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Pochampally Handloom Village

• "Pochampally Handloom Village"

1. Introduction

Silk, the queen of textiles dominates the textile industry with its Cluster, sensuousness, and glamour. The silk sarees of India are among the living examples of the excellent craftsmanship of the weavers of the country. The artistic and aesthetic sense of Indian weavers is not content with striking colors they choose for the fabrics but lies in their mastery over the creation of floral designs, beautiful textures, fine geometry, and the durability of such work. The weaver not only weaves with yarn, but with intense feeling and emotion. Indian handloom silk sarees known for their unique features like beautiful color combinations, intricate designs, and wonderful motifs, tops the demand of the domestic market. In India, there are a number of silk weaving centers spread all over the country, known for their distinct and typical style of weaving. South India is the leading silk producing area of the country also known for its famous silk weaving enclaves like Kancheepuram, Dharmavaram, Arni, Pochampally, Gadwal, etc. The beauty of silk is the key to having wonderful silks. India's cultural diversity is perhaps best reflected in its handloom textile varieties, from Patola and Mashru in Gujarat, Gulbadan in West Bengal and Saktapar in Orissa, Chettinad and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu to Narayanpet and Pochampally in Telangana. Handloom weavers for thousands of years created a tapestry of designs and textures that have been the pride of India. But today, much of this treasure is lost to time and to the advances in technology. Handlooms are losing out badly in several parts of India and the skills are vanishing. The intimidation posed by various developed countries has made even the silk producers in India to respond and protect their silk related products under the Geographical Indication Act.

2. Profile of Pochampally

Pochampally is a Municipality situated in the district of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri in Telangana and is popularly referred to as the 'Silk City of India' for its beautifully crafted silk Ikat sarees and fabric. Pochampally is most popular for its Ikat style of saris and material and the world knows this quaint town for its spectacular Ikats. Pochampally, a cluster of 80 villages, is the place where threads and colors find their way into the hands of skillful weavers and meander into the market as beautiful sarees and dress material. Spread over an attractive and charming part of the Deccan plateau, the village is around 50 km from Hyderabad, the capital city of both the states i.e., Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. Pochampally is surrounded by lush green fields, beautiful hills, and big water ponds that receive water from the river Musi flowing nearby. Having earned a name to reckon with in the map of popular weaving clusters of India. Though there is a change in the lifestyle of the people over a period of time, we still find the rural atmosphere here. Pochampally is a typical weaving village and predominantly a Padmashali village, where the traditional weaving community is strong in number. Pochampally is the single largest handloom tie and dye cluster with about 2000 Pit looms and around 5000 artisans. Usually, Pochampally handlooms are made in cotton, silk, and Sico - a mix of silk and cotton. It is a treat for the eyes to see the artisans work.

3. History of Pochampally silks

Pochampally is popularly known as Bhoodan Pochampally. Acharya Vinobha Bhave started the Bhoodan Movement (Land Donation) from this village. Pochampally silk saree manufacturing history goes back to 1970 when it was decided by some village headmen of Pochampally to weave silk along with cotton (cotton weaving was being done since very long back), to make a better living. They have sent two young weavers to Bangalore to learn the secrets of the art. This was the beginning of a revolutionary era in the Pochampally handloom industry, which led to the eventual dominance of the Indian tie and dye patola Industry. Unlike the Orissa industry, the weaving of pochampally sarees appears to be a modern development without strong indigenous roots. The genesis of the decision to enter into new realms of silk weaving can be attributed to a new era, in the history of Pochampally ikkat. It is believed that the ikkat technique was brought to Pochampally from Chirala, another town in Andhra Pradesh, a couple of generations ago, perhaps as early as 1915. The origin of this technique is not very clear, but it appears to have been learned and was not indigenous to the region. According to one version, weavers from Chirala who migrated to Nalgonda brought this technique of tie and dye with them. Another view holds that, the Nizams encouraged few weavers of Mashroo (brocaded cloth, with cotton inside and silk outside) here and that the Ikat technique developed out of that. Some say that local weavers went to Chirala to learn the technique, but found it difficult to execute the double Ikat weaving. So the weavers in Pochampally started only with warp Ikat and only much later worked on double Ikat. The success of such Ikat saris in cotton led to experiments in silk as well. Silk Ikat saris from Pochampally thus became a generic name for Andhra Ikats. Pochampally products are handcrafted to perfection by skilled artisans who are endowed with critical skills in intricate designs, having decades of experience behind them in their respective fields. In certain cases, these masterpieces can take up to one hundred and twenty days to take final shape, to the satisfaction of our craftsmen.

4. Production Process of Pochampally silks

Weaving a Pochampally sari is an art. Pochampally saree is an interesting collage of tradition, history, heritage, and nowadays widely known for its modernity in design. The weavers of pochampally are popular for their traditional and geometric patterns in the Ikat style of dyeing. Ikat weaving involves an 18-step sequence of tying and dyeing sections of bundled yarn to a predetermined intricate colour pattern prior to weaving. The tied yarn is dipped in different colored dyes to produce hued patterns and thereafter is woven into the fabric. The uniqueness in the Pochampally weave relies on the transfer of a design onto the warp and weft first, which are then woven together to get the required design. The fabric designs are visible in the dyed threads. The raw silk is degummed. Degumming is the process of removing the sericin, or silk gum, from silk. Removing the gum improves the sheen, colour, hand, and texture of the silk. Then the silk is to be transferred from hanks to bobbins. The skill of the artisans can be seen here while winding the silk from hank to bobbin. After winding it onto the bobbin, the next phase is the preparation of warp and weft on the Tie and Die frame. IKAT - is a type of weaving where the warp or weft or both are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs on the finished fabric. Great care must be taken in tying resist areas with water repellent material such as bicycle inner tubes cut into strips. Designs generally are worked out on graph paper. With weft and warp in mind, a design on a graph paper is visualized in this style of weaving. Later, the design is transferred onto the weft and warp. The threads of the warp and weft are measured carefully, and then tied and kept in the dye solution.

5. Rural Tourism Complex

Our rich heritage and tradition lie preserved in the villages. Some of the villages have gained more recognition in terms of culture, its history, its art, and their festivals or simply because of their scenic beauty, Pochampally one such village recognized well with world-famous IKAT weaving. In view of this, the Ministry of Tourism established the Rural Tourism complex at Bhoodan Pochampally, Telangana. Pochampally is one of the United Nations Development Programs (UNDPs) of 36 rural tourism sites, and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism. The rural tourism complex is situated next to a serene lake called Pochampally Cheruvu and looks more like a sprawling bungalow, but when you look at the huge gate you see the signboard of the Rural Tourism complex. The tourism complex houses the Ikkat weaving museum amphitheater to perform local art forms and guest house. The museum of the rural tourism complex displayed with all the varieties of ikat weave like dress materials, sarees, variety of ikat designs, portraits of our National leaders like Indira Gandhi, Vinobha Bhave in ikat weave and different devices of an ikat weave. 7. Geographical Indications to Pochampally Handlooms The globalization has brought about enormous challenges to the trade and industry. Geographical Indication (GI) Act, 1999 by the Government of India has created an avenue for the protection of these unique products of the country. The GI Act stipulates the protection of the market of the producers and safeguards the interests of the consumers of these unique products through registration and taking infringement action against the infringers. It is believed, that the IPR Protection of unique textile products of the country with a predetermined market linkage strategy would help in brand the building of the product, providing market linkages, generating more employment opportunities and enhanced income to the stakeholders. The famous Pochampally saree has won Intellectual Property Rights protection or Geographical Indication Certification in 2005. It is the first traditional Indian craft to receive this. And recently, Pochampally village was selected as one of the World Best Tourism Village by United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

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H No 6-98 , RamNagar colony, Pochampally, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana, India 508284

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POCHAMPALLY

Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation Limited, Tourism House, No.3-5-891, Himayat Nagar, Hyderabad – 500029 E: [email protected] telanganatourism.gov.in

The cradle of the famous and colorful saris

The village of Pochampally has many attractions, including the world famous traditionally hand-woven IKAT products, or the various attractions of pilgrimage, ecotourism, local cultural heritage, performing arts, handicrafts, and other indigenous products that showcase unique techniques. This village is located in an ideal settlement on the outskirts of a large city, Hyderabad, which benefits greatly from the weaving culture and its strong historical context. The endearing, meditative hum of the handloom immediately transports the listener into the lives of the weavers and their families.

Pochampally is the place where threads and colors come together in the hands of the skilled weavers, and then make a spectacular appearance in the marketplace in the form of beautiful saris and other clothing materials.

Over the years, Pochampally weaving has gained immense popularity, and ikat is now one of the most famous and sought-after weavings in the country. This silk village, home to more than 10,000 weaving families, has traditional looms, patterns and techniques that have existed for centuries. Ikat weaving involves an 18-step sequence of tying and dyeing sections of thread tied in an intricate pattern of predetermined colors before weaving. All Pochampally looms are hand-loomed, as it is believed that a machine can never reproduce the work of the hand. The weavers are popular for their traditional and geometric patterns in the Ikat dyeing style.

The famous Pochampally sari was granted worldwide Intellectual Property Rights protection in 2005, known as Geographical Indication (GI) Certification. Its traditional weaving has spearheaded local employment generation, improved quality of life and livelihood options for the local community. It has also reinforced the cultural significance and sense of cultural identity of the local community.

IKAT style under Geographical Indication protection 

The village is famous across the world for its finesse in hand woven IKAT products in both silk and cotton. In fact, Pochampally Ikat unique style is under Geographical Indication protection. Specific policies are aimed at encouraging intergenerational transmission of skills and techniques and revitalizing local arts and crafts to promote rural development.  

Value chain integration through innovation

The village has partnered with Microsoft and with Chaitanya Bharti, a non-profit organization using innovation in technology to develop its value chain and integrate it in the tourism industry. Skill development programs, digital literacy initiatives and support from various governmental and non-governmental organizations have had a positive impact on the opportunity of more and better quality jobs.  

Prioritizing the role of rural tourism 

Pochampally Rural Tourism Project was launched by the erstwhile Government of Andhra Pradesh in the year 2007 to benefit the local community with the idea of making the tourists aware of the weaving mechanism involved.  

Telangana's Pochampally makes it to UN’s ‘best tourism village’ shortlist

HYDERABAD: Bhoodan Pochampally, about 45 km from Hyderabad, is among only three villages in the country to be nominated in the ‘Best Tourism Village’ category for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Awards 2021 (UNWTO).

The other two Indian villages nominated for the award are Ladhpura Khas from Madhya Pradesh and Kongthong in Meghalaya. Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) managing director B Manohar, reacting to the nomination, said: “It is a proud moment for us. The village has historic significance and vast cultural history that should be explored by more and more people.”

Located in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, Bhoodan Pochampally, termed the silk city of India, is also famous for its woven products, especially hand-woven ikkat sarees. There are thousands of looms in the village that produce the sarees in bulk. Pochampally sari also received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2005.

“To give tourists a glimpse of a weaver’s life, the department has put up a few weaving machines for them as well, where they can try their hands at the art of weaving sarees,” said Manohar. The village gets its name from a historic movement that took place in 1951. The Bhoodan (gifting land) movement, also known as the bloodless revolution, started here at the time, wherein several wealthy landowners voluntarily started giving up parts of their lands to landless labourers.

The land reform movement that was initiated by well-known Gandhian — Acharya Vinoba Bhave — soon became popular in the entire country and also gave the village its name. The village, which has a tropical climate, is surrounded by palm trees. It also boasts of a unique mix of heritage, history, modernity and scenic beauty. To get there from Hyderabad, one can either drive down to the village or take the Tourism Department’s TSRTC buses and explore its beautiful lakes and temples, with a Haritha hotel providing an option for accommodation.

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Pochampally selected as UNWTO Best Tourism village from India

Hyderabad: Pochampally village from Telangana has been selected as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The prestigious award will be presented during the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on December 2, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. In July early this year, Ramappa Temple from Mulugu district […]

Hyderabad: Pochampally village from Telangana has been selected as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The prestigious award will be presented during the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on December 2, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. In July early this year, Ramappa Temple from Mulugu district bagged the UNESCO’s ‘World Heritage Site’ tag.

Last year, the Ministry of Tourism had recommended three villages, including Kongthong from Meghalaya, Ladhpura Khas, Madhya Pradesh and Pochampally in Telangana for the UNWTO Best Tourism Village entry from India.

The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO pilot initiative aims to award villages, which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase good practices in line with its specified nine evaluation areas. It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement.

Pochampally, which is 50 kms from Hyderabad, is a town in Yadadri district. It is popularly known as the ‘Silk city of India’ for the exquisite sarees that are woven through a unique style called Ikat.

This style, Pochampally Ikat, received a Geographical Indicator (GI Status) in 2004. Ikat involves the process of wrapping (or tying) and dyeing sections of bundled yarn to a predetermined colour pattern before they are woven. The dye penetrates into exposed sections while the wrapped section remains undyed. This pattern formed by the yarn in this process is woven into fabric.

Pochampally’s unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of Vocal 4 Local as a part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, said Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy in a press note.

“On behalf of Pochampally and the people of Telangana, I am grateful that this award has been bestowed on Pochampally Village” said Kishan Reddy adding “I am grateful to the Ministry officials in presenting the case for Pochampally and other entries effectively”

Pochampally is also known as Bhoodan Pochampally to commemorate the Bhoodan Movement that was launched by Acharya Vinobha Bhave from the village on April 18th, 1951. Currently, a two-room Vinobha Bhave Mandir exists within the village, which was earlier the place where Vinobha Bhave used to stay during his visit to the village.

The Union Tourism Minister said, the Ministry of Tourism has drafted a Rural Tourism Policy, which will not only promote tourism within our villages but also revitalise local arts and crafts and promote rural economy. It will help redevelop and rebuild our villages and rural life and the residents of the villages will also get an opportunity to engage and interact with people from outside, he said.

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Rural tourism complex bhoodan pochampally village,  visit to bhoodan pochampally village- part ii.

In my last post on Pochampally village, the home of world-famous Pochampally Sarees and other dress material,  I focused on the beautiful rangolis that people have made outside their homes and shops for celebrating Sankranthi. In this post, we will visit the Rural Tourism Complex, of Bhoodan Pochampally Village, Nalgonda District, in Telangana.

The Pochampally Lake near the Rural Tourism Complex Pochampally

Entry to the Bhoodan Pochampally Rural Tourism Complex

It is about 60 KM from Hitech city in Hyderabad and if you start early you can reach Bhoodan Pochampally in about 1.5 hours.  As Pochampally was the first village where a rich landlord donated his surplus land to landless peasants and artisans so the village was renamed as Bhoodan (or donated land) Pochampally. It is a model village and part of the rural tourism project by the government.

Pochampally has many attractions

The Jugaad to make Charkha

The complex is situated next to a serene lake called Pochampally Cheruvu and looks more like a sprawling bungalow, but when you look at the huge gate you see the signboard of the Rural Tourism complex. Before we move further let me talk a bit about the lake though it is huge we could not find any facilities for boating etc, but since we were not actually there for boating so we did not mind it.

Rural Tourism Complex Pochampally Telangana

 Inside the Rural Tourism Complex Pochampally,   is a statue of both Vinoba Bhave and Sri Ram Chandra Reddy the Zamindar or landlord who came up with the idea of donating land. (This was before land grabbing became an issue of prestige for the rich and powerful in India). I felt so happy to learn that the Bhoodan movement started right here in Telangana so close to Hyderabad, which has benefited thousands of landless families. There is also a small hut where Acharya Bhave stayed during his visit that is also worth visiting in the complex.

Weaved Portrait of Acharya Vinoba Bhave

There is a nominal ticket to enter the museum ( I think 10 Rs), although it was a holiday, one of the employees there was kind enough to open the museum for us and we clicked some pictures inside the complex. The museum is very bare-bones and not many signs etc are there to explain things to you. So we picked the brains of the guy present there who himself is from a family of weavers, as the museum is dedicated to the process of making Pochampally Sarees, bed-sheets and other dress material both in silk as well as in cotton.

This gentleman patiently answered all our questions and took us through all the rooms in the museum. I am feeling so bad that I have forgotten his name. In one of the rooms, there are different kinds of spinning wheels, one made of wood like Bapu Gandhi must have used and then next to it is one made of using a cycle wheel, a proof of the Jugaad Innovation of the Indian mind.

Different Kind of Sarees

The most interesting was the next room with various kinds of looms that are used in Pochampally village, the guide gave us a demo of how they are used and all of us keenly listened to him and clicked some pictures.  I was very keen to look at the small bobbin used for weaving and immediately remembered the movie Wanted , where the Bobbin delivers the name of the target to be eliminated (actually I was remembering Angelina Jolie, but my wife reads this blog so I hope you understand).

The Doll Dressed in Pochampally Saree

Bobbin For Weaving- Can you decode the message?

In next room there are Sarees weaved in different parts of Andhra Pradesh ( Pochampally now comes in Telangana ) are displayed on both mannequins as well as on walls like drapery. It is interesting to know that different part of the state has their own distinctive styles of weaving but what is clear is that Pochampally is the most famous of all the styles weaved in the state.

Photographers in Pochampally

Overall it was a good experience to start from the museum and rural tourism complex before we visited other places in the Pochampally village on that beautiful Sankranti festival . I will be writing about some of the other activities and places in Pochampally so do visit back.

GHAC members Ipsita and Rajani learning to weave Pochampally Saree

Weaved Portrait of Mrs. Indira Gandhi

Board Explaining about Pochampally Sarees 

Travel tips : Start early, and make the rural tourism complex your first stop in Pochampally village, also this will be the only place in the village where decent toilets are available, so better use them. Here is Google Maps link of  Bhoodan Pochampally

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  17 responses to “rural tourism complex bhoodan pochampally village”.

Thank you for behind the scenes tour of the famous Pochampally saree weaving industry. It must have been something to watch the weavers at work, no? Nice to learn about Pochampally village’s connection with the Bhoodan movement.

🙂 Gland you liked the post, it is worth visiting and watching

https://www.facebook.com/bhoodhanpochampally

Beautiful handicrafts. I like those colorful sarees. They look great!

Thanks a lot Charlene…

The best part about checking out fellow travel bloggers from your city is that you discover the places of interest around the city, which would normally be ignored by travel sites and guide books. Thanks DT for this recommendation. Will make sure I don’t miss it before I say adieu to Hyderabad

Hi Arnab…I would strongly recommend visiting Pochampally there is a lot to see and photography in Pochampally. Thanks.

i better not show this post to my aunty (she is die hard fan of sarees) 😉 Its a very interesting post, never knew abt this place before.

Love that pic of charkha!

🙂 :)…..Sarees in Pochampally are worth it… give me her email I will send the post to her 🙂 😉 Thanks.

You will make my life harder, i will be the one who will have to go & buy them 🙂 I rather not give her mail id to you ;D

🙂 🙂 I can understand….

Had heard so much about the Pochampalli village. Finally got a virtual tour, thanks to your write-up!

Hi Purba…good to see you here…thanks

Sharing my travelogue with you: http://anuradhagoyal.blogspot.in/2011/09/andhra-adventures-iv-bhoodan.html

Hi Anuradha… So nice to see you here… Thanks a lot, read the same, we missed the 101 Darwaza house completely 🙁

am a sucker for sarees and this post is so interesting!!

http://www.myunfinishedlife.com/

Well I guess I need to write a post on that.. to cover the real reason why Pochampally is famous. thanks

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Pochampally village in Telangana selected as one of the best Tourism Villages by United Nations World Tourism Organisation

Pochampally’s unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus from the prime minister’s mantra of vocal 4 local as a part of atma nirbhar bharat: shri g kishan reddy on behalf of the people of pochampally in particular, and the people of telangana, i am grateful that this award has been bestowed on the village of pochampally: shri g kishan reddy.

Key Highlights 

• Award will be given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on 2nd December 2021 in Madrid, Spain
• I am grateful to the Ministry officials in presenting the case for Pochampally and other entries effectively: Shri G Kishan Reddy

The Pochampally Village in Telangana State has been selected as one of the best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The prestigious award will be given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on 2nd December 2021 in Madrid, Spain.

With relentless efforts of @tourismgoi , I’m happy to share that #Pochampally village in #Telangana has been selected as one of the ‘Best Tourism Villages’ by @UNWTO . Under @narendramodi Government, promoting our rich culture and tourism prospects has been a priority. pic.twitter.com/iUxmE03XV2 — G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) November 16, 2021

The Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) congratulated the people of the village and said, “Pochampally’s unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus through Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi’s mantra of Vocal 4 Local as a part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.” “On behalf of the people of Pochampally in particular and the people of Telangana, I am grateful that this award has been bestowed on the Village of Pochampally. I am also grateful to the Ministry officials in presenting the case for Pochampally and other entries effectively”, the Union Minister added.

Hearty Congratulations to the people of Pochampally village in Telangana. More info: https://t.co/lb4oi0odIC — G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) November 16, 2021

The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Pilot initiative aims to award those villages which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase good practices in line with its specified nine evaluation areas.  It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement. The Ministry of Tourism recommended three villages for the UNWTO Best Tourism Village entry from India. These were Kongthong in Meghalaya, Ladhpura Khas, Madhya Pradesh and Pochampally in Telangana. Pochampally, was awarded by UNWTO. 

Pochampally, 50 Kms from Hyderabad, is a town in Nalgonda district of Telangana and is often referred to as the Silk City of India for the exquisite sarees that are woven through a unique style called Ikat. This style, Pochampally Ikat, received a Geographical Indicator (GI Status) in 2004.

Ikat is a Malaysian, Indonesian word which means “Tie and Dye”. Ikat involves the process of wrapping (or tying) and dyeing sections of bundled yarn to a predetermined colour pattern before they are woven. The dye penetrates into exposed sections while the wrapped section remains undyed. This pattern formed by the yarn in this process is woven into fabric.

In 2015, to recognise the diversity of weaving techniques and our rich handloom tradition, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the first National Handloom Day on August 7 as a tribute to the formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement that was made in a meeting at the Calcutta Town hall on the same day in 1905.

Pochampally is also known as Bhoodan Pochampally to commemorate the Bhoodan Movement that was launched by Acharya Vinobha Bhave from this village on April 18th, 1951. Currently a two room Vinobha Bhave Mandir exists within the village which was earlier the place where Vinobha Bhave resided during his visit to the village.

The Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy  said, “The Ministry of Tourism has drafted a Rural Tourism Policy which will not only promote tourism within our villages but also revitalise local arts and crafts and promote rural economy. It will help redevelop and rebuild our villages and rural life and the residents of the villages will also get an opportunity to engage and interact with people from outside”.

The Union Minister of Tourism also spoke about the Prime Minister’s call from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s 73rd Independence Day. The Minister said, “Our Prime Minister requested the citizens of our country to travel to at least 15 tourist destinations across our country. Taking this vision forward I would urge the citizens to include rural destinations such as Pochampally that have a rich cultural heritage in their travel itinerary and explore the beauty of the villages in our country.”