past. Lasting until July, it included 100 reproductions of paintings and modern photographs. Religion Most of the Siddis in Karnataka follows Hinduism. There is a significant number following Islam and Christianity. The Haliyal taluk has populations of Muslims and Christians while the Hindu populations are concentrated in the ghat areas of Yellapur and Ankola. Although Siddhis opt for different religions they intermarry across religions without any reservations. Hiriyaru worship The one factor which binds the Siddhis, irrespective of their religion is the Hiriyaru or ancestor worship. The dead are believed to be nearby, in the form of spirits. They are regarded as witnesses to be consulted by a family in all its concerns. On occasions like births, marriages and deaths, the ancestors are invoked. The home is organised around Hiriyaru, the spirits of departed parents. It signifies a remembrance of the parents, thanking them for their care over several years and also entreating them to keep a vigil over the family in future. It is obligatory for all relatives to attend the function, thus renewing kinship relations. Hiriyaru worship may be performed twice a year by the 'Kartha'(head) of the family. It normally is held during the Navarathri festival in the first week of November. If this is not possible for some reason, it may also be performed in April–May during the other major festival - Holi. These obviously are not meant to coincide with the dates of the parents' deaths as the Siddis only observe the first death anniversary. Hindu Siddhis usually have elaborate functions to mark the event, but not so the Christian and Muslim Siddhis. Language Siddis mainly speak Konkani, the native language of Goa which belongs to the Indo-Aryan family. Some also speak other languages, such as Kannada and Marathi. Occupation Almost all Siddis today subsist as agricultural and casual labourers, contractual or in some cases bonded, some also work as domestic help. The earliest Siddhi settlers who fled Goa and entered the Karnataka forests of North Canara, made the forests their home and started cultivation. In some of the villages in these areas, they form the earliest settlers. Art The Siddis of Karnataka are known in recent years for their unique style of quilting called kawandi. Siddis go through a complicated process of quilting that makes their style distinct from surrounding groups. The process involves taking recycled fabric scraps and arranging them in stylistic geometric