Pochampally Village - Andhra Pradesh
Spread over an attractive corner of the Deccan plateau, Pochampalli is 50 km from Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh. It is the largest centre for Ikkat, the intricate tie-and-dye craft for silk and cotton weaving. Ikkat is the process of resist dyeing with the sequence of wrapping and dyeing sections of bundled yarn to a predetermined colour pattern, prior to weaving.
A visit to Pochampally is an interesting way to get a glimpse of the art and craft of Pochampally. Most of Pochampally’s working population is involved in creating a choice of Ikkat fabrics. Visitors to Pochampally may shop of an array of Ikkat fabrics, which include cotton & silk sarees, dress materials, pillow covers, ready-made garments, bed covers and towels.
There is a museum here which showcases the entire process of how Pochampally fabrics are made—from boiling the raw material (mulberry silk) to weaving a sari and selling it in the market. Standardization has caught up with Pochampally as was evident from the Silkmark on some of the fabrics.
Visitors must go round the village where they actually got to see the weaving process—tying and dyeing, color boiling, bobbin weaving and finally the finished fabric. Alongside, they can also see another local occupation, pottery, reinforcing the belief that these primary occupations are still central to the fabric of a rural Indian economy.
Ikkat is not the only craft that draws many connoisseurs of art to Pochampally. It is also popular for its other handicraft products made by traditional artisans. One can look for beautiful baskets made of palm stock, mats made of palm leaf, and Neera, a nutritious drink made by unfermented palm sap.
The place has been declared a model Village due to its cleanliness and civic amenities. There are two beautiful lakes in Pochampally, which provide water supply for irrigation. Visitors to Pochampally can enjoy angling and boating in the main lake. |
