Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 13 (4), October 2014, pp. 778-787

Petni, kondi and reku: Traditional techniques of weaving handloom silk sarees
RG Panneerselvam
Department of Weaving, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Chowkaghat, Varanasi – 221 002, UP
E mail: rgpanneer61@gmail.com
Received 08.10.13, revised 21.02.14

Petni, Kondi and Reku are the names of three different traditional techniques being practiced by the handloom weavers
in preparing the warp to produce pallau, body and border of silk sarees in solid colours. The basic colour concepts of warp
and weft used in getting solid colour pallau, body and border have been analyzed. The steps followed for the preparation of
warp in different colours have been observed separately in all these three techniques. In each step, the intersections of
different colour ends in different parts of the saree have been noted and shown as threads interlacing diagram and/or line
diagrams to understand the technicality involved in these traditional processes. The salient features of these three techniques
have been studied. While comparing, it is found that the reku technique is very simple to carry and hence it has now slowly
replaced the petni and kondi technique in different handloom clusters.

Keywords: Body, Border, Kondi, Pallau, Petni, Reku, Solid colour

IPC Int. Cl.8: DO1, DO3, DO5, DO6, DO2, DO2G 3/00, DO1H, DO6H

The traditional handloom weavers of India are Karnataka in Bagalkot, is famous for the red granite it
‘Artisans’ who by themselves could able to translate provides and the 8th century weaving tradition still
the required designs and colour concepts in the cloth kept alive by one third of the population till date. The
with their artistic skills. They are also equally pallau and body of Ilkal saree are joined by a
‘Technicians’ having complete knowledge to evolve technique called kondi or locking, deftly executed
different techniques time to time and adopt the same with the hand. Nearly 50000 knots, 2500 every hour
to achieve the desired effect1 . These traditional are executed to create this 4. Dharmavaram is located
techniques and the technical skills are very simple, at a distance of 47 km from Anantapur district in the
scientific and result oriented with available resources. state of Andhra Pradesh India. Dharmavaram Sarees
Many traditional techniques practiced in different are traditionally woven in the interlocked-weft
handloom cluster of India, have been getting technique. Handloom weaving is the largest source of
transferred from generation to generation by having employment in Dharmavaram. Dharmavaram silk
hands on practice without making any record about sarees are famous for its broad solid colored borders
the technology1. Kancheepuram pattu (silk) sarees are with contrast pallau woven with brocaded gold
the traditional handloom silk sarees of Tamil Nadu in patterns5. The contrast pallau is brought simply by tie
India that were being woven right from the time of and dyeing the warp in different colours combined
Pallava kings. In Kancheepuram sarees the border with special reku weaving technique.
and pallau are the same colour. They are in bright This article is to technically explain about the three
contrast to the ‘body’ which is in a single or a family traditional techniques, viz. petni, kondi, reku, which
(shades) of colours with tonal contrasts. Weavers use are even now practiced by the weavers in many
the ancient craft of 3-shuttle weaving and interlocking handloom clusters for the purpose of producing solid
weft to get this effect (korvai). The saree is colour pallau in Silk Sarees.
ornamented with pure gold zari. The motifs are from
temple sculptures — religion, architecture or nature- Traditional significance of study
based. The petni technique changes colours, extracted Solid colour border, body and pallau have become
from leaves, barks and seeds2, 3. Ilkal is a small town one of the identifying features of most of the
down the hill ( it takes its name from ‘Illekallu’ or the traditional silk sarees of South India. The silk sarees
‘slope down the hill’ because of its location) in North produced with petni, kondi, reku technique have a
 PANNEERSELVAM: PETNI, KONDI & REKU: TRADITIONAL TECH OF WEAVING HANDLOOM SILK SAREES 779

thick cross over stripe of 2" at the pallau and body

junction place. The silk saree produced with these
techniques is considered as high quality saree. The
silk sarees produced without these techniques having
the colour spread irregularly for 2 - 4" because of
tie-dye warp are considered as low quality sarees.
Hence, it is highly essential to train the young
weavers to practice and make them confident to
produce the silk sarees with these techniques. Very
rich looking solid colour pallau, body and border
sarees, ornamented with gold zari for ceremonial
wear are always in good demand in the local market.
The weavers, who are well practicing these
techniques, are considerably earning better. Hence,
this study aims to record the methodology of these
techniques systematically in order to make the present
generation of textile technologists to understand the
strength of the traditional technology and transfer the
same to the weavers in the scientific way.
Fig. 1 – Illustrative sketch of saree shows the layout of solid
Solid colour pallau, border, body colour pallau, border and body.
Solid colour in any part of the saree is obtained by
using similar colour in warp and weft. Weaving way, which is blue. The single colour of border warp
pallau, border and body in solid colour is one of the is shown at the left side of Fig. 1.
features of traditional sarees of India1 which is shown As per the width of body, the body warp in
schematically in the Fig. 1. Out of 5.5 m length of required number of ends must be in two colours in its
saree, the first ½ to ¾ m of the saree is called length way. In the beginning, as per the required length
‘pallau’. It is in solid colour for its full width – say of pallau, say ½ to ¾ m, the body warp colour must be
blue. The purpose of having solid colour for the similar to the border warp colour that is blue. Then the
pallau is to have it as back ground over which the remaining length of body warp, say 4¾ to 5 m must be
ornamentations of designs2 could be shown in another colour different from that of body that is
prominently in extra warp and extra weft principles. red. The two different colours of body warp are
After pallau, in the remaining length of saree, 3 - 9" shown in the right side of Fig. 1.
width from both the selvedges are called as borders. After arranging the warp as described above, the
The solid colour of the borders is same as the colour weft is also made into three parts. One is pallau weft,
of pallau that is blue. The centre part, leaving the the second is border weft and the third is body weft.
border, is called as body. It is in another solid colour, In the beginning, the pallau weft is blue in colour.
different to that of body – say red. The solid blue The blue pallau weft is interlaced with blue pallau
colour is seen as black and the solid red colour is seen warp using single shuttle to get solid blue pallau
as grey in all the figures. cloth. The single colour of pallau weft is shown at the
The solid colour of body different to that of solid bottom of Fig. 1.
colour of pallau and border can be brought by way of After completing the weaving of pallau length, the
dyeing or printing or weaving or combination of these remaining length of body warp starts with blue colour
techniques. To produce solid colour by weaving in both side borders and red colour in the body. If it is
technique, the warp and weft colour in different woven with single colour weft, say blue for full width,
portions of the saree have to be arranged in the then the border becomes solid blue colour (blue warp
following way. + blue weft) but the body will be only in mixed colour
The warp is divided into two parts. One is border (red warp + blue weft). When it is woven with single
warp and other is body warp. As per the width of colour weft, say red for full width, then the body
border, the border warp in required number of ends becomes solid red colour (red warp + red weft) but
must be in single colour through its length in usual the border will be only in mixed colour (blue warp +
780 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 13, No. 4, OCTOBER 2014

red weft). Hence, to obtain solid blue colour in the ball warps, two blue warps for the borders and red
border and also solid red colour in the body, it is warp for the body as shown in Fig. 2(a).
necessary to use two different colour wefts to weave The warp is gaited and set properly. Weaving of
the body part of saree. Blue weft is used for the left body length of the saree is started with three shuttles.
side border and right side border. Red weft is used for One shuttle is used with red weft to weave with red
the body. Three sections of body weft in two colours body warp. Other two shuttles with blue weft are
are shown at the top of Fig. 1. used, one to weave with left side blue border warp
From the above explanation it is to understand that and other to weave with right side blue border warp.
special techniques must be used to have body warp in The border wefts are interlocked with body weft. This
two sections of colours and body weft in three interlocking portion of weaving is called ‘Body
sections colours. Traditional weavers had evolved Weaving’ as shown in Fig. 2(b).
three unique techniques to have two different colours The body weaving is continued by introducing
in the length way of body warp. The technique extra warp designs in the blue border and extra weft
evolved and being used by the weavers of designs in the red body by operating the extra warp
Kancheepuram areas in Tamil Nadu is named as and ground ends by Jala or Jacquard shedding along
Petni3. The technique practiced by the weavers of with healds shedding. After completing the required
Ilkal areas in Karnataka is known by Kondi4. The length of body weaving, the loom is stopped for
technique derived with Tie and Dye warp by the changing the red colour body warp into blue colour by
weavers of Dharmavaram areas in Andhra Pradesh is using the technique called ‘Petni’ work.
called as Reku5. To have each pick of the body weft in A separate blue ball warp is taken containing ends
three sections of two colours, the traditional weavers equal to that of the red ball warp already used for the
have been adopting two unique techniques. One is body. Each blue end in the ball warp is loop twisted
three cut shuttle weft weaving with interlocking and joined along with each red end in the body serially
principle called korvai technique and other is tie and at the back side of the healds, by keeping the healds
dye weft technique. Petni, kondi, reku techniques and reed very near to the fell of the cloth. This work is
used by the traditional weavers to have two different same as that of twisting the new warp with old warp,
colours in the length of body warp is explained below except that the old warp (red warp) on the loom is kept
with schematic diagrams and figures with a view to straight. After completing the loop twist joining, the
make the today’s handloom technologists to healds and the reed which are near to the fell of cloth
understand the technicality and in turn give practice to are slowly moved backward. By this, the loops of blue
the young weavers. ends automatically come in front of the healds, get
Petni technique
passed first through the clasping of the healds and then
Petni technique is the name of traditional technique through dents of the reed along with the red end.
practiced in weaving Kancheepuram silk sarees to get In between cloth roller and fell of cloth a rod is
two sections of colours in the length way of body kept above the cloth and tied to the cloth roller on
warp, viz. pallau part in one colour and the remaining both side by the ropes. The loop twist of the blue ends
body part in another colour. As stated earlier, let us which are before the fell of cloth is untwisted and
consider that the pallau and borders of saree are to be removed from the red ends and then gaited properly in
in solid blue colour woven with blue warp and blue the rod by grouping into small bunches. The complete
weft. The body is to be in solid red colour woven with processes of twisting the blue ends, moving the healds
red warp and red weft. and reed, untwisting and gaiting the blue ends are
In the loom, new warp is set in such a way to start called as ‘Petni work’.
the weaving of body length first and then the pallau As the petni work has to be done with at most
of the first saree. Two separate ball warps of blue perfection, it takes one or two days to complete this
colour in required number of ends as per the required work. After this petni work, each heald wire in the
width of border are prepared. One is for the left side body portion carry 2 colour ends (1 blue + 1 red) and
border and another is for the right side border. The each dent carry 4 ends (2 blue + 2 red). The border
third ball warp of red colour in required number of warp continues to be in blue colour and the body warp
ends as per the required width of body is taken in the is in mixed 2 colours (blue + red). In the beginning, if
middle. Now, the complete warp sheet is in 3 separate the ends per inch in the body are 100, after the
 PANNEERSELVAM: PETNI, KONDI & REKU: TRADITIONAL TECH OF WEAVING HANDLOOM SILK SAREES 781

petni work, the ends per inch in the body will be weft designs are also introduced in the pallau portion
200 (red -100 + blue – 100). The border blue ends of the saree by operating ground ends/extra ends by
continue to be 100 per inch. With this setting, Jala or Jacquard shedding along with Healds
weaving is done for 2" length by using single shuttle shedding. Pallau weaving is continued till the
with blue colour weft. At this place, blue warp get completion of required length of Pallau. With this,
interlaced with the picks along with red warp. This the weaving of one full saree with body and pallau
portion of weaving is called as ‘Petni Weaving’ get completed as shown in Fig. 2(e).
which is shown in Fig. 2(c). After completing the body weaving, petni weaving
Then, the red body warp ends alone is completely and pallau weaving of first saree, the pallau weaving of
lifted at the back side of healds by a rod and separated second saree is started by keeping the blue colour body
from the blue ends. Proper separation of red ends warp setup as it is. After completing the pallau weaving
from the blue ends is facilitated by lifting the bottom of the second saree, petni work is again carried to
shaft and opening the clasping of healds. After change the blue body warp into red body warp. Then the
complete separation of two colours, the red ends are petni weaving and body weaving of second saree is
cut at the fell of cloth and removed from reed and continued. Thus, by doing petni works for two times,
healds leaving only blue ends in the body. Now, the two sarees are completed as shown in Fig. 2(f).
body warp has also become blue along with blue
border warp and the complete sheet of the warp Kondi technique
become one colour - blue as shown in Fig. 2(d). Kondi technique is the traditional technique used in
Now, weaving is started using single shuttle with weaving Ilkal silk sarees to get 2 colours in the length
blue weft which is called ‘Pallau weaving’. The extra of body warp, viz. pallau length in one colour and
warp design in the border is continued during this remaining length in another colour. As stated earlier,
pallau weaving. Along with extra warp design, extra let us consider that the pallau and borders of saree are

Fig. 2 - (a) Warp sheet is set with 3 separate ball warps in 2 colours. Interlocked body weaving is completed with 3 shuttles,
(b) Petni work is completed by taking- in the blue warp along with red warp; body ends doubled, (c) Petni weaving is completed with
single shuttle; blue warp got interlaced with picks, (d) Red body warp is removed retaining the blue warp; warp sheet is in single blue
colour, (e) First saree weaving is completed with interlocking body weaving, petni weaving and pallau weaving and (f) Interlocking body
weaving of second saree is in progress after completing pallau weaving and petni weaving.
782 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 13, No. 4, OCTOBER 2014

to be in solid blue colour woven with blue warp and includes the length of pallau and gaiting length
blue weft. The body is to be in solid red colour woven (34" + 6"). Blue yarn from the bobbin is passed
with red warp and red weft. through the top open loop of red ball warp and tied to
Initially, the red colour body warp is prepared by the right side wooden peg as shown in Fig. 3(b).
peg warping method. All the ends of red warp must be The first red end loop from the ball warp is moved
in 2 ply and the length is 2.5 m. which is equal to half to the middle of pegs. Then, blue yarn lying between
of the required length of body portion of one saree the ball warp and first red end loop (which is just
leaving the pallau (5 m/2 = 2.5 m). The total number moved to the right), is dragged between the pegs. The
of ends in the warp is equal to double the number of blue yarn is dragged from left side to right side by
ends required as per the width of body. The warp has making it to loop in the left peg as shown in Fig. 3(c),
proper leasing/crossing of ends and open loop on both and then making it to loop in the right peg by
the sides as shown in Fig. 3(a). crisscrossing between the pegs as shown in Fig. 3(d).
A bobbin containing blue colour yarn in single ply By doing so, the first loop of blue end has been
is mounted on a swift kept at the left side. A stand formed between the pegs, and also the first loop of red
containing two wooden pegs is kept at the right side. end get inter locked with the first loop of the blue end
The distance between the two pegs is 40" which as seen in Fig. 3(d).

Fig. 3 - (a) 2.5 m of 2 ply red colour body warp is prepared by peg warping, (b) Blue yarn is passed through loops of red ball warp and
tied to the pegs, (c) First looping of blue yarn is started between the pegs by moving the first loop of red warp, (d) First loop of red end
got interlocked with the first loop of blue end, (e) Second looping of blue yarn is started between the pegs by moving the second loop of
red warp and (f) Kondi warp is ready with 2.5 m length of red warp fully interlocked with 1 m length of blue warp.
 PANNEERSELVAM: PETNI, KONDI & REKU: TRADITIONAL TECH OF WEAVING HANDLOOM SILK SAREES 783

The above step is again repeated for the second red The kondi warp is taken to the loom for twisting.
end by which the second loop of blue end is formed The blue colour side of Kondi warp is twisted to the
between the pegs and also the second loop of red end completed body portion of old warp. While
automatically get inter locked into the second loop of twisting, two blue ends are taken together as one set
blue end as shown in Fig. 3(e). Similarly blue loops which form loop at other end, locking the loop of
are made for all the red ends. This process of inter 2 ply red end. The border portion of old blue warp
locking the loops of red ends by making the loops of is twisted with 2 ply new blue warp. After gaiting,
blue ends in between the pegs is called as ‘Kondi’ peg the loom is ready with single colour blue border
warping technique. The bunch of blue end loops warp and kondi body warp as shown in Fig. 4(a).
which are locking the red end loops are removed from Pallau portion is woven by using blue weft with the
the pegs after putting proper leasing thread in between warp (both body and border) which is now
blue ends. Thus, when the kondi peg warping process completely blue in colour as shown in Fig. 4(b).
is completed, out of the total length of warp prepared, Pallau weaving is continued by incorporating
2½ m. length is red in colour and 1 meter is in blue required ornamentation till reaching to the loops
colour as shown in Fig. 3(f). Each loop of 2 ply red interlocking place. Weaving is also continued very
end which is locked with the one loop of single ply slowly for 1½" in the looping place, as there are
blue end together is considered as one end as shown 4 ply red ends for every 2 ply blue ends in the body
by numbering at the bottom of Fig. 3(f). as shown in Fig. 4(c).

Fig. 4 - (a) Warp sheet is ready with blue colour border warp and kondi body warp, (b) Pallau weaving is started with single blue colour
weft, (c) Weaving continued for 1.5" in the looping place, (d) Out of each 4 ply red ends, 2 ply is separated and cut at the fell of cloth,
(e) 50% of cut red layer is removed from the healds and reed; ‘U’ hooks (Kondi) of the red ends locked with the blue ends and picks and
(f) Body weaving is continued with single blue colour weft.
784 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 13, No. 4, OCTOBER 2014

Now in the body warp, out of each 4 ply red ends, 2 and extra weft ornamentations. Pallau weaving is
ends are separated, cut at the fell of cloth as shown in Fig. continued till reaching to the colour changing place
4(d). This 50% of cut layer is removed from the healds (Junction place), where the body warp colour changes
and reed. By doing so, the length of red warp becomes from blue to red. In this change over – junction –
doubled as all the red threads are looped at the other end. place, the colour changing does not occur exactly in
The length of red warp which was 2½ m during the Kondi straight line across the width. Even if the tie &
warping process has now become 5 m length and each 4 dyeing, twisting and beaming are done perfectly, the
ply red end has become 2 ply red end as shown in Fig. changeover will spread atleast for about 1 to 1½"
4(d). The 1½" length woven after crossing the loops, length; otherwise it is normally for about 2 - 4" as
contain ‘U’ hooks of the red ends interlocked with blue shown in Fig. 3b. If the colour change over is spread
ends and interlaced with the picks as shown in Fig. 4(e). for only 1½" length, it is made hidden by weaving
These U hooks are called ‘Kondi’ in Kannada which with zari weft either in weft face twill or sateen
means ‘Bent edge’. The complete body warp is now of 2 weave, for this 1½" length. When the colour - change
ply red ends along with 2 ply blue border warp. The body - over is spread for 2 - 4", reku pulling technique is
weaving is started either with 3 shuttle work or with followed to bring down /reduce the irregular colour
single blue colour weft as shown in Fig. 4(f). spread length form 4" to 1½".
Reku technique The Reku pulling work starts immediately after
Reku technique is the technique used in weaving completing the pallau weaving when the colour change
Dharmavaram silk sarees to get two colours in the over starts from blue to red across the width of body warp
length of body warp, viz. pallau part in one colour and spread over for 2 - 4" length. The total body warp
and remaining length in another colour. As stated ends are separated into two parts by selecting the ends in
earlier, let us consider that the pallau and borders of 2:2 order by passing a lease rod in between healds and
saree are to be in solid blue colour woven with blue warp beam. The ends 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10,.......... form first part
warp and blue weft. The body is to be in solid red and the ends 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12,.......form second part as
colour woven with red warp and red weft. shown in Fig. 5(c). These two parts of the warp are called
Two warps are prepared as per the required number ‘Rekus’ in Telugu which means ‘Layers’.
of ends, one for the body and another for border. The The warp is made loose by doing excessive let-off
total length of warp is to weave 4 sarees or more. The of the body warp beam. At the centre of healds and
border warp is completely dyed with blue colour in warp beam, the second layer (3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12
usual way. The total length of body warp is folded ……..ends) is taken in between two lease rods. These
number of times equal to the number of sarees to rods are rolled in such a way that 2 - 4" length of
weave, so that the folded length is equal to the length second layer gets wrapped between the rods. The
of one saree. The folded warp is measured and warp is made tight by taking back the loose warp to
marked for pallau length and body length. By tying the warp beam. By doing so, the second layer which is
and covering the pallau part with polythene sheet, the wrapped round the rods becomes tight and straight. But
open body length is dyed with red colour. Then the the first layer becomes loose equal to the length that
tied pallau part is removed and the dyed body part is got wrapped in the rods (2 - 4") as shown in
tied. The open pallau length is dyed with blue colour. Fig. 5(d). The loose first warp layer is now separated
After completing two times tying and dyeing, the from the tight second layer and lifted upto the fell of
pallau length is in blue colour and the body length is cloth. A rod is passed across the width before the
in red colour as shown in Fig. 5(a). reed, in between the lifted first layer and the bottom
The single blue colour border warp is twisted to the second layer. Then the loose first layer is pulled
border ends of old warp and the blue part of tie & dye back towards cloth roller by taking back the rod till
body warp is twisted to the body ends of old warp. all the loose ends of first layer become tight (equal
After gaiting, the warp is completely blue in colour to the tight second warp layer) as shown in Fig. 5(e).
upto the pallau length. After the pallau length, the The rod is tied tightly to the cloth roller on both the
border colour is blue and body colour is red in the sides by the ropes.
remaining length of one saree as shown in Fig. 5(b). By pulling back the first layer for 2 - 4", the
In the beginning, the blue pallau warp is woven change over colour spreading of this layer, is pulled
with blue weft by incorporating required extra warp back. Hence, all the red colour part of this layer has
 PANNEERSELVAM: PETNI, KONDI & REKU: TRADITIONAL TECH OF WEAVING HANDLOOM SILK SAREES 785

Fig. 5 – (a) Blue border warp and tie and dyed body warp (pallau – blue, body – red) are made ready, (b) Border and body warp is gaited;
Colour spread of tie and dyed warp is for 3 to 4", (c) Pallau weaving is completed upto starting point of colour spread over,
(d) The second layer is wrapped between two lease rods; First layer has become loose, (e) The loose first layer is pulled at the fell; Colour
of the first layer has become uniform from fell, (f) 2" cloth is woven with single shuttle after pulling first layer, (g) The lease rods are
removed from the second layer; It has become loose and (h) The loose second layer is pulled at the fell; Colour of the second layer has
also become uniform from fell.

come in line with the fell of cloth. Of course the By pulling back the second warp layer for 2 - 4",
changeover colour spreading of second layer remains the change over colour spreading of this layer is
as it is, as seen in the Fig. 5(e). 2" length is woven pulled back. Hence, all the red colour part of this
with single shuttle. At this place, the pulled first layer has also come in line with the fell of cloth. Now
warp layer is in single colour that is red and the all the ends from the fell of cloth are completely red
second warp layer has the colour spread over as in colour without any colour spread over as seen in
shown in Fig. 5(f). Fig. 5(h). The body weaving is started as per the
After weaving 2", again the warp is made loose colour combination required in the Body and Border.
little by doing let-off of the body warp beam. The After weaving 5 - 6" of the cloth, the rod is removed
lease rods in which the second layer is wrapped, is and two series of loops are cut by leaving 1" height
unrolled and the warp is made tight by taking up the from the cloth. By doing the Reku pulling technique
loose warp, back to the warp beam. By doing so, the as stated above, the irregular colour spread over for
second layer becomes loose for 2 - 4" and the first 2 - 4" has been brought to 2".
layer becomes tight and straight, as shown in Fig. 6(a & b) show the two stages in carrying petni
Fig. 5(g). The loose second warp layer is separated work in Kancheepuram loom. Fig. 6(c & d) show the
from the tight first layer and lifted upto the fell of two stages in carrying kondi work in Ilkal loom.
cloth. The rod which was used for pulling the first Fig. 6(e & f) show the two stages in carrying reku
layer is removed and then passed across the width work in Dharmavaram loom. The complete layout
before the reed in between the lifted second layer of a traditional Kancheepuram silk saree is shown
and the bottom first layer. The loose second layer is in Fig. 7(a). The junction place of pallau, body and
pulled back towards cloth roller by taking back the border of an Ilkal saree is shown in Fig 7(b). The
rod till all the loose ends of second layer become photo of a saree woven without carrying the reku
tight (equal to the tight first warp layer) as shown in technique containing the irregular colour spread
Fig. 5(h).The rod is tied tightly to the cloth roller on over for 4" at the junction place of pallau and body
both the side by the ropes. is given in Fig. 7 (c). The photo of a saree woven
786 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 13, No. 4, OCTOBER 2014

Fig. 6(a &b) show the two stages in carrying petni work in Kancheepuram loom. Fig. 6(c &d) show the two stages in carrying kondi work
in Ilkal loom. Fig. 6(e &f) show the two stages in carrying reku work in Dharmavaram loom.

Fig. 7 – (a) Photo showing the layout of Kancheepuram silk saree, (b) Photo showing the junction place of pallau, border and body of
Ilkal saree, (c) Photo showing the silk saree woven without carrying reku technique and (d) Photo showing the silk saree woven with
reku technique.

with the reku technique containing the cross over the region and then implement the same in their
stripe for 2" without having any colour- spread - handloom clusters.
over at the junction place of pallau and body is Of course understanding petni, kondi and reku
seen in Fig. 7 (d). techniques will be fetching only half of the
knowledge because these techniques are related to
Recommendations only warp direction of solid colour pallau, border and
Weavers’ Service Centres and Indian Institutes of body weaving. In order to have complete knowledge,
Handloom Technology in South India, functioning it is also equally important to have the understanding
under the office of Development Commissioner for of ‘KORVAI Technique’ and ‘Weft Tie-Dye
Handlooms, New Delhi, is imparting in-house and Technique’ which are related to weft direction in solid
field training in the traditional skills under Integrated colour pallau, border and body making process of silk
Skill Development Scheme. The weavers and master saree weaving. Hence, recording the methodology of
weavers can form group and approach these offices traditional Korvai and Weft tie-dye techniques has
for getting training in the traditional skills practiced in been taken up as the second part of the study.
 PANNEERSELVAM: PETNI, KONDI & REKU: TRADITIONAL TECH OF WEAVING HANDLOOM SILK SAREES 787

Conclusion Acknowledgement
The Petni and Kondi technique are the century old The author is indebted to the designers and
techniques being practiced in Kancheepuram and Ilkal expert weavers of Weavers’ Service Centre,
silk sarees. The Reku technique developed by the Kancheepuram and Bangalore and also the
Dharmavaram silk saree weavers in Andhra Pradesh traditional weavers of Kancheepuram, Arni and
has been in practice for the last 25 yrs. The Petni and Ilkal handloom clusters, who cooperated well to
Kondi techniques are very laborious and time taking conduct the study.
processes. It takes one day to complete these
processes. Whereas, the Reku technique combined
References
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saree-lost-its-sheen/article2860187.ece
sarees. The Petni and Kondi techniques are used for 3 www.indiavideo.org/travel/kanjeevaram-pattu-saree-weaving
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