Drape on a weave

Hemlata Jain of Punarjeevana is coming to our city with a range of Hubli saris, each created by the able hands of a weaver

Punarjeevana is launching the Hubli Sari at Kamalini by Crafts Council of Karnataka.

Called Hubli Sari - Journey Towards Ray of Shine Mission by Punarjeevana, it is a project by textile designer Hemalatha Jain, who has worked tirelessly to revive the Patteda anchu style of Hubli saris. It started when Hemalatha got an ancient sample of a sari of this style “which has a chain of flowers running parallel to the border of the sari. I was not sure about the name and my enquiries led me to an 85-year-old weaver, Hussain, who shared that this is a signature Hubli sari, which he used to weave when he was 16. A study of this sari also revealed that it was 103-years-old,” says a chirpy Hemalatha, who started Punarjeevana in 2014 to work intensively with the weavers from North Karanataka.

“We were losing out on handlooms due to the invasion of power looms, which also added to the decline of handlooms and weaves in North Karnakata.”

The challenge, she explains was to fight against power loom saris. “We had to create an awareness and teach people the difference between the two.”

The Hubli sari was mainly worn by married women in villages. The flower in the border is a symbol of beauty and elegance while the pattern of the border is called gadi dadi.

This pattern is used in ilkal, Narayanpeth and other south Indian saris too, explains Hemalatha. The warp is always in off white (kora) for body and contrast weft which gives a bright shoot of colours leading to dhoop chaav (light and shadow) effect and the sari is normally seen in bright borders, explains the textile designer who also has a doctrate on the subject.

According to her, traditional colours used including combinations of purple and red, maroon and green, yellow and red.

“Patteda anchu saris are woven in and around the villages of Gajendragarh, Belgum, Raichur, Kodal, Bedar, Bellary, Gulbargah and Dharwad in Karnataka. The sari is named after the pattern (border and checks) of the sari. The motif used in the borders are inspired by jowar seeds which symbolise prosperity. These are normally gifted to new brides. The sari has a specific colour palette and includes shades like yellow, red, pink and green. Black is normally avoided as pregnant women and married women wear this sari,” adds Hemalatha.

There will also be natural dyed saris in khadi yarn. “Most of our saris come with two pallus and can be reversed and worn on both sides, adds Hemalatha who also teaches crafts, sustainability and weaving to design students.

There will be 100 saris, starting at ₹1900. The exhibition will be on from February 2 to 15 at Sri Bhooma, 17th Cross, Malleshwaram, from 11 am to 7 pm.