Handloom of Telangana

Pochampally

The ikat of the Deccan — geometric fire from the Nalgonda plateau.

Weaving centreBhoodan Pochampally
StateTelangana

History

Origins & patronage

Bhoodan Pochampally in Nalgonda district (now Telangana) is home to a 200-year-old ikat weaving tradition. The village became famous after Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan movement in the 1950s — hence the name Bhoodan Pochampally — and the weave was recognised with a Geographical Indication in 2005. The technique here is a single-ikat (weft-ikat), simpler than Gujarat’s Patola but still extraordinarily labour-intensive; the entire weft is resist-dyed to a plan before being woven. Pochampally is often called "silk city" for its 10,000-plus weaver population.

Motifs & identifiers

Signature vocabulary

Geometric ikat patterns — diamonds, chevrons, medallions, "chowka" (large square) motifs; bold jewel-tone colour palettes (deep peacock-blue, magenta, mustard-and-black); ikat "smoke edge" — the resist-dye technique produces a slightly blurred motif edge that is the signature; woven in silk, cotton, or silk-cotton blend; the border and pallu often carry contrasting solid colours to frame the ikat body.

Weaving villages

Where it is woven

Bhoodan Pochampally is the epicentre with 5,000 handlooms; nearby villages Koyyalgudam, Puttapaka and Chowtuppal add another 5,000 looms to the cluster.

How to spot a real one

Authenticity guide

The ikat motifs have a signature "feathered" edge — not the sharp lines of a print or a plain weave; the same pattern appears on both sides but slightly offset (unlike Patan double-ikat which is identical); the Silk Mark and Bhoodan Pochampally GI tag are the assurance of origin.

From our collection

Shop Pochampally sarees

Kiara Semi Silk Brocade Saree [KIA]

Kiara Semi Silk Brocade Saree [KIA]

₹ 1,699.00
Rohini Silk Brocade Saree [RHA]

Rohini Silk Brocade Saree [RHA]

₹ 2,149.00
Bhavya Bhagalpur Silk Saree [BHA]

Bhavya Bhagalpur Silk Saree [BHA]

₹ 1,349.00
Thulasi Fancy Cotton Saree [TLA]

Thulasi Fancy Cotton Saree [TLA]

₹ 1,899.00

Related traditions

Handloom of Gujarat

Patola

The double-ikat of Patan — one saree, six months, four Salvi families still a...

Handloom of Odisha

Sambalpuri

Odisha’s bandha-ikat — shankh, chakra and lotus tied into the yarn.

Handloom of Karnataka

Ilkal

The tope teni border of North Karnataka — the "old Dharwad style" of the Deccan.

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Test yourself on all 15 weaves

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