About Ilkal
The art behind the weave
Ilkal is a quiet town in the Bagalkot district of northern Karnataka, nestled between the Malaprabha river and the sandstone hills of the Deccan.
Where Ilkal sarees are born
For over 500 years, families here have woven sarees on traditional pit looms — a craft passed from mother to daughter, father to son.
The town sits near some of India's most celebrated heritage sites — Badami's cave temples, the Chalukyan sculptures of Aihole and Pattadakal, and the ruins of Hampi. The art of Ilkal weaving draws from this rich cultural landscape, blending tradition with everyday beauty.
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Ilkal and the heritage towns around it.
How to recognise one
Three marks of a true Ilkal saree
Cotton body, silk border
The body is woven in cotton for comfort and the border in silk for richness — a dual-yarn technique particular to Ilkal that gives the saree its drape.
The kondi joining
Where the body meets the pallu, the warp threads are interlocked by hand in a technique called kondi, leaving a visible loop that marks a genuine Ilkal saree.
The tope teni pallu
The pallu carries the tope teni design — rows of checks, stripes and temple motifs in a contrasting colour, the part that drapes over the shoulder.