Pochampally Saree
| Pochampally Saree | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
.jpg) Girl standing in a veranda wearing a Pochampally saree, 1895, by Hermann Linde | |
| Area |
Bhoodan Pochampally, Nalgonda district, Telangana |
| Country | India |
| Registered | 2005 |
Pochampally Saree or Pochampalli Ikat is a saree made in Bhoodan Pochampally, Nalgonda district, Telangana State, India. They are popular for their traditional geometric patterns in Ikat style of dyeing. The intricate geometric design find their way into the hands of skilled weavers and make it to the market as beautiful sarees and dress material. The Indian government's official air carrier, Air India air hostesses wear specially designed pochampally silk sarees.[1][2]
History
Andhra Pradesh is one of the ancient Ikat weaving centers in India, along with Gujarat and neighboring Odisha.[3] Locally, Pochampally Ikat is known as Pogudubandhu, Chitki and Buddabhashi in Andhra Pradesh where it is produced, in other parts of India it is popularly known as Pochampally, named after one of the village where it is produced. It has its own unique character of design, different from other Ikat producing areas in India. The weaving centers during ancient period was in Chirala and Jentrpeta towns situated between Vijayawada and Chennai but was discontinued for various reasons.[3] Today, most of weaving takes place in Pochampally village where there are over five thousand looms producing this textile.[3] It has found place in UNESCO tentative list of world heritage sites as part of "iconic saree weaving clusters of India".
Weave
The weaving survives in a few villages like Pochampally, Koyalgudam, Chowtuppala, Srirpuram, Bhubangiri, Chuigottala and Galteppala and few villages around them mostly in Nalgonda district. Pochampally Ikat uniqueness lies in the transfer of intricate design and colouring onto warp and weft threads first and then weave them together globally known as double ikat textiles. The fabric is cotton, silk and sico – a mix of exquisite silk and cotton. Increasingly, the colours themselves are from natural sources and their blends.
Industry
Pochampally, a cluster of 80 villages, has traditional looms, whose pattern and designs are centuries-old. Today this Silk City, which is more of a cottage industry, is home to more than 10,000 weaving families in 100 villages. The fabric is marketed through the cooperative society, many other linked organizations, the master weavers and the business houses in Pochampally. Pochampally does more than Rs.10,00,000,00 annual business in terms of yarn sales, purchase of handloom products and sales. The government in 2010 divided the belt into two clusters Pochampally 1 and Pochampally 2, and is proving common weaving centres. Because of its unique design efforts are on to revive the dying art.
Geographical indication rights
Pochampally saree received Intellectual Property Rights Protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2005.[4] Pochampally Ikat be the registered property of Pochampally Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Ltd and the Pochampally Handloom Tie and Dye Silk Sarees Manufacturers Association.[5]
Modern use
Popular designers like Rahul Mishra are showing keen interest in the geometrical design of Pochampally Ikat, the designer dresses are for sale in the exclusive Taj Kazana stores located at all Taj Hotels across India. New products include home furnishings like curtains, table covers, utility related boxes, tissue paper boxes, ladies bags, photo frames, belts and necklaces.
References
- ↑ "Pochampally sarees go places". Nalgonda, Telangana: The Hindu. 2004-01-17. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
- ↑ "Pochampally silk sarees for AI airhostesses". The Hindu Business Line (Hyderabad, India). 2004-02-09. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
- 1 2 3 Ikat Textiles of India
- ↑ "Facilitation of IPR Protection through Geographical Indications: Pochampally". Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
- ↑ "GI Research: Pochampally". Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.