The delightful geometry of ikats from Andhra and Telangana

I have always been enamoured by the almost dizzying symmetry and angular precision of ikat textiles from the Andhra Pradesh/Telangana region….

Photos: Vincent Boyer (Say hi on instagram @vincetravelbook)

In these photos I am wearing a vintage Pochampally silk saree that is a preloved treasure over a merino wool base layer for a relaxed afternoon brunch and playtime with the puppy face.

The Andhra style of yarn resist-dyed woven fabric, i.e. ikat, is known locally in Telugu as ‘paagadu bandhu’, ‘chitki’, ‘buddabhashi’ and more colloquially as Pochampally.

I am just going to refer to the region as Andhra in this post, I think this two-state demarcation is going to take me ages to get used to. In modern day India, this region is the largest exporter of ikat textiles, which really surprised me because I always assumed that the state of Odisha had bigger production and export.

The dominant motifs in indigenous Andhra ikat textiles include simple as well as intricate geometric designs, multicolored patterns, wedge-like patterns and stripes. There isn’t much in terms of documented history to ascertain the exact time or origin of the ikat technique in the region but it is widely accepted that the craft isn’t an ancient practice in the area.

The oldest centre for ikat textiles in the region is believed to be Chirala which used to produce the famous double ikat ‘telia rumal’ (oily handkerchief) or ‘chowkas’ (diamond within a square) measuring between 55 to 75 cms. The most common motifs in telia rumals include a geometric representation of mathikai (a local fruit), and mallipu (jasmine).

Traditionally only red, black and white yarn were used to create these fabrics and they were offset by wide single coloured borders. In India, they were more commonly seen on fisher folk and cowherds as loincloths, lungis or turbans. And there are document to prove that in the 1930’s they were exported in large numbers to Burma, the Middle East and East Africa where they were known as Asia Rumals.

Currently, only a few weavers in the Puttapaka village of Nalgonda district create this complicated weave. Apart from the telia rumals all other double ikat produced in the states are heavily influenced by the Patolas from Gujarat.

As per the geographical indication (GI) tag application, Pochampally ikat textiles come from at least 40 villages within a 70 km radius of Hyderabad. This includes Nalgonda, parts of Warangal, including Pochampally, Koyalagudam, Puttapakka, Elanki and Chautupal. From my research into the Geographical Indication Journal archives, telia rumals are covered under the GI tag bestowed upon Pochampally.

And as per the journal the three basic forms of Pochampally ikat are;

i. Single ikat, where either warp or weft threads are tied and dyed prior to weaving.
ii. Combined ikat, where wrap and weft ikat may co-exist in different parts of a fabric occasionally overlapping.
iii. Double ikat, which is by far the most complex form. Here both warp and weftthreads are tied and dyed with such precision, that when woven threads form both axis, mesh exactly at certain points to form a complete motif or pattern.

As per documents from the Intellectual Property India archives from 2017, currently there are about 100 master weavers who are ultimate authority in crafting these textiles. These artisans have complete knowledge in all aspects relating to the process of making Pochampally ikat, including the critical art of design visualisation, tying and dyeing of yarn till they represent the original draft, loading the looms and finally weaving the fabric to get the desired array of motifs with diffused edges.

For another post featuring a double ikat on cotton from this region please click here for previous posts featuring ikats from Odisha click here, here, here and here.

Random Trivia: It is common to see Pochampally referred to as Bhoodan Pochampally after the Bhoodan (short for Bhoomi daan) Movement. The movement began in 1951 when Vedire Ramachandra Reddy became the first wealthy landowner to voluntarily donate 100 acres of land to Vinoba Bhave in order to benefit landless labourers.

Why I wear sarees the way I do – Part deux

A quintessential double ikat from Telangana with its distinctive red border and geometric motifs worn with a comfy-fit blouse made with Manipuri handloom fabric with the temple border typical to the state …

 

Photos: Vincent Boyer (Say hi on instagram @vincetravelbook)

These pictures pretty much sum up what we get up to most weekends, wearing relaxed handcrafted clothing, getting away from the city, walking in the forest and drinking chilled beers. So instead of writing about anything in the photos, I will regale you with idiotic queries and statements that come my way when I post photos of myself in sarees online.

Over a year and a half ago I made this post with some unfiltered responses to asinine questions/ comments I get, but of course in the ensuing months there were more such gems that came my way…

Now I don’t believe in making lemonade, I believe that chancing upon lemons means that the universe is asking me to line up the tequila shots and have some fun.

So, here are a few wonderful questions/ comments that made me stop and stare stupefied at my screen and/or laugh at the idiocy of the person asking/making them. If you don’t like opinionated women who use strong/ coarse language, this is the time to look away.

1. Can you show me how to look slim in sarees?

No I can’t, maybe you could just wear sarees (and/or whatever else you feel like) and feel wonderful about yourself?

   2. You seem to trek a lot, what make up should I wear on one?

As someone who barely wears makeup ever, trek or no trek, I am not the one you should address your question to. How about you do what ever the hell you want?

    3. Why don’t you do giveaways like other instagram influencers, you have so many sarees?

Because I don’t want to bother. Why don’t you buy the sarees you want instead of asking random strangers online to conduct giveaways?

4. Why don’t you wear more accessories/ make up/ saree blouses?

I wear what I want, how I want to. Why don’t you get a life so you can focus on something other than another woman’s styling choices? Or better still, why don’t you shove your head in a toilet, close the lid shut and flush your brain clean?

    5. What is the need to wear sarees without petticoats?

Umm, because I felt like it and I don’t like petticoats. Also, who took a shit on your breakfast to make you this grumpy about my underclothing choices?

6. Did you know you look like servants when you wear your saree short like that?

Do you know you just display your immense stupidity and tremendous levels of prejudice with comments like this, you entitled piece of crap?

Also, I think most women whose daily work involves physical labour are way fitter and more fabulous than you’ll ever be, I’d be honoured to look anything like them!

    7. What is the need for such complicated drapes?

For you, clearly there is no need since you don’t have the capacity to comprehend or to create.

    8. Why don’t you bleach your skin to make it look more uniform?

Why don’t you take a dip in a tub full of toilet cleaner, maybe that will help clear your mind fog and help you understand some of us love ourselves just the way we are?

    9. Do you even comb your hair?

No, I don’t. Do you derive any particular joy from asking inane questions or is it just a tic you can’t control?

 10. How do I deal with friends who make fun of me for wearing sarees/ wearing sarees differently?

I’d get rid of them!

   11. Get real! No one can wear sarees like you wear and avoid being jeered at. In India, where women get molested and raped even while fully clothed it is not logically feasible.

You get real! I am clearly wearing sarees the way I want to, travelling the world and having fun. You on the other hand seem to be burning with some sort of pent up rage that I want nothing to do with.

When a person is raped or molested, it is because the perpetrator chose to inflict the horror on them and there is no other point to be made about such heinous crimes.

   12. Wearing bralettes and swimsuits with saree is not really going with our urban lifestyle.

Wearing whatever I want goes with my lifestyle, you on the other hand seem to have nothing better to do than to make disparaging comments about random strangers whose life you know nothing about. Here’s a suggestion, don’t look at and/or obsess about my photos.

  13. Personally saree means elegance and I don’t see that in your pictures.

Personally, I believe one should keep their opinions to themselves unless they’ve specifically been asked for them, so keep your fingers off the keyboard and go do something constructive with your time. Also, I am not here to pander to anyone’s gaze, if you don’t like what I am wearing, look away.

If you have also been subject to such moronic nonsense, please share snippets of them in the comments so we can all have a big laugh?