Soft water the secret behind good silk

Smooth affair

Very few people outside Shidlaghatta known the secret behind the excellent silk. No there is no secret formula or technique but plain simple drinking water.

Yes, the soft water of the region is the reason behind the fabulous silk which is known for its colour, texture and elasticity.

The quality of water is very essential as cocoons are boiled in the hot water to obtain yarn and thereby in producing raw silk.

For this reason, silk saree manufacturers from Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) and Zari makers from Surat (Gujurat) essentially use silk yarn produced in Shidlaghatta.

Apart from the thousands of reeling units in Shidlaghatta which provide employment to the people, the transportation of soft water too has provided employment to quite a few in the taluk.

There are many families which have eked out a living by transporting water reeling unit. The soft water from the taluk is even supplied to reeling units in Chintamani, Kaiwara and Timmasandra.

In the olden days bullock carts were the only source to transportation. But today there are many tankers which supply water. However, for transporting water to reeling units located in small localities of the town, bullock cart is used predominantly.

Venkatesh, a resident of Ullurpet in the town who transports water to reeling units said: “We charge Rs 20 for regular customers and Rs 30 for new ones for a load of water. We also incur Rs 100 expenditure on ox per day. However, a load of water in tanker cost Rs 250.” He added that many borewells go dry during summer and income diminishes. “ We have no other option but to continue transporting of water as this is our occupation,” Venkatesh added.

Permanent irrigation

“There are more than 4,000 units in Shidlaghatta and all them require good quality water. However, during summer, many tanks and borewells go dry affecting even drinking water supply. The production of yarn is also affected,” he added.

The water in some of the borewells have toxic contents and are unfit for drinking and preparing yarn. The government should implement permanent irrigation for the welfare of the people and reeling units of the region, he added.