30/05/2026
What if Karnataka had an attire?
Dr.Sanjay Gubbi .gubbi of is a wildlife biologist, conservationist, author, and a passionate advocate for Karnataka’s forests, wildlife, and natural heritage.
At , he was a speaker presenting the deep relationship between nature and culture. He also witnessed our Heritage Karnataka fashion showcase,a visual journey through Karnataka’s evolving silhouettes from the Kadambas to the Wodeyars curated by and
The easy option was to recreate history.
The interesting option was to ask:
What would a contemporary Karnataka intellectual look like today?
So an idea began to take shape.
The strength of the Kodava chale belt.
The craftsmanship of Ilkal’s tope-teni tradition.
The movement of Yakshagana through an Udupi Magga weave.
The dignity of Karnataka’s literary vidwans through a black scholarly topi.
The labour of countless hands through a Khadi angi.
And forest green, rain green, field green, and hope green—the many greens of Karnataka.
The result wasn’t a Rashtrakuta. It wasn’t a Wodeyar. When Sanjay, the Honey Badger,walked onto the stage wearing it, something unexpected happened.
The audience didn’t see a costume.
They saw Karnataka, its land, labour, literature, forests, and living culture woven into a single silhouette.
People smiled. People remembered.And perhaps, without even realising it,
they stood a little taller
Every thread in this attire carries someone’s labour. My heartfelt thanks to the artisans, collaborators and friends who helped shape this idea into reality.
.k.mehta .raju
