BAGALKOT: The makers of the world famous Ilkal sarees are facing a severe labour crunch, affecting its production and, in turn, their business. Ilkal town, about 68 km from Bagalkot, is known for its traditional saree-weaving industry for centuries and continues to enthral saree lovers.
While the fame of the Ilkal sarees have crossed the Indian borders and has become a huge hit abroad, the production of the sarees has seen a significant downfall in recent years. Reason: The manufacturers are finding it difficult to employ skilled labourers who can weave the finest of Ilkal sarees to meet the demand.
“There are mainly two factors due to which we are facing a labour crisis. One is a social problem wherein parents are hesitant to marry their daughters to weavers. Owing to this, the families which have been into the business of weaving silk sarees are changing their profession,” a leading manufacturer and exporter of Ilkal sarees, Vijaykumar P Guled, told TNSE.
Elaborating on the other factor that has affected the production, Guled said, “After urbanisation, weavers are getting a maximum wage of Rs 200 per day which is not enough to run the household. This too is forcing people to migrate to urban areas in search of a better livelihood.” Guled’s family has been in this profession for the last 150 years.
A decade ago, there were more than 20,000 families weaving Ilkal sarees. However, in recent years, the number has reduced to 5,000. Guled said the figure could dip further in the coming years. “The state government has to find ways to encourage the weavers in order to save the centuries-old tradition. The authorities concerned should take up the responsibility of supplying raw materials to the weavers at a fixed price,” he added.
There are two types of Ilkal sarees — handloom and made by powerloom. The handloom sarees are in high demand as it is a traditional process and they are more durable, said Gopal D, proprietor of Maheshwari Sarees.
“Though the demand for Kanchivaram and Mysore silk sarees is low, their production is high. But, in the case of Ilkal sarees, the production is less and the demand is high,” he added.
Fact files
The production of Ilkal sarees began during the Chalukya dynasty
Ilkal sarees gained fame as they are hand-woven
A decade ago, there were more than 20,000 families weaving Ilkal sarees. However, in recent years, their numbers have reduced to 5,000.