Pochampally Silk Sarees

K.Lalitha Gayatri
2/4 Textile Design
NIFT Hyderabad

Introduction
About the Project
The Summer Project done after my 1st year (textile design) summer vacation is on Pochampally
Silk Sarees Design and Methodology. A Field visit has been done to Pochampally, Nalgonda
District, lasting for 3 days. The details of the methodology of the Pochampally saree makers has
been noted down, and the vital information has been taken supported with photographs.

Pochampally is the epitome of handcrafted sarees, and the skilled weavers and spinners of this
area use many ancient techniques that are unique to their culture. Pochampally has traditional
looms, whose design is more than a century old basking under the glory on par with weave of
other places, Pochampally weave is popularly known as tie and dye weave.

About the Place

Pochampally is a small village situated in the district of nalgonda in Andhra Pradesh. The village
is around 45 km from Hyderabad. It is near to the famous ramoji film city. Pochampally is the
place where threads and colors find their way into the hands of skillful weavers and meanders
into the market as beautiful sarees and dress materials. Pochampally is a typical weaving
village.

Pochampally Sarees
Pochampally Saree or Pochampally Ikat is a saree made in Pochampally , Nalgonda
district, India. They are popular for their traditional geometric patterns in Ikat style of dyeing. The
intricate geometric design finds their way into the hands of skillful weavers and makes it to the
market as beautiful sarees and dress material.

Histroy
Pochampally sarees have been popular since early 1800s. Pochampally city of Andhra Pradesh
consisting of 10,000 weaver families spread over to 100 villages is famous for Pochampally
sarees with a unique tie & dye design- a sought after delicacy of the modern woman.
Surrounded by hills, tanks and ponds and lush green fields, spread-out silk warps, neera
tapping from palm trees, mat making women, bustled with shuttle sounds, Pochampally has
earned a name to reckon with in the map of popular weaving clusters of India.
Pochampally is the place where threads and colours find their way into the hands of skillful
weavers where it is transformed into exotic sarees with intricate magical designs based on Ikats.
Basking under the glory on par with the weaves of Kanchi, Dharmavaram, Gadwal, Venkatagiri,
the uniqueness of Pochampalli sarees lies in the transfer of design and coloring onto warp and
weft threads first and then weave them together forming electrifying patterns on the body and
pallu.

Silk Weaving and Methodology

The Process of Weaving
.The Process of Pochampally Sarees Step-by-Step is described:
Weaving: It is a process of making cloth with 2 components, a wrap and wept and can done by
a very simple technique on complicated loom .

Stage 1

Buying of raw material :

The raw material is purchased from the co-operative societies, like from the ones in

Bangalore.
Deglutanating :

The raw material is deglutinated with Kranti soap and Washing Soda
Drying the yarn :

the degulutinated yarn is dried under the Sun.

Yarn Winding :

The Yarn will then be winded with the help of the instrument shown in the picture above.
Warp Preperation :

A long running Warp is then prepared, as shown above.

Threads Jointing :
The Threads are joined.

Stage 2

Aasu Preparation :

The Yarn is arranged with the help of an Aasu.

Design Making :
The design prototype is prepared on a graph, and it is then used marking for the actual

design.
Design Tieing :

The designs are tied accordingly, in order to get the design on the yarn.
Rubbers Tieing :

The rubbers are tied on these tied designs, which are ready for the colour dyeing
Colour Dyeing :
The rubber tied Yarn is drenched in the Colour dye, where, the yarn takes the colour,

expect the rubber tied places.

Colour Boiling :
The colour dyed yarn is boiled to have the proper uniformity of the dyed colour.

Stage 3

Rubber removal :

The tied Rubbers are removed.

Bobbin Winding :

The Yarn will be wound around the bobbin, in order to put into a shuttle.
Weaving:
The so wound yarn, is all set for weaving

Marketing
Andhra Pradesh State Weavers Co-operative Society under the state government is playing
vital role in merchandising the pochampally products in the country, while, Ministry of Textiles,
Govt of India has initiated efforts yielding positive results in setting up huge Handloom Park
(Member of Silk Mark Organisation of India and Authorised User of Silk Mark) located near
pochampally, providing support to the artisans and weavers. Channellising this household
cottage based traditional artistry by innovating and modernizing the designs, & varieties. The
Handloom Park is preparing itself to flood the international market with never seen before
designs and varieties in the form of Sarees, Furnishings, Garments & Ties, Upholsteries, Madeups viz, (Scarves & Stoles, Cushion Covers, Place mats to name a few) protecting the age old
Indian tradition even in the era of IT boom

Some additional Pictures:

Conclusion: The process of manufacturing, preparing, weaving and marketing of sarees

involved in Pochampally Silk Sarees are explained in detail, with photographs in a vivid manner.