forward towards the operator as the holes are being warp beam. The reed is a guide to check the broken punched. The operator processes the punch heads with . Approximately, 250 m of yarn is wound on each fingers and simultaneously operates the foot pedals one section and totally 8 sections are wound to make the after the other. Punch heads were connected to the foot required width of the sari body (Fig. 12). Two sections pedals by means of a lever and hence the machine of the border were later wound separately on either punches the holes on pressing the pedals (Fig. 8). sides of the body warp considering the colours for extra

Lacing punched cards warp figuring in order. The punched cards were serially placed on two wooden planks placed few inches apart. Tying was Beaming The process of transferring the previously prepared done by passing two strands of a flexible woven cord through the connecting hole on each card in the order warp on the warp beam is known as beaming. The of one up and one down. However, both the cords beam is provided with discs or flanges on the sides to traveled in opposite directions from the first card to the maintain the width warp sheet, to protect and preserve last and were secured together by a knot. This selvedge ends. While winding the warp on the beam piecework was done by women or most of the times by care is taken to lay individual thread parallel to each children. other under uniform tension.

Production of ingenious saris Pirn winding With the help of electrically operated pirn winding The production process is sub divided and machine, the polyester yarn from cone or packages is presented separately for pre-loom, loom and post transferred to the pirns. Winding nine pirns at a time is loom processes: possible on this machine, which runs by 0.25 hp motor Pre-loom processes (Fig. 13). The dyed cotton warp yarns were wound on the Loom Processes electrically operated bobbin winder. Cotton yarn was Weaving wound on 8 plastic bobbins at a time (Fig. 7). The production of polycotton sari (warp- cotton and However, polyester yarn was available in package form weft- untwisted polyester) begins with weaving pallav and was wound with the aid of bobbin winder on to the first. The incorporation of Kasuti motifs required 172 bobbins. Warping for 40 saris is done at a time, which jacquard (needle capacity). Hence, the handloom was consumed 10 kg of cotton yarn. Small hanks of 840 set for 172 jaquard, which controlled the raising and yards called bali in a set of five were grouped together lowering of the warp ends selectively to weave swivel to form ladi. Ladis put together formed a Moote Kasuti motifs. These extra weft figures were woven weighing 5 kg. Two Mootes were required to wind with twisted polyester yarns (Figs. 9, 10) around 125-130 bobbins with approximately 250 m of yarn. Cutting and Doffing The dyed cotton warp yarns were wound on the After completion of each sari an extra length of electrically operated bobbin winder. Cotton yarn was approximately one meter of next sari was woven and wound on 8 plastic bobbins at a time (Fig. 7). separated from the cloth beam with the help of knife. However, polyester yarn was available in package form This however helped to prevent the slippage of yarns and was wound with the aid of bobbin winder on to the through the dents. The completed sari was then folded bobbins. Warping for 40 saris is done at a time, which on the loom itself by laying several folds in a zigzag consumed 10 kg of cotton yarn. Small hanks of 840 fashion. The weaver then continues weaving of the yards called bali in a set of five were grouped together next sari after rewinding the cloth beam. to form ladi. Ladis put together formed a Moote Description of ingenious Saris weighing 5 kg. Two Mootes were required to wind Fabric Information around 125-130 bobbins with approximately 250 m of Ingenious sari was woven with 72 ends and 80 yarn. picks. The border was on either side with a width of 9 Warping cm including the border design. The pallav of the sari Sectional warping method was adapted to prepare measured 58 cm of the length. All the saris were the warp. Required number of bobbins (125-130) was woven with running blouse pieces of 70 cm of length. arranged on the creel machine. From each bobbin the NAIK & VASTRAD: TRADITIONAL HAND EMBROIDERY, KASUTI 201

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Motifs employed kasuti is elaborate, requires skill and hence works out Aane ambari i.e. elephant with howdah is the most to be more costly. In today’s fast changing fashion, important traditional motif used in Kasuti embroidery traditionality being the fame and interest of the elite in however other motifs were used along with it the society, people are ready to spend. These elite, elephant-howdah indicated the procession of elephant who demand fashionable traditional made-up, in turn during Dashahara festival. Elephant indicates wealth, dictate the cost thus making embroidering cost less strength and wisdom. This elephant with howdah is a accessible and affordable for the middle and low typical motif embroidered always with a chariot income groups. Hence, this elaborate embroidery is depicting traditional functions, festivals and rituals in more suitable for the traditional and expensive silk holy temples. Digitized swan bands are placed above saris, which surely enhance and restore the tradition. and below the patti pallav (plain striped), which have On the other hand, negi kasuti motifs would go retained the tradition. Likewise, a wide variety of unseen and may gradually become extinct, unless saris were further designed with variegated efforts are made to revive it. Hence, this technology combination of motifs. The pallav that is traditionally draped over the head and brought over the shoulder is of computerizing negi motifs and incorporation usually given more importance and hence is through jacquard on the handloom hastened the significantly enriched with embroidery. Rural women production process and thus made traditionality place motifs from nature and also from the mores, available for women consumers of all income groups. myths and traditional beliefs to decorate the saree pallav. Hence, these folklore that have been in use References since ages need revival and conservation. Various 1 Mamatha A, Socio-economic status of handloom weavers computerized motifs were woven that resembled the and impact of weaving on their livelihood, MSc Thesis, traditional ones (Figs. 14-16). Traditional bands were (University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad), 1997. also used to enrich the pallav by replacing the plain- 2 Mahale G, Folk embroidery of Karnataka, PhD Thesis, banded pallav (Figs. 17, 18). (SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai), 1998.

Discussion and conclusion 3 Naik SD, Folk embroidery and traditional handloom Hand embroidery though unique has importance weaving, (APH Publishing Corporation, New Delhi), 1997 and sanctity of its own. The traditional Karnataka 16-30.