Kasuti

Definition
Kasuti is a traditional form of folk embroidery practised in the state of Karnataka, India.
Kasuti work which is very intricate sometimes involves putting up to 5,000 stitches by hand
and is traditionally made on dresswear like Ilkal sarees, Ravikeand Angi or Kurta.
The Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corporation (KHDC) holds a Geographical
Indications (GI) protection for Kasuti embroidery which provides Intellectual Property rights
on Kasuti to KHDC.

Origin and history

 The history of Kasuti dates back to the Chalukya period.
 The name Kasuti is derived from the words Kai (meaning hand) and Suti (meaning
cotton), indicating an activity that is done using cotton and hands.
 The women courtiers in the Mysore Kingdom in the 17th century were expected to be
adept in 64 arts, with Kasuti being one of them.
 The Kasuti embroidery features folk designs influenced by rangoli patterns
of Karnataka, mirror work embroidery and gold & silver thread embroidery were
mostly used for special occasions like weddings.

Characteristics
 Kasuti work involves embroidering very intricate patterns
like gopura, chariot, palanquin, lamps and conch shells.
 Locally available materials are used for Kasuti. The pattern to be embroidered
is first marked with charcoal or pencil and then proper needles and thread are
selected.
 The work is laborious and involves counting of each thread on the cloth.
 The patterns are stitched without using knots to ensure that both sides of the
cloth look alike.
 Different varieties of stitches are employed to obtain the desired pattern.
Some of the stitches employed are Ganti, Murgi, Neyge and Menthe.

Types of kasuti

• There are four types of Kasuti are done

• 1)Neyge Kasuti,
• 2)Murgi Kasuti,
• 3) Menthi Kasuti
• 4) Gavanthi Kasutis
• Stitches are always Vertical, Horizontal & Diagonal
• It starts with back stitch
• 2-6 threads for finer & coarse work
• MaterialsThreads drawn fron tassels of Ilkal sarees

• Murgii Kasuti It appears like steps of a ladder, the design appears same from
both sides of the fabric, the distance between two stitches is the same and
looks quite like the gavanti.
• Menthi This is the regular cross stitch. The name is derived from the word
‘fenugreek seeds’ in Kannada.
• The threads used for embroidery were drawn from the fabric itself or they used
silk thread from Mysore
• Gavanthi It is a double running stitch used for marking vertical, horizontal and diagonal
lines
• Negi kasuti This is an ordinary running or darning stitch, it has an all over effect of a
woven design. The name comes from the word “ney” which means to weave in
Kannada
 Current scenario

 Kasuti work has grown beyond its traditional boundaries to be used in other
dress materials like the Mysore silk saree.
 A Kasuti centre was set up in Hubli, Karnataka by the Department of Social
Welfare, Government of Karnataka to encourage the Kasuti culture and also
provide a single roof for the rural women to showcase their craft.
 However Kasuti work is suffering from poor patronage with not many people
willing to take the craft seriously; an indication of which is the closure of
the Karnataka Kasuti classes by the JSS college in Dharwad.

Commercial usage

 Ekta Kapoor is personally checking all the details from outfits to dialogues, so we can
imagine that the end result will be the best.
 The producer took to her Instagram to share a few stories on Komolika’s outfit. There
were various choli designs that the new Komolika will wear.

Ilkal Sarees

 Ilkal saree is a traditional form of saree which is a common feminine wear in India.
 Ilkal saree takes its name from the town of Ilkal in the Bagalkot
district of Karnataka state, India.
 Ilkal sarees are woven using cotton warp on the body and art silk warp for border and art
silk warp for pallu portion of the saree.
 In some cases instead of art silk, pure silk is also used.

Origin and history

 Ilkal was an ancient weaving centre where the weaving seems to have started in the 8th
century AD.
 The growth of these sarees is attributed to the patronage provided by the local chieftains
in and around the town of Bellary.
 The availability of local raw materials helped in the growth of this saree. About 20000
people in the town of Ilkal are engaged in saree-weaving
Description
 The peculiar characteristic of the saree is joining the body warp with the pallu warp which
is locally called as TOPE TENI.
 This technique is only used exclusively at Ilkal.
 Similarly pallu warp is prepared separately either with art silk or pure silk depending upon
the quality required.
 Thirdly border portion of warp is prepared as like the pallu warp either art silk or pure silk
and the colour used for pallu and on border will be one and the same. In general, the
length of the pallu will range 16" to 27".
 The pallu threads and body threads are joined in loop technique, a typical method which
is locally called as TOPE TENI.

Characteristics and features

The distinctive feature of Ilkal sarees is the use of a form of embroidery called as Kasuti.
 Sari in the shade of plain indigo are called Chanderkalli.
 If a combination of red and orange is used its called Basanti.
 For weddings the saris are in a shade of deep red.

Ilkal saris usually come in plain versions or have check patterns.

 Check patterns are locally called Tirki.
 But they can also be known by –
† Mandap
† Pacharangi
† Dapla
† Patang

 Checks which have thick stripes are called –Jabra

 Checks with finer lines are known as –Suzi
 Gomiis an arrow shaped pattern used.
 Chikiparasis a star or dot pattern which comes in –

† Kaddi-larger ones
† Kondi–smaller ones

Production

 Weaving of Ilkal sarees is mostly an indoor activity.

 It is essentially a household enterprise involving active participation of female members.
To weave one saree with the help of the handloom, it takes about 7 days.
 We can weave it with the help of the powerloom also.
 Ilkal traditional sarees are produced mainly on pit looms with the combination of three
types of different yarns namely Silk x Silk, Silk x Cotton, Art silk x Cotton.
 Along with the above said yarn combination totally four different traditional designs are
produced - they are Chikki Paras, Gomi, Jari and recently modified traditional design
Gayathri.
 These sarees are produced in different lengths 6.00 yards, 8.00 yards, and 9.00 yards
with solid as well as contrast borders.
 The main distinction in these sarees is its attached temple type Pallav (locally called as
TOPE TENI) by inter locking body warp and pallav warp using loop system and inserting
weft by three shuttles using two different colours yarn by Kondi technique.

Mysore paintings
 Mysore painting is an important form of classical South Indian painting that originated in
and around the town of Mysore in Karnataka encouraged and nurtured by the Mysore
rulers.
 Painting in Karnataka has a long and illustrious history, tracing its origins back to
the Ajanta times (2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D.)
 Absorbing the local artistic traditions and customs, the erstwhile Vijayanagar School of
Painting gradually evolved into the many styles of painting in South India, including the
Mysore and Tanjore schools of painting.
 Mysore paintings are known for their elegance, muted colours, and attention to detail.
The themes for most of these paintings are Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes
from Hindu mythology.

History
 The fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565 AD and the sack of Hampi in the Battle of
Talikota resulted initially in distress for scores of families of painters who had been
dependent on the patronage of the empire.

 As scholar A.L.Narasimhan traces some of these surviving paintings are witnessed at

Shravanabelagola, Sira, Keregoodirangapura, Srirangapattana, Nippani, Sibi,
Naragunda, Bettadapura, Hardanahalli, Mudukutore, Mysore, Chitradurga, Kollegala,
Raichur, Hiriyur, Benakanakere, Anegundi, Yalladahalli, Lepakshi and many other places
located in Karanataka.

 Hyder and Tippu who bested the Wodeyars took over the reins of Mysore for a brief
period.

 After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799 AD the state was restored back to the Wodeyars of
Mysore and its ruler Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar III (1799-1868 AD) who was
contemporaneous with Serfoji II of Thanjavur ushered in a new era by reviving the
ancient traditions of Mysore and extending patronage to music, sculpture, painting,
dancing and literature.

 Most of the traditional paintings of the Mysore School, which have survived until today,
belong to this reign.

 Further, Krishnaraja Wodeyar provided new fillip to the artists of the Mysore school
through his Magnum opus Sritattvanidhi, which would remain the ready reckoner on
Mysore style for many years to come.
 On the walls of Jagan Mohan Palace, Mysore (Karnataka), the fascinating range of
paintings which flourished under Krishnaraja Wodeyar can be seen; from portraits of the
Mysore rulers, their family members and important personages in Indian history, through
self-portraits of the artists themselves which Krishnaraja Wodeyar coaxed them to paint.

Materials used
 The ancient painters in Mysore prepared their own materials.

 The colours were from natural sources and were of vegetable, mineral or even organic
origin such as leaves, stones and flowers.

 Brushes were made with squirrel hairs for delicate work but for drawing superfine lines a
brush made of pointed blades of a special variety of grass had to be used.

 Due to the long-lasting quality of the earth and vegetable colours used, the original
Mysore paintings still retain their freshness and lustre even today.

Charateristics
 Mysore Paintings are characterized by delicate lines, intricate brush strokes, graceful
delineation of figures and the discreet use of bright vegetable colours and lustrous gold
leaf.
 More than mere decorative pieces, the paintings are designed to inspire feelings of
devotion and humility in the viewer.
 The painter’s individual skill in giving expression to various emotions is therefore of
paramount importance to this style of painting.[1]
 The first stage of Mysore Painting was to prepare the ground; paper, wood, cloth or wall
grounds were variously used.
 The paper board was made of paper pulp or waste paper, which was dried in the sun and
then rubbed smooth with a polished quartz pebble.
 If the ground was cloth it was pasted on a wooden board using a paste composed of dry
white lead (safeda) mixed with gum and a small quantity of gruel (ganji).
 The board was then dried and burnished. Wood surfaces were prepared by applying dry
white lead, yellow ochre and gum, and walls were treated with yellow ochre, chalk and
gum.
 After preparation of the ground a rough sketch of the picture was drawn with crayon
prepared from the straight twigs of the tamarind tree.
 The next step was to paint the furthest objects such as sky, hill and river and then
gradually animal and human figures were approached in greater detail.
 After colouring the figures, the artists would turn to elaboration of the faces, dress and
ornaments including the gesso work (gold covering), which is an important feature of
Mysore painting.
 Arts and crafts of Karnataka

The marvelous creations of arts and crafts of Karnataka is evident in the palaces as well as the
elite bungalows of the past. It reveals the royal delicacy and the expertize and efficiency of the
craftsmen.
The arts and crafts of Karnataka lie in even the articles of day to day use like an earthen pot. The
arts and crafts of Karnataka is traditional. They have evolved through ages from one generation
to another. If you ever visit a handicraft village in the state of Karnataka, you will be stunned at
the sight of the villagers who always sit in groups and enjoy their work.

Stone Carving

The art of stone carving in Karnataka has been a tradition through centuries especially in
Hoysala, a notable town in the state. The technique of carving is so unique and well mastered
over hundreds of years that an expert of this field can identify the type of stone simply from the
sound they emit while beaten.

The experts religiously follow the norms specified by the Dhyanashlokas while doing the stone
carvings in the different villages of the state of Karnataka.
Doll Making

Karnataka is located in the southern part of the Indian Peninsula and is known to the world as a
seat of traditional Indian art and craft which includes the peculiar art of doll making.

The art is unique in its style and presentation. It is a characteristic feature of the Indian
craftsmen, especially of those belonging to the state of Karnataka, that they can turn the simple
day to day articles into marvelous objects of art.

Doll making of Karnataka takes up speed as the days of Dusshera approaches. It is the time
when the dolls are evenly arranged on wooden platforms, decorated and displayed. The festival
marks a nine day long exhibition of those dolls. If you ever go to the state of Karnataka during
this festival you will find the people are ecstatic, colorful and in a real festive mood. The
craftsmen from the interior villages in the state are seen busy selling their explicit creations. The
craft of doll making is indigenous and often involves all the generations together. It is a
memorable sight in a Karnataka village that even the small children are busy in making dolls with
their parents and grandparents.

The regions of Kinnal and Gokak in north Karnataka and Channapatna on the Bangaluru are
famous for doll making. It has taken a form of small scale handicraft industry in these areas. The
people are quite occupied with the craft and to most of them, doll making is the source of bread
and butter.
Ivory Carving

India especially the state of Karnataka is a land of elephants and hence a place which has
excelled in the art of ivory carving. This art is unique and surpasses all other handicrafts of India
in its style, representation and above all its beauty.

Ivory carving is a predominant craft practiced in the entire state of Karnataka. If you visit a village
of sculptors you will witness people of all ages busy with their chisels, knives and fine files in
making wonderful pieces of ivory craft.

The ivory carving depicts mostly the images of god and goddess. These include especially the
images of Lord Krishna in various moods. You will also find the images of the mother
goddesses.

Wood Carving

Wood Carving is a traditional art of India as also of Karnataka. It amazingly exhibits a person's
efficiency as well as imagination which can transform a simple log of wood into a marvelous
object of art.

The works of wood carving are predominant in various parts of Karnataka. Whenever you go to
the state never ever forget to see the intricately embellished wooden ceilings, doors as well as
lintels. They are ornamented with nicely carved patterns. These outstanding craftsmanship points
towards the rich cultural heritage of this sphere of art in the southern part of the country.

Wood carving in Karnataka exhibits the traditional art of unique wooden handicrafts. These
woodcrafts are employed both for utilitarian as well as architectural purposes.

Sandalwood Craft

The marvelous art objects made of the soft sandalwood are popular for their style, presentation
and above all for their unique fragrance. It is often said that if a sal or any other ordinary tree
grows in a sandalwood forest it gains the smell of sandal. The fragrance of sandalwood has a
relevance with the Indian tradition, culture and religion. In a Hindu temple the rituals for the
worship of the deity cannot be done without a piece of sandalwood.

The sandalwood craft is really an amazing creation of Karnataka. Mysore in Karnataka is known
to the world equally for its vast sandalwood forests as well as the hoard of the royal elephants. A
major portion of the sandalwood craft made in this area is found to depict the royal figures
enjoying elephant ride. The intricate designs made on such sandalwood crafts of Karnataka are
really astonishing and reveals the expertize and efficiency and above all the patience of the
craftsmen. The unique fragrance of these masterpieces will take you to a world of holiness and
eternal bliss.

Almost the entire state of Karnataka produces the sandalwood craft although special mention
should be made of the highly skilled workers, the gudigar families of Shimoga, Uttara Kannad
and Mysore districts. They are specialized in this field and their works really stand apart.

Bibliography
 https://www.mapsofindia.com/karnataka/people-culture-and-festivals/arts-crafts.html
 http://www.craftandartisans.com/stone-icon-carving-of-karnataka.html
 https://www.google.com/search?