The experience
You'll sit at Kamala's pit loom as she threads the coarse red-and-cream cotton that has clothed Goa's Kunbi farming women for generations. She'll guide your hands through the throw of the shuttle until you've woven a strip of cloth wide enough to keep, alongside the story of how the saree's famous knot came to be tied at the shoulder for working in the fields.
Why this matters
The Kunbi saree is one of Goa's most recognisable textile traditions and a marker of the state's tribal and agrarian heritage, yet very few working handlooms remain in active use.
Cultural background
Traditionally woven in checked red cotton and worn knotted at the shoulder to leave the hands free for farm work, the Kunbi saree is linked to Goa's earliest agricultural communities and today survives mainly through folk dance performances and a small number of heritage weavers.
Meet the practitioner
We're still verifying a practitioner for this experience — check back soon.
Schedule
Morning
Loom setup and yarn-threading demonstration
Midday
Learning the throw-and-beat weaving rhythm
Afternoon
Weaving your own cloth strip and shoulder-knot tying demonstration
Difficulty
Moderate — requires some hand-eye coordination
Age suitability
14 and up
Gallery
Kamala threading the pit loom
Red-and-cream checked cotton on the loom
Tying the traditional shoulder knotPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Included
- Loom access and cotton yarn
- Woven cloth strip to take home
- Tea and Goan snacks
Not included
- Flights to Goa
- Accommodation
- Personal insurance
Before you arrive
- · Tie back long hair before working at the loom
- · Wear comfortable clothing you can sit on the floor in
- · Trim long nails if possible for ease with the shuttle
Frequently asked
Will I finish a full saree?
No — a full saree takes weeks. You'll weave and keep a sample strip of cloth.
Is the loom difficult to use?
It takes a few tries to find the rhythm, but Kamala keeps a steady hand on the shuttle with you throughout.
What people say
“Kamala's loom has such a specific creak and rhythm — I still hear it when I think about that afternoon.”
Sarah K. · 5/5
“Harder than it looks but incredibly satisfying once the pattern starts to show.”
Devika P. · 4/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.