AJHS

Asian Journal of Home Science

Volume 12 | Issue 1 | June, 2017 | 208-212
DOI: 10.15740/HAS/AJHS/12.1/208-212
e ISSN-0976-8351 Visit us: www.researchjournal.co.in
Research Paper

Khana: The blouse material of north Karnataka

PRATIKHYA BADANAYAK AND SADHANA D. KULLOLI
Received: 09.03.2017; Revised: 25.04.2017; Accepted: 12.05.2017

ABSTRACT : Khana is a unique blouse material produced in Guledgudd that is only one
textile cluster of India to make blouse material. Traditional hand woven Khana material is the
choli or blouse material with extra warp dobby figuring. This study revealed the details about the
See end of the paper for authors’ affiliations unique Khana material of north Karnataka. The primary data were collected through personal
PRATIKHYA BADANAYAK interview method from the weavers and secondary data were collected from magazines and from
Department of Textile and Apparel web.
Designing, College of Rural Home
Science, University of Agricultural KEY WORDS: Guledgudda, Khana blouse materials
Sciences, DHARWAD (KARNATAKA)
INDIA HOW TO CITE THIS PAPER : Badanayak, Pratikhya and Kulloli, Sadhana D. (2017). Khana: The
Email : pratikshyabdnk16@ blouse material of north Karnataka. Asian J. Home Sci., 12 (1) : 208-212, DOI: 10.15740/HAS/AJHS/12.1/
gmail.com 208-212.

K
arnataka is one of the southern states of India Weaving is supposed to have come to Ilkal around the
which is renowned for its exquisitely produced 8th century AD and the sheer rustic look of the textile
traditional cotton and silk Sarees. Even if today keeps it still popular. The traditional Guledgudd Khana
a large number of villages of Karnataka produce intricate (Choli or Blouse, elsewhere called Khana), which is only
Sarees and blouse materials, among them Khana is well one traditional cluster making blouse fabric in India. It
known for its combination with Ilkal Saree as blouse. compliments to Ilkal saris as this combination is widely
Khana is a unique material produced in Guledgudd that used, not only in the northern part of Karnataka but also
is only one textile cluster of India to make blouse in the Marathawada and Vidarbha regions of
material. Traditional hand woven Khana material is the Maharashtra. Women in north Karnataka and some parts
choli or blouse material with extra warp dobby figuring. of Marathwada and Vidharbha regions in Maharashtra
Earlier it was woven on pit loom having no warp beam. use this Guledagudd Khana as blouse material in
Wooden lattice dobby was used for producing the design combination with Ilkal Saree. The speciality of this
on Khana with extra warp, dobby capacity depends on material is unique design and the raw material used being
type of design; normally in Guledgudd Khana 515 lever silk and cotton. Silk being natural fibres possess special
cylinder type lattice dobby is used. Another type of dobby properties like high moisture absorption, good luster and
is grooved cylinder, i.e. according to design cylinder is comfort to wear. The extreme hot climatic conditions in
grooved. According to the design, wherever grove is there, these regions made these people wear this Khana.
that particular lever is lifted; no need of lattice and pegs. Because of the high cost of silk, the Khana materials
This dobby is used for smaller design. Now-a-days these were also produced in combination with cotton as weft.
Khanas are also manufactured using power looms. Later the man-made fibres like viscose rayon,

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 PRATIKHYA BADANAYAK AND SADHANA D. KULLOLI

cuprammonium rayon and polyester fibres were also RESEARCH FINDINGS DISCUSSION
AND
introduced. Now-a-days, Khana is utilised for different The findings of the present study as well as relevant
products with modifications. discussion have been presented under following heads :
Thus, the present study is conducted to know the
details of the Khana material. Historical background of Guledgudda Khana :
The history of Guledgudda Khana states that,
RESEARCH METHODS weaving of blouse piece to suit every Saree woven is
The information about the Khana material were not a new art but practiced since long. The Guledgudda
collected by personally interviewing thirty randomly originated as a town place. During 1580 second Ibrahim
selected Khana weavers of Guledgudda using self Adilshai of Bijapur built a fort on hill. After few centuries’
structured interview scheduled. The information like type people migrated from top to plain ground next to hill hence
of motif and its significance were collected from it is called as Guledgudd. There are other stories which
secondary source. are popular. The people came from various places to

Sarees

Blouse material

Plate 1 : Different Khana Sarees and blouse materials

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 KHANA: THE BLOUSE MATERIAL OF NORTH KARNATAKA

Guledgudd were of different castes like devangas, The body is fully covered with extra warp along with
pattasalias, kuruvinshetty, muslims etc. They started ground figuring with dobby shedding mechanism i.e
weaving a typical type of cloths for blouse material. And addition of extra warp beam takes place as shown in
these blouse pieces were then named as Khanas. Plate 2. The ground warp may be cotton, mercerized
Whenever any pooja is performed in the villages of north cotton, rayon or silk. Whereas weft is always cotton,
Karnataka, they use to worship the god by keeping a single spun yarn with Z or S twist direction or mercerized
sari with a blouse material over the Saree. It is always cotton. However, the rich, lustrous and glossy
folded in a typical triangular shape. Folding of blouse appearance of extra warp is produced by either viscose
piece in the said typical triangular shape was traditionally rayon or by using pure silk yarns. The cotton yarn is
called as Khanas. These blouse material is always dyed with vat or naphthol and silk is by acid dyes locally.
produced by keeping definite width and length i.e. 32 Wooden lattice dobby used for producing the design on
inch x 20 inch. From each piece of Khana a blouse could Khana with extra warp, dobby capacity depends on type
be stitched for ladies. The scale for measuring of this of design; normally in Guledgudd Khana 515 lever
definite length of blouse piece is also traditionally called cylinder type lattice dobby is used. Another type of dobby
as Khana. There is no definite historical evidence as to is grooved cylinder, i.e. according to design cylinder is
when the handloom weaving industry started at Ilkal and grooved. According to the design, wherever grove is there,
Guledgudda. But according to the popular belief and that particular lever is lifted; no need of lattice and pegs.
circumstances, it might have started in the 8th century This dobby is used for smaller design (The detailed of
when the Chalukya Dynasty was in full swing in this the manufacturing process is given in Plate 3). Now-a-
region. Some of the pictures of different Khana saeers days these Khanas are also manufactured using power
and blouse material are given in Plate 1. looms.

Khana manufacturing process : Motifs or designed used in Khana materials :

The production of Khana Fabric involves various The unique designs produced by using dyed yarns
operations. The Khana has woven border on both sides represent the traditions followed by people of some
ranging from 6 inches to 9 inches in width, with two to regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra states. The motifs
three stripes of extra warp figuring all along its length. used for the designs are extracted from nature, ancient

Extra warp beam Extra warp yarn

Plate 2 : Extra warp beam attachment

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 PRATIKHYA BADANAYAK AND SADHANA D. KULLOLI

Silk and Art silk (Viscose) Cotton process Weft preparation for Khana
Table 1 : Types of motifs used in Khana material and its
significance
(Purchased from market) 
Sr.
Winding Winding Motifs name Meaning Motifs/Designs
Cotton in bank form No.
 
 1. Chitramala Garland of beautiful
Twisting and steaming Dyeing drawing
Dyeing
 
Winding Winding 

  Winding
Dyeing Ball warp preparation  2. Theru Traditional chariot used
  Gumming (natural gum) for annual car festival to
Winding Gumming (natural gum) 
carry God/ Goddess in it
  in a procession. The
Pirn preparation for weft design shape resembles
Ball warp preparation Piecing or drawing and denting
the chariot
 
3. Suryanarayana The design resembles
Gumming (natural gum) Weaving sun God
 
Piecing or drawing and denting Folding
 
Weaving Marketing 4. Ane Hejje Elephants step design
 resembles step of
Folding and marketing elephant used in the
traditional processions

Plate 3 : Manufacturing process of khana material

5. Tulsi Pan The leaf of Tulsi plant, a
goddess worshiped by
Hindu. The design
stone sculptures of Badami and the Hindu Mythology. resembles the tulsi leaf
These designs are well accepted by the people in this
region and they have a strong belief in them. In whole 6. Tiruki Kavale A type of flower used for
ten traditional motifs are there like Theru, Suryanaran, Hoovu worshiping of God
Tulsi pan etc. Each motif is having its own signifies
meaning and all of the motifs are having mythological
meaning. Most of the designs of the Guledgudda Khana
are replicates of Suryanarayana: the face of Sun God, 7. Double Hardy Two fold design
Siddeswar Mukuta: the face of Siddeswar God, Theru:
the Chariot, Ane Hejje: the footsteps of elephant, Tulsi
Pan: the Tulsi leaf and Sooji Mallige: a fragrance giving
flowers etc. These Khana materials are so popular that,
except these traditional designs no other designs are 8. Single Hardi Single fold design
accepted by the users of Khana. The design names, their
meanings and motif is explained in the below Table 1.

Fabric information : 9. Sooji Mallige A flower with very

In the clusters of Guledgudda most of the weavers narrow petals and give
mild fragrance similar to
are manufacturing blouse materials and very less are Mallige (highly scented
manufacturing Sarees. The woven material has border with sweet fragrance)
on both sides ranging from 15 to 23 cm in width, with
10. Siddeshwar Siddeshwara is the name
two strips of extra warp figuring all along its length. The Mukuta of a popular God
Khana materials were woven on handloom using silk worshipped by people in
Karnataka and
warp and cotton weft and each of these Khana piece Maharashtra. The design
will be of about 80cm widths and 50cm lengths. The resembles the face of
detail of the fabric is given in Table 2. God Siddeshwara

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 KHANA: THE BLOUSE MATERIAL OF NORTH KARNATAKA

Table 2 : Fabric information of Khana textiles

Threads/inch Length of Length of the Total Width of the Total
Sr. material width (m) weight
Material type Ends Picks Body Pallav Border Body (m) Pallav Border
No. (m) (g)
(m) (m) (m) (m) (m)
1. Saree 48 32 5.2 4.0 1.2 5.2 1.5 1.5 1.5 0.63 800
2. Choli 48 32 1.2 1.2 - 1.2 0.8 - - 0.63 250

Conclusion : Authors’ affiliations:

The traditional Guledgudda Khana (Choli or Blouse, SADHANA D. KULLOLI, Department of Textile and Apparel Designing,
College of Rural Home Science, University of Agricultural Sciences,
elsewhere called Khana), which is only one traditional DHARWAD (KARNATAKA) INDIA (Email : [email protected])
cluster making blouse fabric in India. Khana are the choli
or blouse materials with extra warp dobby figures, which
are the traditional products of northern Karnataka. Earlier REFERENCES
it was woven on pit loom having no warp beam using Namrata, M. and Shailaja, D.N. (2008). Contemporized
traditional textile made-up- A mode for rural and urban linkage.
silk warp and cotton weft. Now-a-day due the existence
Indian J. Traditional Knowledge, 7(1):208-211.
of powerloom most of the weavers are using it but
dimension of the material remains same. The body is Shailaja, D.N. and Padhy, R.N. (1995). Khana, a unique blouse
fully covered with extra warp figuring with dobby shedding material. Indian Textile J., 105(12) : 76-80.
mechanism and each Khana piece will be about 80cm Vastrad, J. (2003). Weaving computerised negi motifs in
width and 50cm length. Earlier only ten motifs were used traditional lakkundi Sarees, Ph.D. Thesis, University of
producing different Khana materials but due to change Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, KARNATAKA (INDIA).
in trend, peoples want variety and want to be fashionable
WEBLIOGRAPHY
so for fulfilling this requirement other motifs were also
included for production. Guledaguddatown.gov.in
www.fibre2fashion.com

12 Year
th

 of Excellence 

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