Gadag man weaves 'Operation Sindoor' gallantry on saree

GADAG: Operation Sindoor , the military action India launched against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, has inspired a line of popular sarees in Gadag district. The idea to honour Operation Sindoor on a saree is the brainchild of Tejappa Chinnur, a weaver from Gajendragad, and today, many are making a beeline to his address, yearning for the garment. The saree is aesthetically designed, with Operation Sindoor printed in bold English against a dark background, with three fighter jets depicting the Tricolour embroidered on its silk border. All this, apart from patterns of ocean waves, are woven using knot technology in the weft. Historically, Gajendragad is known for its striped-edge sarees, derived from pure cotton yarn, which also earned a GI tag this year. Currently, there are about 400 handlooms here, of which about 200 are involved in producing striped-edge sarees. The new Operation Sindoor sarees also fall in this variety, being made from pure cotton, with a silk border. In order to strengthen one side of the saree, the threads are hand-picked (piecing) and the warp is prepared and traditional designs are created in the solid saree using traditional knot technology. Another feature is the word Kannada, inscribed in the Kannada language, woven by twisting, Ashok Ladwa, another weaver, said. The striped-edge silk sarees are priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 5,000, while the Operation Sindoor sarees particularly start from Rs 4,000, going upwards to Rs 10,000, depending on quality. For 40 years, Chinnur has carried on the art of handloom weaving, also founding The Gajendragad Weavers Cooperative Producers Association. He will be presented a prize of Rs 20,000 and a memento during the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations in Bengaluru on Thursday.