Collection: Pochampalli Ikat Cotton Sarees
Double and Single Ikat Pochampalli Cotton Sarees.
The state of Telangana, characterized by its stark, boulder studded landscape, once the seat of the powerful Nizam, today symbolizes the rapidly growing, fast changing texture of the Indian ikat industry. A region where this technique was unknown 3 or 4 generations ago, today there are many villages within a 70 km radius of Hyderabad, including Pochampalli, Koyalagudam, Puttapakka, Elanki and Chautupal, where ikat textiles are woven. The mastery of this tedious, precision craft in so short a time span is perhaps the most remarkable achievement of the hard working, Padmasali and Devang weavers or ‘Pagdhu Bandhu’ (ikat) weavers of Telangana state. Here ikat weaving has become a way of life – from child to grandparents, every family member is involved at one stage or another.
- Source - Ikat Textiles of India by Chelna Desai
The original Telia rumal (literally meaning ‘oily handkerchief’) were woven in the town of Chirala in the Prakasam district of current day Tengana state. These were basically yarn resist, oil-soaked, square pieces. They were woven primarily for export to the Middle East and Southeast Asia and the locals. In the early twentieth century, this production center lost its trade and skills to the northern districts of Nalgonda, Medak and Mahbubnagar due factors like change in dress in the importing countries and an increased British interest in trade in costal Andhra. This was further encouraged by the Nizam who found the northern districts more accessible from Hyderabad.
Modern demands for both saris and exports, have transformed the humble chitki (yarn-resist dash pattern) headscarf or sari, and the more elaborate yarn-resist rumal.
- Source Saris of India : Tradition and Beyond by Rta Kapur Chishti