Rural Tourism at Pochampally PDF

Rural Tourism Project
at Pochampally
ANDHRA PRADESH
India
Project Report commissioned by the Department of Tourism, Andhra Pradesh

June 2004
Kiran Keswani architect

Bangalore, India
kiranmkeswani@gmail.com
CONTENTS
pg. no.
Preface 3
PART I - Understanding Pochampally
Introduction 5
About Pochampally 6
Developing a Weavers’ Village as a Tourist Center 10
Weaving Process 12
Vernacular architecture 16
Cultural traditions 24
PART II - Future course of action

1 Weavers’ program 28
2 Recommendations from the people of Pochampally

on How to make the village attractive to the tourists 32
3 Proposed activities
1. Documenting the process of restoration of Pochampally 37
2. Round-table discussion
3. Study of existing livelihood scenarios
4. Documentation & dissemination of Pochampally traditions,
customs, art & folklore 38
5. Contour mapping of the village 39
6. Awareness workshop for weavers
7. Workshop for community on heritage 40
8. Exposure visit to craft villages in Kerala/Goa/Orissa
9. Constitution of a village ETP committee
10. Interventions in Livelihoods 41
11. Microenterprise management training
12. Training of human resources in traditional building systems
13. Solid waste management 42
14. State level workshop for hospitality industry 43
15. Maintain one street as model weaver street
16. Renovation of the main street façade in traditional idiom 44
17. Develop a museum, craft center & training center
18. Design & construct effluent treatment systems 47
19. Workshop to draw up a code of ethics/conduct
20. Use of the village tank as a recreation facility
21. Renovation of existing haveli as guesthouse 48
22. Construction of Information & Interpretation centre 51
23. Sound & Light show on Bhoodan movement
24. Construction of R&D center on weaving
25. Celebration of festivals associated with date-palm fruit 52
26. Involving Shyam Benegal in the ETP
27. Fashion show to showcase Ikat weaving tradition
4 Additional activities recommended

A. Handloom Tour Circuit 53
B. Micro-planning 54
C. Public programs
D. Encouraging Private participation
E. Inviting tour operators to Pochampally
F. Status report on Infrastructure
G. Physical Planning 55
H. Marketing ‘Rural tourism’ 56
I. Exhibition on Pochampally in the Netherlands
2
PREFACE
This report understands the objectives of the Rural Tourism Scheme (RTS) and the Endogenous
Tourism Project (ETP) as put forth by Govt.of India and UNDP.
Rural tourism is any form of tourism that showcases the

life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby
benefiting the local community economically and socially.
Endogenous or transformative tourism means travel,

where the source of attraction lies ‘within’ the host
community or environment.
For those who will be part of the implementation team on the

Pochampalliproject, it is important to know that the
objectives of the Endogenous Tourism project are to :
1. Build capacity at the local level
2. Initiate location-specific models of community
tourism enterprise
3. Build strong, community-private partnerships
4. Support innovative and promising rural tourism
initiatives.
At Pochampally, Rural Tourism development will aim at providing :

a tour of the Weaving craft
a taste of the cuisine
and
an experience of the culture
A Project Report on ‘Weavers’ Village at Pochampally, as Tourist Center’ was commissioned by the
Department of Tourism, A.P. in June 2003 and submitted to Government of India for consideration
under the Rural Tourism Scheme.
In September 2003, a technical committee was constituted by the Department of Tourism, Andhra
Pradesh for execution of Civil works under this project. The committee comprises of :
1. Sri Raghavan Retd.Engineer-in-chief & former Director-General

National Academy of Construction (NAC) Chairman
2. Executive Engineer A.P. Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Member
3. Sri Peketi Ranga Art Director Member
4. Mrs.Kiran Keswani Consulting Architect Member
5. District Tourism Officer, Nalgonda Convenor
The present Report ‘Rural Tourism Project, at Pochampally’ consists of two parts. The first part is the
work done towards this project before the sanction was received from the Government of India. The
second part covers the studies, strategies and activities decided upon and the interactions with the
teams visiting Pochampally following the approval to develop Pochampally as a Rural tourist
destination.
The focus is now on the holistic development of the village and its people.
3
Part I Understanding Pochampally
1 Introduction
2 About Pochampally
3 Developing a Weavers’ Village as a Tourist Center
4 Weaving Process
5 Vernacular architecture
6 Cultural Traditions
4
1 INTRODUCTION
It is proposed that Pochampally, a weavers’

village in Nalgonda district in the State of
Andhra Pradesh, near the city of Hyderabad,
be developed as a Tourist center towards
promoting Rural Tourism.
11 km stretch from the highway to the village
Why Pochampally for Rural Tourism
• Ikat handlooms
Pochampally has been famous for its Ikat sarees and fabric.
• Close to Hyderabad
Pochampally is located 46 km from the city of Hyderabad, however 36 km of this distance is on the
National highway NH9.
• Bhoodan Yagna
This movement was initiated by Vinoba Bhave at Pochampalli
• Rural character
Pochampally still retains its rural character with a long winding stretch of road from the highway
towards the village.
• Traditional houses
The weavers houses are red tiled roof structures in stone masonry with little courtyards within.
• Picturesque ambience
The village has a lake which is known as Peddacheruvu or Pochampally cheruvu with greenery all
around it.
• Ramoji Film city

Ramoji Film city, a popular tourist attraction is en route to the village.
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2 ABOUT POCHAMPALLY
Pochampally is famous within andhra pradesh for its silk (pattu) sarees. Prior to independence, it was
also known for bangles or gajulu and pearls or poosalu. In fact the village got its name from “Gajula-
Poosala-Palli”. This later became Gajula Pochampally.
At Pochampally, telia rumals were made during the pre-

independence period. Natural dyes were used. The
colours were extracted from leaves and flowers,
especially from a flower called Modugu puvvu. The rumal
was also exported to some countries abroad. For the
purpose of designing the rumals, the weavers used the
technique of tie and dye also known locally as Chittakam-
addakam. Later, cotton sarees were made using the
same technique and they soon became popular.
The cotton ikat sarees of Pochampally weavers were recognised by the Central govt. handloom
Department and the weavers were sent to Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai to learn more about the
handloom weaving techniques. This is when the weavers became aware of the material ‘silk’. They
mastered the art of silk weaving and the Pochampally Pattu Cheeralu or Silk sarees of Pochampally
became popular.
However, due to the poor economic status of the weavers, lack of education and the lack of
knowledge of the export market and its requirements, the appreciation of the art of Pochampally
became restricted. Compounding the problems of the weavers further, was the growth of the power
mills. Production of sarees with similar designs as had originated at Pochampally became common.
This led to the widespread availability of cheap and low quality sarees. Customers preferred to buy
printed sarees as they were less expensive than the painstakingly made hand-woven original
Pochampally sarees.
Also, the time taken for the original sarees to be made and brought to the market was around two to
three months. This only added to the market advantage that the mill-made sarees had. The handloom
weaving process is more elaborate and takes longer. Within the same time, the power loom produces
much more and at a faster rate.
Some of the elders of the village think that one of the reasons for pochampalli not having the
recognition or fame that is its due could be because of it being less accessible, it being 11 km from the
national highway (the NH-9 that connects Hyderabad to Vijayawada). This may have led to some of
the surrounding villages prospering by weaving similar ikat sarees and selling them under the brand
name of pochampalli.
VINOBA BHAVE MANDIRAM
This village is often called Bhoodan Pochampalli,

named after the first ever Bhoomi Daanam (land
donation) which was made on 18th of April, 1951 by the
first sarpanch of pochampalli, Mr. V. Ramachandra
Reddy to Acharya Vinoba Bhave. This kind of
Bhoodaanam caught up all over India, where Acharya
Vinoba Bhave collected the land donations from the
landlords and then distributed them among the needy.
There is an ashram by the lakeside.
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Statistical Information
GRAM PANCHAYAT BHOODAN POCHAMPALLY
Commencement year of Gram Panchayat 1959

Pochampally becomes mandal headquarters 1984
(with 21 villages within the mandal)
The village of Pochampally has 17 Blocks & 5 hamlets
Extent of the village 28 sq.km.

Population 11, 896 persons (2001 census)
Men 6,092
Women 5,804
SC 992
ST 104
Population density 391 / sq.m.
Total no. of houses 2,625
Number of roads (main + sub-roads) 16
Drinking water supply units 8
Agricultural land 6387 acres
Opening Vinoba bhave ashram / mandiram 1951
First land donation by Vedire Ramachandra Reddy
First Sarpanch Vedire Ramachandra Reddy
Annual income of Gram Panchayat 12 lakhs
Main Occupations
Weaving
Fishing ( Chepala Pempakam )
Agriculture ( Vyavasayam )
Schools - Government 8
- Private 9
Hospitals Primary hospital 1
Homeopathy hospital 1
Veterinary
Weavers’ Co-operative Societies 2
Youth organisations 3
Number of banks 3
7
Post-office 1
Cinema 1
Community hall 1
Government office buildings 14
Number of water taps 800
Village poet (Gram Kavi) Sri Kairamkonda Narasimhalu (Bhavakavi)
Lakes & Canals in the village 6
Clubs - K.V.T. Sports club
- Friends Sports club
Hostels SC & ST 2
Rice mills 3
Old buildings (Puratana Katadalu) 101 door house
Temples in the village 5
Infrastructure development
People have to walk two to 2 ½ kms for getting drinking water. The entire village has an open
drainage system. Pochampally is located around a large lake called the Pochampally Peddacheruvu
(pedda is big and cheruvu means lake)
In order for a PLACE to stand still in time, we need to prevent further

deterioration of the houses and demolition of the traditional
structures. The streets need to be retained without being subjected
to “road widening” and “development”. However, Development must
take place because Pochampally is a living village, with people and
they must grow, with the rest of the surrounding towns and cities.
So, the “development” here must be different.
Development of a village or town

usually implies first the physical
development. This would consist of
the Reframing of byelaws, the
Repair of the drainage systems, the
Waste disposal system,
Transportation to the village and
within it, the Water supply network
and so on. In Pochampally, we must
work towards Not “bigger roads” but
better roads – a different road
system perhaps that is not
motorable but can be utilised by
pedestrians only.
The part of Pochampally that abuts the main road of the village has
good ground water. The rest of the village has poor water supply.
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Percentage Distribution of Communities
Weavers ( Padmasali ) 70 %
Potters ( Kummari ) 2%
Agriculture (SC / ST ) 10 %
Goldsmiths ( Kamsali ) 1%
Blacksmiths ( Kammari ) 1%
Washermen ( Chakali ) 4%
Brahmins 2 houses
Shepherds ( Gollakurma ) 3%
Toddy-collectors (Kallugeeta/Gouds) 2 %
Fishermen ( Mudira ) 5%
Basket weavers ( Medarollu ) 1%
Carpenters ( Odlollu ) 1%
Handloom weaving ( Chenata )
Current Tourist inflow
• Indians, as well as foreigners visit the village of Pochampally in Nalgonda district, A.P.
• The average number of visitors per month is estimated at 2000 persons.
• According to the villagers, there is no season for the outsiders to visit the Ikat shops. There is
a continuous flow of visitors.
• Visitors generally come to buy the fabric or sarees and are do not show much interest in the
process of weaving or in the rustic ambience of the interior of the village
• However, some people do appreciate the village character.
• A few people also show interest in the weaving process as well as in the ashram history
• Basically, it is either the cloth or the Ashram that attracts people and not the other crafts such
as pottery, basket-weaving, etc.
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3 DEVELOPING A WEAVERS’ VILLAGE AS A TOURIST CENTER
Objective :
Tourism to be a part of the
Rural Renewal & Development Process
Time frame :
Development of Plan 3 months
Realisation of the Plan 2 years
The Development of the Plan may consist of :

Phase I Understanding existing conditions
&
Identifying local needs
Phase II Rural Tourism Planning
Phase III Implementation Strategies
For the success of a Tourism project, it is important to know who is the tourist and what the
expectations of this tourist are. In a Rural tourism project, it is more important to know if the villager will
participate in the project and lend to it the authenticity and tradition that it must rest on.
If the tourist visiting Pochampally is a foreigner, he usually appreciates everything that the villager
does. He visits the village to understand the weaving process. He finds picturesque the weaver’s
traditional house, the one with clay tiles and mud walls and is also intrigued by the modern concrete
one that he understands as an evolving indian vernacular.
If the tourist is an average Indian, he mostly travels to Pochampally because he needs to buy ikat
sarees or fabric and he has heard that he will be able to buy them at a much lesser price than in
Hyderabad or elsewhere. If there is a “Tourist center” here that has a pleasant outdoor environment
which can also become a holiday place, he then visits with his family and spends a half day or an
entire day here. He is also curious about the weaving process. Sometimes, this tourist thinks, “culture”
is not for him. However, he would like to take his family to Ramoji film city. So, he combines the trip
with a visit to Pochampally and it makes a good holiday for him.
For the urban highly educated indian, a Heritage village at Pochampally may be of great interest
because he believes that he knows little about rural India and would like his family to learn about the
living traditions and culture of andhra.
The important question :
WHAT DO THE WEAVERS AT POCHAMPALLY THINK about such a project?
The Pochampally Rural Tourism project can be a ground-breaking example of how tourism enterprise
can work with local people that is the weavers, by sharing benefits and respecting the land and
traditions of the people. The project needs a new and viable form of development to be promoted,
where a Rural Tourism policy is integrated into the overall rural development strategy for this region.
The cultural potential of Pochampally can be utilised to regenerate the village and bring in economic
and social benefits. Pochampally, like Pedana, Ponduru and other weaving villages in andhra has an
intrinsic historic value. External support can make it possible for the village to bring itself into a new
functional setting, where it continues to thrive as a craft centre but now also becomes a tourist centre.
10
External support can come from the Government or private investors for :
• Design, credit and marketing support for the weavers
• Maintaining the physical fabric of the town
• Providing the know-how on tourist needs
The Planning and design process would benefit from the feedback of foreign and indian tourists, tour
operators, local entrepreneurs, government agencies working in the area and private investors.
The Rural Tourism Project must involve as participants all the stakeholders in the project. This
includes the Central and State governments, the Weavers’ Co-operative Societies, the Master
Weavers of Pochampally and Voluntary organisations in Hyderabad working towards improving the
andhra handloom industry such as Dastkar Andhra.
The Rural Tourism Project at Pochampally will need inputs in the following
Fields of Development :
• Tourism
• Infrastructure development
• Community development
• Entrepreneurship development
Enhance or impart skills
Facilitate financial support
Provide marketing
Develop networking strategies
• Economic development
There is a need to identify the

Main Actors in the Pochampally Rural Tourism Project such as :
• Policy Makers
• Facilitators
• Advisors
• Funding agencies
• Professional bodies
• Voluntary organisations
• Residents of Pochampally
• Potential tourists
• Tour operators
• Travel writers
There are several issues that need to be simultaneously planned to bring about rural development
whilst tourism development is being initiated in Pochampally
Implementation Plan
• Capacity Building
• Physical interventions
• Project Management strategies
• Funding options
• Knowing the shortcomings
• Resource management plan
• Employment opportunities
• Operational constraints
For the development to happen meaningfully, there needs to be a consensus on the many issues
between weavers and the planning & implementing agencies. These need to be discussed widely at
the workshops to be held during the planning stages. Every participant must know that there are other
actors and other fields of development where simultaneous progress must be made.
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4 WEAVING PROCESS
1
Acquiring the oiled maal or yarn from outside the village. It is obtained from Bangalore, in the State of
Karnataka.
2
Washing in detergent water for removal of oil
Using ratnam or
charkha i.e. spinning
wheel, the thread is
wound on to a box or
pipe
4
It is then transferred to the Pose Aasu and the process is termed as Chitiki poyadam
5
Designs are marked on the thread using either charcoal or a pen which is then prepared for dyeing
6
The dyeing process
After the yarn has dried, it is transferred on to another Aasu, also called
a Chitki, known as the Tippe Aasu. On this the design is marked.
12
8
It is then spun on to a Ponte
9
The thread is now transferred on to a Kandal or Uusa
10
This Uusa is fixed on to a Nade. This Nade is put in the loom and weaving begins
It takes a day or two to prepare the loom

or Muggam. Weaving a saree on the
Muggam takes about 15 days. The
designing is done using graph sheets.
This often takes upto 2 months.
13
14
15
5 THE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
The design of the proposed textile bazaar, the

museum, the cultural centre and the weavers
resource centre must have a vernacular
language. In order to develop this vocabulary,
documentation of the existing domestic
architecture of the region has been carried out.
This traces the habitat needs of the weavers,
the influence of culture on their buildings and
the spaces and built-forms generated out of
these.
The houses at Pochampally are mostly RCC constructions. The vernacular architecture has already
been abandoned for modern pucca houses that can be maintained more easily. It is possible to
continue the architectural traditions with appropriate interventions. Intermediate solutions must be
provided that will allow traditional materials to be used and at the same time make them maintenance
free. The old techniques need not be bartered for the new. Cost-effective technologies are being
developed by architects and engineers who have a concern and respect for vernacular architectural
forms and elements.
A TRADITIONAL HOUSE
at Koyyalagudem
The village of Koyyalagudem is about 10 km further down the National highway NH9 from
Pochampally and is representative of the architectural tradition of this region.
Nature of Spaces
There are open spaces also

within the house. Often, there
is a small open-to-sky space in
the large interior. This is where
the dyes are made or where
the yarn is dipped into the dye.
Being a wet area, it must
necessarily allow sunlight to
come in so that no water is
allowed to stagnate inside the
house. The tiled roof slopes in
from four sides into this open-
to-sky space with a small
overhang.
16
may be asked to prepare exhibitions that form the basis of an exchange between weavers and the
public. Traditional costumes of India that have been made out of IKAT weaves will be studied &
documented. Alongwith exhibitions, there will be lectures and workshops. The Resource Centre will
have its own exhibition gallery for educational exhibits for the weavers organised by institutes from
India and abroad. This room is also provided with other working details such as a peg at the end of
room for passing the yarn while weaving.
Often, there are four to five looms with weavers working in one large room while the preparing of the
yarn for the loom and the dyeing process happen simultaneously in adjoining rooms of the house. The
house has a working space and a living space. The toilets are outside the house. The cooking
activities take place within the house.
Elevation of the drying area

with country tile roof
House facades in the village
17
The Plan
A Plan that has developed from

the livelihood needs of the
inhabitants.
The house has pits built into its

floor during the construction of
the house, for the placing of the
weaving looms.
Every member of the family is

involved in the process of
weaving and most of the time is
spent in the large weaving room.
Telugu names :
Weaving Room Nethana

illu
Verandah Arugu
Open-to-sky court Gacchu
Backyard
Ranguladdakam
Illu
Loom Moggam
Loom pit Paggam
Dyeing vats Golem
18
The Verandah
One enters the house from the street through the arugu or verandah. The verandah opens directly into
the weaving room, which is the largest of all the rooms.
Since all day long, the weavers are in a sitting posture, there are niches at a low level for keeping
articles related to weaving. This room also has storage spaces where the Uusalu and threads are
stored. The room is provided with supports for hanging the yarn and for storing the Achhu which is
used during the weaving process.
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Backyard
Sometimes, one enters into a large front room and

then perhaps, into an open space which is the
backyard and more importantly the working area for
making of the dyes.
Backyard
The backyard has vats of water, a small stove and

some empty pots for use during the dyeing
process. When the dyeing is not on, this area is
used for washing clothes of the household. The
backyard also has the toilet and the bathroom on
opposite walls. There is also a well which is the
source of water for the house.
Beyond the store room is the open-to-sky space

where old looms or unused weaving tools are
stored such as the chitiki, the Aasu, the muggam
etc.
The drying area is used for drying the dyed yarn,

for drying clothes of the family and sometimes for
storing extra equipment.
Store room
This room is used for storing unprocessed yarn, coloured yarn, woven fabric
etc. It is a small room with weaving material stacked against the wall. This
room also stores the food grains for the family in clay pots. All the items are
kept towards the walls creating free space in the centre of the room which is
often used for sleeping purpose.
Toilet
The well in the backyard

Plan of the Store room
20
Puja room
This room is used both as a praying space and also as a store room.
Kitchen
The weaver’s family uses both the traditional way of cooking i.e. the Poiee or chulah – the stove that
uses firewood as fuel and also the LPG gas stove. The kitchen is provided with places for storing
utensils and for other needs.
Bedroom
The bedroom usually has an almirah or cupboard and a wooden cot, sometimes without a mattress.
MATERIALS
Building materials used are clay bricks for walls, a lime plaster, tapering stone
columns that are again plastered with lime mortar for a smooth finish. The roofs
are made with red clay tiles over a timber understructure. Doors and windows are
in timber and are usually painted in bright colours.
Mixing the mud

for plastering the walls
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Walls
The walls of the house are made out of mud. The technique of mud
construction used is rammed earth i.e a formwork is made out of
wooden planks and wet mud is put into it and rammed down. The
thickness of the wall varies from 2 ft for the inner walls to 2ft. 6 inches
for the outer walls. The walls, both inner and outer are whitewashed.
Some of the houses are 60 to 70 years old and therefore, parts of the
earth walls are in a deteriorated condition. Sometimes, portions of the
wall that are worne out are repaired using cement or patched up with
mud mortar.
As families grow, more living spaces are

needed. Often, the traditional house has
an extension in the backyard which is
done using brick walls and cement plaster.
Flooring
In the past, the flooring was done in mud and spread over by cowdung.
With the increasing use of the rooms for various activities, the floor of the
main weaving room is subsequently made up in shahabad stone. Stone is
better able to take the wear and tear of the production process.
The floor of the kitchen is usually finished with mud and cowdung. The
other rooms of the weaver’s house such as the puja room, the store etc.
sometimes have mud & cowdung flooring or tandur stone or cuddapah
stone flooring.
The verandah and the drying area within the house mostly have stone flooring since here there is
more activity. The washing area or the dyeing area in the backyard of the house is also done in stone.
21
Roofing
The house primarily has sloping roofs made with red clay tiles. The roofs slope in various directions.
The roof is covered with mangalore tiles on the outer side facing the street and also on the backyard
side. The rest of the roof is covered with country tiles. The roof tiles are supported on battens that rest
on roof trusses
Roof Section
The main or primary rafter is usually made

of teak wood and the other members of
the truss are country wood or even
bamboo. The verandah has a lean-to roof
which is also covered with mangalore tiles.
The roof overhang

protects the mud walls
Natural Light
The main source of light to most parts of the weaving

room is the open-to-sky space in the centre of this
room.
The house also receives natural light from its wall

openings and from its roof openings. There are
windows that open on to the verandah that bring in
light. In addition, some of the mangalore clay tiles in
22
the roof are replaced with glass panes, to allow sunlight to flow in.
The positioning of the weaver’s pit is done in such a way that the entire light coming from the window
is on to the loom from behind the weaver. The height of this window is such that, when the weaver sits
at the loom, the light comes in from over his head.
For those weavers, who have their pits a little

away from the window, there is a skylight
right above the loom, in the form of the glass
tile in the roof.
The other rooms, like the kitchen, the store,

the bedroom also have skylights, which bring
in soft and diffused light.
House decoration
It is usually the women who provide the
finishing for the houses. It is a highly skilled work and is done with great care at the time of
construction of the house and at regular intervals afterwards to maintain the appearance of the
buildings. It is often at the time of annual festivals like Sankranti and Dussehra that a thorough
cleaning and whitewashing of the house is taken up.
Doors & Windows
23
6 CULTURAL TRADITIONS
at POCHAMPALLI
Weaving is an art
and
It is a WAY OF LIFE
The IKAT that Pochampally has made over the years, has attracted
countries from all over the world. Ikat is a woven fabric in which the
1
pattern is tied and dyed before weaving.
The weavers of Pochampally, Nalgonda District belong to the padmasali sub-caste. The story goes
that they are the descendants of the god Markandeya, who's son Bhavana Rishi bore 101 sons who
became weavers. The first cloth they wove was from the fibres of the lotus stem and so they came to
be known as padmasali or lotus weavers.
Life and activities revolve around the family and religion. Celebrations of weddings, births, festivals
and pujas (worship) make a rich social life bringing play into a life disciplined by rigorous work
schedules.
Woman's work begins at daybreak, with thorough sweeping of the home, entrance, and street outside.
This is followed by application of a thin slurry of cattle dung and water which gives a fine coat to the
earthen road, controlling dust and inhibiting insect pests. Upon drying, the roadside entrance is finely
decorated with lines of powdered lime drawn by skilled fingers creating symbols of beauty as well as
good fortune.
Women then help in the weaving practice by winding bobbins, making warps, tying resist areas, or any
of the many tasks involved in lengthy procedure.
Children have long days at school attending until Saturday

lunchtime. They still have time to help with weaving
processes as needed, occasionally during their lunch
break. Gradually their skill develops learned from practical
experience. However today parents are encouraging their
children to gain skills outside the weaving village, many
opting for computer training.
1
Ikat is also made in Gujarat and in Orissa. In Gujarat, there is Patola – the double-ikat silk saris, now woven only at Patan. In
Orissa, there is the Saktapur – sari with a chequerboard design in the central field, woven in single and double ikat at
Sambalpur.
24
Village men are the weavers, putting in long hours
to produce their textiles. However relaxing on a
holiday can mean having a 'toddy' party. Toddy,
also known as 'White Water' locally, is a mildly
alcoholic drink taken from the liquid of a palm tree.
Toddy 'tappers' climb the palms, hanging terracotta
pots in the trees to collect the liquid which drips
from cuts made at the base of leaves.
FOLK ARTS
During festivals and especially during Jataras, many of the folk arts are perfomed in the village. Most of
the Jataras take place from January to March every year. They have Veedhi Kathalu (street plays),
Bhagavatam and so on. They also showcase Burrakathalu, Oggukathalu (these are street plays like
Mallanacharitra which is performed using traditional musical instruments)
GAMES
The traditional games that are played even today at Pochampally are
1. Bongarala aata (top)
2. Gillidanda
3. Kabaddi
Pochampally organises Kabaddi tournaments involving the neighbouring villages.
SONGS
Batkamma Paatalu or a folk dance played with wooden sticks is performed during festivals as well as
Kalpu Paatalu (songs of the fields) are sung.
MUGGULU or Rangoli is done in the front of the house.
In India, art has been a part of everyday life. In

Andhra, the threshold was cleaned every morning
with a water and cowdung mix and the woman of
the house drew ornamental designs (‘muggulu’ in
Telugu) with rice flour in the frontyard. It was also a
gesture of offering food to the ants and crows. The
women started their day at dawn with an act of
creativity. A particular ‘Muggu’ was drawn if the
people of the house were on fast, another one gave
the message that a member of the family was taken
ill and the guest could visit another day. Several
designs were symbolic of celebration or happy
occasions. The tradition to draw the designs every
morning continues.
25
OTHER SKILLS at Pochampally
The late Shri Sileveru Ramalingam used his talents

to make portraits in ikat fabric. His son Shri
Mrityunjay is a Cartoonist for the telugu magazine
‘Andhrabhoomi’ but can perhaps help to revive the
portrait-making in ikat.
The people of Pochampally have not only been skilled in the art of weaving but have also possessed
other skills, some of which need to be rediscovered and revived.
BASKET WEAVING
The artisans at Pochampally working on

Baskets, Copper utensils and clay pots.
COPPER UTENSILS
POTTERY
26
PART II Future course of action
1 Weavers’ Program
2 Recommendations from the people of

Pochampally
3 Proposed Activities
4 Additional activities recommended
5 Budget
27
1 Weavers’ Program
The Endogenous Tourism Project is meant to be an alternative model of tourism where the rural
community is the primary beneficiary. At Pochampalli, where 70% of the population of the village are
Weavers, it is important that the production and marketing of the ikat sarees and fabric reach a level of
excellence. This then must be the most important activity to be taken up for implementation under this
project.
Developing Endogenous Design & Marketing Capabilities

(Upgrading design skills and training the Weavers to target a globalised market)
Design
It may be essential to bring designers to Pochampalli who know the current design trends in the
market. A Design Cell or Weavers’ Resource Centre needs to be established which is run by two
students (as part of their practical training) from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad or Fine Arts
Department, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. Fine Arts students from rural backgrounds may be
given preference for such placements. These students will continuously build up the design archive for
Pochampalli. New designs will be prepared with the help of Master Weavers and young artisans from
the village. One would need to identify who currently supplies designs to the weavers. The Design cell
will work in close co-ordination with the already existing local designers from Pochampalli. There will
be a shop where a weaver can buy a new design.
Marketing
A course must be formulated in Marketing based on the latest research in marketing. This is to be
offered in Telugu at the village itself. Workshops need to be organised for the Weavers on how to
enter new markets.
Credit
An organisation such as BASIX, based in Hyderabad may be requested to offer their professional
services in this field. They may assist a local micro-finance institution in obtaining a five-year loan
which may be used as a Revolving Fund by the Weavers for obtaining the raw material, etc.
Opportunity Recognition
Workshops may be organised for the Weavers to help them in recognising opportunities in different
markets. These workshops may also include modules on ‘Thinking how to think’. There may be two
workshops per year and the duration of the workshop may be 10 days.
People must begin to understand the handloom process
What he weaves, he must sell

While we ask the weaver to share his culture and his way of life with tourists, we must also plan to
bring about a positive change in his life. For the Weaver, it is important that what he weaves must sell.
While relevant strategies are being outlined and implemented by those that oversee the Handloom
sector, how can tourism also make a visible difference?
It is said that, Marketing is not a battle of products, it’s a battle of perceptions. How do we want
people to perceive ANDHRA HANDLOOMS? A vivid display of the history of the art, of the complexity
of the production through changing exhibitions and museum displays can help influence the
perceptions of those who visit Pochampally as tourists.
Traditional textile industry in andhra pradesh
The Report on ‘Growth & Prospects of the Handloom industry’- a study commissioned by the Planning
Commission prepared by Seemanthini Niranjan & Soumya Vinayan for Dastkar Andhra, 2001
includes extensive field data and contains valuable recommendations based on the needs of the
industry that include inputs in Raw materials, Credit needs and Marketing requirements.
If a Handloom weaving centre is to become a Tourist centre, we must ensure that weavers
continue to thrive and efforts must be made to revive the industry to its original glory.
The village of Pochampally lies in Nalgonda district

in andhra pradesh. Nalgonda district comprises of
seven talukas and belongs to the Telangana region.
It has for long been an important center of handloom
weaving. This district has registered a considerable
increase in handloom weaving over the decades.
While the district as a whole had 5,667 looms in
1921, by 1931 this had increased to 11,715, an
increase of 107% (Census, 1931 : 165). They wove
fine cotton sarees, both plain and checked or striped,
chutki sarees, telia rumals, khadi, susi cloth and tie-
dye designed fabric. In 1995, there were 18,719
looms in Nalgonda district.
The ikat technique of weaving has been in Nalgonda

district for the last 35-40 years. The origin of this
technique is not very clear, but it appears to have
been learnt, and was not indigenous to the region.
According to one version, weavers from Chirala who
migrated to Nalgonda brought this technique of tie-
dyeing with them. Another version holds that the
Nizam settled a few weavers of Mashroo (brocaded
cloth, with cotton inside and silk outside) here and
that the ikat technique developed out of that. Telia
rumals are no longer woven, and to meet the
(largely urban) demand for ever-new varieties, innovations in dress material fabric and furnishings
have gone on. Bedspreads, tablecloths, cushion covers, napkins of various sizes, towels and so on
are produced in addition to the earlier range of products.
Ikats received a fillip in the 1960’s, when the government began encouraging the export of such
fabric. The Festivals of India in the 1980’s are also said to have fuelled export interest in ikats.
However, export-driven production caused other serious problems in the long run. Some of the
weaving villages in Nalgonda district other than Pochampally and Koyyalagudem are Bogaram &
Siripuram (cotton centres), Choutuppal (mainly mercerized cotton) Puttapaka, Ghattupal & Vellanki
(which do both cotton and silk weaving).
According to the study conducted by Dastkar Andhra, Koyyalagudem was earlier a destination of
abundant work availability. However, this has changed in recent years due to a fall in exports. Since
1995, export orders have not been as forthcoming as in the past. Several reasons have been cited for
this trend (Yadagiri, 1998) some of which are:
• Ban on chemical dyes by European markets. Azo-free dyes are used instead, but this renders
the product expensive.
• Drastic increase in prices of yarn and dyes. To cut costs, inferior materials are used, and
weavers lose out in the world market
• Cancellations of export incentives by the central govt.
• Lack of any market survey about tastes and fashions
29
UNIDO cluster intervention in Jaipur Block printing
"Cluster Development and Business Development Service Promotion – The UNIDO Experience in India".
The vision and action plan developed for the cluster envisaged the revaluation of the traditional
form of production and the improvement of the living standards of the artisans by:
o Reducing the cluster disarticulation (i.e. lack of linkages among the different cluster
actors);
o Enhancing the design, production and marketing capacity of the firms;
o Developing a product image (including a common brand) in line with current market
demand; and
o Improving and increasing the types of business support services available in the cluster.
The most significant obstacles preventing the realization of such a vision included:
o The lack of communication among the artisans;
o The absence of an active association;
o Inadequate quality control capacity of the entrepreneurs;
o Lack of design and marketing skills as the hand-block printers had grown accustomed to
working as sub-contractors for exporters; and
o Inadequate access to credit.

As a result of the UNIDO intervention the dormant artisan association, Calico Printers Co-operative
Society (CALICO), was revitalized. In addition, several networks were promoted and an export
consortium - Consortium of Textile Exporters (COTEX) - was formed.
The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) initiated various activities in areas
related to marketing training, design development, technical training, creation of an innovative
credit mechanism and targeted national and international exposure of artisans and exporters.
SIDBI has also adopted this cluster under its Rural Industrialisation Programme for further
intervention.
UNIDO started to collaborate more and more closely with a local NGO, the Indian Institute for
Rural Development (IIRD). Numerous other nation-wide SSI support institutions joined, including
the State Bank of India, the Development Commissioners (Handicraft), the Development
Commissioners (Handlooms)and the Chamber of Commerce.
(UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organisation)
Strengthening co-operation among the block-printers
Creating an environment of mutual trust among competing SSIs was important. The reluctance of
the firms to participate even in an introductory meeting indicated that 20 years of bitter
competition had made any trust-building initiative remarkably difficult.
The Focal Point therefore shifted the focus of awareness building towards the artisans’ sons
hoping that they may not yet share the same mutual mistrust and that their superior education
would equip them with a longer-term approach to business. A series of one-to-one interviews
were conducted to identify the needs and priorities of these young artisans. It thus emerged that
they shared a keen interest in strengthening marketing skills. A market orientation training
program was organized for 23 young artisans. Besides class teaching on marketing promotion,
quality testing, product development, advertising and distribution, the program included a visit to
Delhi (to showrooms and representatives of artisan support agencies) and to Jaipur.
30
As there is tourism potential, there
may also be seen a potential once
again for exports to increase
alongwith it. However, there are
other factors listed above that must
also be worked upon if this is to
happen. Bringing tourists to
Pochampally and Koyallagudem will
bring about an awareness of the
town amongst the people of the
State and of the country. The
exchange programs with museums
abroad may bring exposure to the
Ikat handloom weaving from Andhra
Pradesh. This exposure must be
channelised suitably so that there
are economic benefits to the
handloom industry in the long run.
Existing Marketing methods at Pochampalli
According to the villagers, before the Weavers’ Co-operative Society was set up, the weavers sold
sarees from their homes. Some of them carried the materials (sarees & bedsheets) to other parts of
the country (to Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Calcutta & Madras) and returned home after selling their
stock.
Once the Co-operative Society was set up, the weavers started selling their products to the society,
which in turn would make it available for the public. Later, groups comprising of four to five weavers
started to invest money in setting up private selling outlets. This is how one now sees a row of private
ownership shops along the Main road. There are no particular demarcations among the shops as to
which are Wholesale and which Retail. But, the Co-operative Society sells it at a wholesale rate.
31
2 Recommendations from the people of Pochampally
on
How to make the village attractive to the tourists
Vinoba Bhave Complex

Visitors coming to the village must be made aware
of the Bhoodan movement in a pictographic
museum (in the ashram premises or elsewhere)
1. Vinoba Bhave photo museum

2. Ramachandra Reddy photo gallery (first
person to donate land & the first
Sarpanch of Pochampally)
3. History of the village
4. Growth of weaving in pochampally
5. Khadi exhibition hall
View from Ashram, overlooking the lake
• The Ashram, the statues & the pillar (stupam) + verandah or front platform to be made into
one complex
• Bhoodan ghat to be created by making steps going down to the lake
• To build around the lake, gardens & play equipment for small children (tourists)
• To construct guesthouse for tourists
• To make a Kaman (welcome arch) at the highway and a second one at the entrance to the
village which shows the bhoodan history and the history of weaving
• Near the ambedkar statue, a hastakala stupam (like the bhoodan stupam)
Bhoodan stupam near the Vinoba Bhave ashram
• Visitors / tourists to not smoke or drink in and

around the ashram as well as on the road
leading up to the ashram
• From ambedkar statue to vinoba ashram, the main

to be made into a double road
• Drainage system to be laid along the main road
32
• Tree guards for trees recently planted along main road. So far, guards using local materials,
such as twigs have been used
• Street lighting for the main road
• Beautification of the lake similar to Tank Bund development in Hyderabad
Success of the Endogenous Tourism Project :
• Tourists need to be made aware that the village and its tourist activities exist
• The tourist package to Ramoji film city must include Pochampally on its route
• The history of Pochampally’s traditional crafts can be showcased.
• Tourists could be taken to the temples in the surrounding region
• The museum showcasing the crafts of Pochampally should have stalls to sell the indigenous
products to the tourists
• Construction of guesthouses for visitors to stay in the village for a few days, to enjoy the
serene surroundings, the lifestyle and culture of Pochampally
• There must be some special attractions during festival times for the tourists, such as Street
storytelling or Veedhi Kathalu and Folk tales or Burrakathalu
• According to the restaurant owners, some more infrastructure towards developing good food
joints would help. The food outlets that exist at present are not good enough.
• From one of the village elder’s point of view, such a project can be successful only if the
villagers have the basic necessities of food and clothing.
• Development of the Co-operative society making all things, such as cloth, handicrafts and
other talents available for the tourists
33
3 Proposed Activities
The implementation plan as proposed by :
Mr. A.K. Prasanth, Consultant
Mr. R.K. Anil, Project Support Officer, UNDP
Proposed list of Activities for the Endogenous Tourism Project and Rural Tourism Scheme
Responsibility/Resou
S.No Activity rce persons Duration Remarks
Appointment with clear terms and

Selection and appointment of conditions is essential for the
resource person for Project Kishan Rao, Director, January, First project. Project report to be drafted
0 preparation AP Tourism week, 2004 so that the project can take off
Documenting the process of Kishan Rao and Kiran Documenting the complete process
restoration/renaissance of Keswani, Architect, January 2004 to helps in transferring the learning to
1 Pochampalli Designmindz December 2005 other ETP and RTS sites in future
Covening a round-table
discussion of all the persons
mentioned in the 'Responsibility'
column and R.K.Anil, UNDP This is necessary to arrive at a
representative. Hiring all the common understanding of the
resource persons with appropriate End of January, larger picture of ETP in Pochampalli
2 terms and conditions. Kishan Rao 2004 by all the resource persons involved
The output of this study would help

G.Muralidhar, State in taking appropriate interventions
Study of the existing livelihood Project Advisor to strengthen the livelihoods and
scenarios and resource use (Livelihoods), SERP February to May address the gaps in the value
3 patterns in Pochampalli. and CEO, Akshara 2004 chains
Docmentation and dissemination
of Pochampalli traditions, January 2004 to Useful for retaining the local
4 customs, art, folklore etc., Kiran Keswani March 2004 knowledge and wisdom for posterity
Sisodia, District January 2004 to Useful for planning, sewage,

5 Contour mapping of the village Collector, Nalgonda March 2004 surface drainage etc.,
This would motivate the primary

Kishan Rao, Director, stakeholders to identify with the
Awareness Workshop for AP Tourism; Dastkar First week of ETP and participate as equal
6 weavers AP February, 2004 partners in the project
This would motivate the primary

Awareness workshop for the stakeholders to identify with the
community in Pochampalli about Kishan Rao, Director, First week of ETP and participate as equal
7 their historic heritage AP Tourism February, 2004 partners in the project
34
Seeing is believing; this would
expose them to the various
Exposure visit for selected opportunities of livelihoods through
opinion makers of Pochampalli to Kishan Rao, Director, Mid-February, tourism. Anil would coordinate the
8 craft villages in Kerala/Goa/Orissa AP Tourism, R.K.Anil 2004 visits from Delhi
Constitution of a village ETP

Committee ensuring gender Kiran Keswani, This committee would oversee the
equality and representation for Nomula Ganesh, implementation of various project
different sections of the Sarpanch, Second half of activities and ensure participation of
9 community Pochampalli February the community
Different professional organisations

in credit, microfinance, marketing,
N.V.Ramana, BASIX; design, etc., would coordinate their
G. Muralidhar, interventions based on the study
10 Interventions in livelihoods NIFTetc., from June 2004 results
Microenterprise management It contains of separate but inter-

training including tourism-related linked modules; this training is
training/capacity enhancement of June to necessary to benefit from the
11 the village youth G.Muralidhar December 2004 interventions in livelihoods
Training of human resources in Kiran Keswani and

the use of local/traditional others to be decided in The trained human resources can
material in construction / consultation with March and April be used in any 'brick and mortar'
12 renovation / landscaping Kishan Rao 2004 activity to be taken in the project
Identify persons who are sensitive

to the local milieu and traditionand
Nomula Ganesh, design an indigenous non-energy
Sarpanch, Kiran intensive and environmentally
Keswani and Kishan friendly system that is easy to
13 Solid waste management Rao from May 2004 maintain by the village Panchayat
Kishan Rao, Tour Output of this workshop would be

State level Workshop for tourist operators association, useful for marketing Pochampalli as
14 trade / hospitality industry media Sep-04 an ETP destination
Maintain one street as one model- September to To be taken up after the end of
15 weaver street Kishan Rao December 2004 monsoons
Renovation of the main-street

façade in traditional idiom; and Kishan Rao and Kiran September to To be taken up after the end of
16 street scaping Keswani December 2004 monsoons
Develop and construct a

museum, craft-center, and November 2004 The preceding two activities would
training center on the 2-acre land to November provide the learning needed to take
17 near Vinobha Ashram Kishan Rao 2005 this up
35
Identify persons who are sensitive
to the local milieu and traditionand
design an indigenous non-energy
Design and Construct effluent intensive and environmentally
treatment systems for the dyeing Kishan Rao and Kiran May to October friendly system that is easy to
18 effluent Keswani 2004 maintain by the village Panchayat
The output of this workshop will be

used in Information and
Interpretation Center; Muralidhar
belongs to this region and is a
development professional of long
Village level workshop to draw a Nomula Ganesh, experience sensitive to any
code of ethics / conduct for both Sarpanch, Muralidhar, June or July negative externalities of
19 hosts and guests Akshara 2004 development interventions
This activity can happen only after

Use of the village tank as a November 2004 substantial work has been done in
20 recreation facility Kishan Rao onwards tourist infrastructure
Renovate of the existing This is the time when tourists would

dilapidated haveli to be used as a January 2005 to have been sufficently attracted to
21 guest house for tourists Kiran Keswani October 2005 stay and experience the place
Construction of an Information Kishan Rao and Kiran September to Should be ready around the time
22 and Interpretation centre Keswani December 2004 when the tourists start trickling in
Sound and Light show on Department of Culture,

Bhoodan movement at the AP Government; January 2005 should be ready by the middle of
23 Vinobha Ashram Kishan Rao onwards the year
NIFT, KVIC, Rural

Construction of R&D center on Technology Institute in January to
24 weaving Wardha December 2005
Celebration of festivals
associated with date palm fruit on the lines of beer festival of
(munjalu), non-fermented toddy Munich and champagne festival in
25 (neera), local games etc., Kishan Rao France
He has made a classic movie

'Sushman' on the plight of
Involving Shyam Benegal in the Pochampalli weavers and can add
26 ETP Kishan Rao glamour
Fashion show at Pochampalli by involving select representatives of

leading designers showcasing tourist trade, fashion industry,
27 Pochampalli ikat tradition Kiran Keswani Nov-05 hospitality industry, media, etc.,
36
Activity 1
Documenting the process of restoration/renaissance of Pochampalli
Objective :
Documenting the complete process would help in
transferring the learning to other ETP and RTS sites in
future
Time duration : 2 years
Activity 2
Covening a round-table discussion of all the persons mentioned in the
'Responsibility' column and R.K.Anil, UNDP representative. Hiring all the
resource persons with appropriate terms and conditions.
Objective :
To arrive at a common understanding of the larger picture of ETP in Pochampalli by all the resource
persons involved
Time duration : One week
Activity 3
Study of the existing livelihood scenarios and resource use patterns in
Pochampalli.
Objective :
The output of this study would help in taking appropriate interventions
to strengthen the livelihoods and address the gaps in the value chains.
Time duration : 4 months
37
Activity 4
Documentation & Dissemination of Pochampally
Traditions, Customs, Arts & Folklore
Objective : To retain the local knowledge and wisdom for posterity
The research and documentation may be taken up as follows :

Group I : Muggulu
Pottery
Woodwork
Basket-weaving
Group II : Folklore
Group III : Festivals
Customs & Rituals
Costumes
Group IV : Traditional games
Castes & Communities
Group V : Santha
Bazaar
Group VI : Life in Pochampally
This documentation will be used to create a cultural archive within the

village, which the villagers can add to or take from.
It is proposed that alongwith showcasing the ancient tradition of weaving, the villagers will also share
with tourists :
• Village sports
• Folk Music
• Dance
• Festivals
This work will consist of :

1. Photo-documentation
2. Sketching
3. Information-sourcing
Information will be sourced from the people of Pochampally, from local records, from books by indian
and foreign authors and from institutional research journals.
The dissemination may take the form of :

1. Exhibitions to showcase Pochampally as an interesting rural destination
2. Awareness programs for the Pochampally children
3. Cultural visits for children from schools in hyderabad
4. Slide presentations & Films for the villagers and the visitors to the village
5. Special attractions during festival times for the tourists, such as Street storytelling or Veedhi
Kathalu and Folk tales or Burrakathalu
6. Pochampally Heritage festival (similar to the Goa Heritage festival)
Research work & documentation of the weaving processes & the history of the craft to be carried out,
which will be housed within the Weavers’ Museum.
38
Activity 5
Contour mapping of the village
Objective :
To assist in preparing the master plan for the
village, the drainage systems etc.,
For the village development to take place and to understand the facilities that must be planned, it may
be essential to first document the entire village in physical terms. A Master Plan showing the existing
roads, existing houses, shops, temple, lake and so on may be prepared by the local authorities. This
will be useful in establishing the location of any new tourist facility or amenity.
Activity 6
Awareness Workshop for weavers
Objective :
This would motivate the primary stakeholders to identify with the ETP and participate as equal
partners in the project
Time duration : One day
One-day Awareness Program for the Weavers and people of Pochampally on ‘Why the Govt.of
India and UNDP have chosen Pochampally as a tourist destination and how to go about it’
In the meeting held with stakeholders at Pochampally on 16th Nov’03, many of the participants
mentioned the beautification of the lake and the enhancement of the Vinoba Bhave ashram. It is may
be essential to emphasise that although the development of the usual tourist activities will be needed,
this project is different from others and its focus will be showcasing the craft or skill of the weavers. For
many weavers, this is a livelihood and a lifestyle and they may need to be introduced to the idea of
this very skill being the most important part of the tourism project.
This may be done by showing a film or a power-point presentation on similar work done towards Rural
Tourism at Raghurajpura in Orissa. The expectations of the Pochampally project may be easier to
explain during this presentation.
Secondly, a presentation may be made on the Calico Museum of Textiles at Ahmedabad. This could
help the weaver families understand how textiles have been showcased, the way the guide conducts
the tour within the Museum housed in the Sarabhai estate, how samples of the various weaving
techniques can be shown and how postcards and books on Ikat textiles will generate interest among
visitors.
39
Activity 7
Awareness workshop for the community in Pochampalli about their historic
heritage
Objective :
To motivate the primary stakeholders to identify with the ETP and participate as equal partners in the
project
Activity 8
Exposure visit for selected opinion makers of Pochampalli to craft villages in
Kerala /Goa /Orissa
Objective :
To expose the local people to the various opportunities of livelihoods through tourism.
Activity 9
Constitution of a village ETP Committee
ensuring gender equality and
representation, for different sections of
the community
Objective :
To oversee the implementation of various project
activities and ensure participation of the community
40
Activity 10
Interventions in livelihoods
Objective :
Different professional organisations in credit,
microfinance, marketing, design, etc., would coordinate
their interventions based on the study results.
Time duration : 6 months to one year
Activity 11
Microenterprise management training including tourism-related training
/capacity enhancement of the village youth
Objective : This training is necessary to benefit from the interventions in livelihoods and will include
training the village youth to be tourist guides.
Activity 12
Training of human resources in the use of local / traditional materials in
construction / renovation / landscaping
TRADITIONAL BUILDING ARTS PROGRAM
Objective :
The trained human resources can be used in any 'brick and mortar' activity to be taken in the project
Introduction
Indigenous architecture is a reflection of the social & cultural traditions, local materials, climatic
influences, skills of local artisans & ways of building. In any given region, there is a consistent pattern
or typology that has evolved over generations of a particular community living there. At Pochampally,
houses have been built around the life of a weaver. The plinth or floor accommodates the pit loom; a
little courtyard gives the weaver an open-to-sky space where he makes his dyes. Natural light filters
into the house to aid in the weaving process.
RESEARCH & DOCUMENTATION
Understanding Vernacular architecture

Today, any new construction in Pochampally is an RCC construction. It is easier to maintain and
reflects an affluence that a family has struggled to achieve. The vernacular architecture is being
abandoned for modern pucca houses. Gradually, few houses will remain with the rich architectural
vocabulary of the past. It is time to document this tradition from which there is much to learn. This was
an architecture that used a holistic approach to living and that is in harmony with the natural
environment.
41
Traditional Building Skills
There is an urgent need for the revival of the traditional building arts. This will provide employment to
the rural youth. Secondly, any new construction by the villagers or within the Rural Tourism project will
benefit from trained skilled artisans in the coming years. It is possible to continue architectural
traditions with appropriate interventions. Intermediate solutions must be provided that will allow local
materials to be used and at the same time reduce the level of maintenance.
The skills that can be focused on are :

1. Stone Masonry
2. Country tile roofing
3. Lime Plastering
4. Woodwork (Timber joinery for roofs, Fascia
board, wooden columns, doors & windows)
An intensive research & documentation of the local

materials, building techniques, rituals connected with
the maintenance of the houses and the plans & details
of the houses must be carried out. This will be used for
Construction/Renovation/Landscaping in the Rural
Tourism Project.
The Village carpenter at Pochampalli
TRAINING PROGRAMS
In order to revive the building arts, training programs may be formulated and implemented for
Pochampally and the neighbouring villages. Some of the steps to be taken are :
a. To locate master craftsmen of traditional building art forms

b. To make out dimensioned patterns based on old traditional patterns for handing over to
master craftsmen for reproduction during their training program. This is a continuous process
and will help evolve new patterns and new designs.
c. To select old houses which need restoration and to make these available for conducting
training on actual working conditions
d. Selection of artisans / trainees for receiving training
e. To prepare the curriculum for training in the various art forms
f. To prepare films, slides and literature for being used as training material
Time Duration : 1 year
Activity 13
Solid waste management
Objective :
To design an indigenous, non-energy intensive and environment-friendly system that is easy to
maintain by the village Panchayat.
This can be taken up by Exnora (an acronym of EXcellent, NOvel and RAdical Ideas), an organisation
which was founded in 1989. Exnora’s primary aim is to take environmental issues to the common man
and help him understand them better, by forming people based organisations
In the new system of (Solid Waste Management) SWM adopted by Exnora, the households share the
cost of employing a rag picker, (renaming him street beautifier). He is given a monthly income and
provided with a tri-cycle cart and a uniform. The Street Beautifier goes from door to door collecting the
waste stored inside the houses in the tri-cycle cart and transported it to the transfer stations
(secondary collection points), from where it is cleared by the Municipal Corporation.
The system ensures :

• cleanliness and hygiene of the surroundings.
42
• Rehabilitation of the rag pickers and integrating them into the main stream, by providing
employment opportunities and dignity of labour to them.
• People’s participation in the system and thus their responsibility toward their environment.
Contact details :
EXNORA INTERNATIONAL
42 Giriappa Road T. Nagar Chennai 600017 India
Phone: +91-44-8283366 / 77 • Fax: +91-44-824 1688
Email: exnora@vsnl.com • Website: http://indiaa.com/exnora/
Activity 14
State level Workshop for tourist trade / hospitality industry
Objective : Output of this workshop would be useful for marketing Pochampalli as an ETP destination
Time duration : 2 days
Activity 15
Maintain one street as a model weavers’ street
Objective :
To preserve the physical environment the weavers’ lives
A. Preliminary Survey
a. Mapping / Architectural documentation of every house
b. Photo-documentation
c. Study of Fontainehuis in old city, Goa
d. Nature of renovations required
e. Skills needed for refurbishing the houses
f. Examples from other villages/towns in India & abroad
g. Study of streets of Koyyalagudem, near Pochampally
(which retains its rural character)
h. Training programs for skills needed
i. Sketch details (Joinery, drain details, etc.)
j. Some of the neighbouring street facades to also be
documented
B. Architectural plans, elevations & sections with specifications
C.
D. Architectural detailing
E. Identifying skilled artisans & planning the training programs
F. Implementation Program
a. The techniques & materials to be used
b. Skilled artisans for that particular task
c. Cost estimates
d. Time frame
e. NGO co-ordination & Community involvement
G. Material Sourcing & Monitoring Program
H. Maintenance Plan
(Traditional houses need more maintenance than concrete houses. A system needs to be
planned plus strategies on how to put this system into place)
43
Activity 16
Renovation of the main-street façade in traditional idiom;
and streetscaping
Objective : To create a textile street bazaar with the spontaneity and
character of a rural bazaar.
The Pochampally main road will be designed so as to retain the shops that
are already built and to bring in the traditional idiom through elements and
semi-enclosed spaces that are added to the front of the shops. In the
village, there is the Santha or weekly market, where all kinds of commodities
are brought for sale once a week. There is a social function also to this
marketplace. It is a meeting point for all age groups, a place also for sharing
ideas and opinions.
A. Design Study
a. Mapping of the entire stretch,
every shop, every light pole.
b. Photo-documentation
c. Perceptions of the Weavers /
Traders
d. Needs of the Buyers / Users /
Visitors
e. Anticipated use & Tourist
expectations
f. Examples from abroad, to study
& understand
B. Concept Plan (Architectural Design & Planning)
C. Planning norms for future development
Tree Plantation Programme

As soon as feasible, a tree plantation programme may be undertaken to line all approach roads with
shade-giving trees. This may be taken up by the Forest department with the support of the local
people.
Time Duration : 3 months
Activity 17
Develop and construct a museum, craft-center, and
training center on the 2-acre land near Vinobha Ashram
Objective :
To bring about an understanding of the handloom process
and to give every visitor an experience of the life of a weaver.
44
Design Programme
• Weavers’ Museum
• Cultural zone
Information cell
Craft shop
Office
Amphitheatre
• Exhibition Pavilion
• Cafetaria/Food stalls
• Guest Rooms
• It is essential that many trees be planted in any center planned in this region so that shaded
areas are available for tourists at all times. Temperatures in the summer can go beyond 40
degrees celsius and no tour would be enjoyable outdoors if the tourists need to walk in hot
conditions.
• One Peepal or Banyan will be planned for the future (take long to grow but lend a place the
shaded comfort and elegance that no other tree can match). There will be Vepa or Neem,
Usarichattu or Gooseberry tree, Mamidichattu or Mango tree and other varieties. With the
presence of the Usarichattu, the place can also be used by local people during Kartikmasam or
the month of Kartika when it is customary to picnic with family and friends under the gooseberry
tree – lunch which is termed as Vanabhojanam. There will be the Champa tree planted in the
small open spaces or courtyards.
• Graphics and signage systems using indigenous materials and art skills
• Adequate Parking areas
WEAVERS’ MUSEUM
A building to house exhibitions on Weaving

traditions will derive its design from the
architecture of the weaver’s house in
Pochampally and Koyyalagudem. The Museum
will be a “Weavers’ Museum” rather than a
“Textile museum” i.e it will focus on the life of
the weaver, the weaving techniques, and also
on the textile patterns made at Pochampally.
The aim of the Permanent Handloom exhibition would be :
The layout for the exhibition could be based on the plan of a weaver’s house. It will therefore have a
large central hall with :
Making of the dyes
Dyeing of the yarn
Looms demonstrating the weaving process
and
Display panels explaining in detail the process, the sourcing of the material, history of
Andhra handlooms etc.
( The exhibition structure will also have a small part which is open-to-sky just as a small portion in the weavers
house is kept open to sky where the making of the dyes and other washing activities are done. This detail in the
roof also lets in natural light )
45
CULTURAL ZONE
A Cultural Zone which comprises of an amphitheatre and management offices would form a part of
this tourist centre. The Pochampally tourist centre will revive the tradition of street performers. It will
have open spaces where an individual artist can perform and express himself. There will be an
amphitheatre where folk performing arts can happen, where music festivals will bring people together.
EXHIBITION PAVILION
This will be a space for changing exhibitions.
Themes :
1. A Day in the Life of a Weaver
2. Making of a Saree
3. The Story of Indian Yarn
4. IKAT
5. Telia Rumal
6. Chintz & Cotton - India’s textile gift to the world
7. Weaving Centres of Andhra Pradesh
8. Weaving, the Media and Industry
9. Production : from yarn to fabric
10. Looms & how they work
11. House of a weaver
12. Gajam family of Puttapaka
13. History of weaving in Andhra
Collections
Textiles
Antique looms
Weavers’ tools
Design Principles
Any new development for Pochampally towards Tourism must be made in the traditional context,
without too much change to the village environment and its needs. We need to understand the natural
features, the terrain, the soil, the availability of water and also the ways adopted by the local
community to manage their natural resources.
• The Centre’s buildings will be small structures set amidst large shady trees
• All structures to have brick walls that are whitewashed & Red tiled roofs
• Multitude of open spaces that allow for many different kinds of shopping activity, with spaces
designated for the small entrepreneur
• Verandahs and Courtyards
• Tree planting and selection of plant material

to include many local varieties of trees that
can lend shade, fragrance and colour to the
place
• Blue painted doors and windows
Houses along a typical street

• Cuddapah or tandur stone flooring for indoors and outdoors
• Unpolished grey granite stone for benches, as fencing, for tree surrounds and for the entrance to
the plaza
46
Activity 18
Design and Construct effluent treatment systems for the dyeing effluent
Objective :
To design an indigenous, non energy-intensive and environment-friendly system that is easy to
maintain by the village Panchayat
Activity 19
Village level workshop to draw a code of ethics/conduct for both hosts and
guests
Objective :
The output of this workshop will be used in the Information and
Interpretation Center.
Activity 20
Use of the village tank as a recreation facility
Objective :
To utilise a natural resource towards promoting tourism in the
village
Development of the Lake (Cheruvu) environs
47
Activity 21
Restoration of the existing dilapidated haveli to be used as a guest house for
tourists
Objective :
To preserve the architectural heritage of Pochampally
by re-adapting it as tourist accommodation
101 DOOR HOUSE AS A GUEST HOUSE
It is proposed that the “101 door house”

at Pochampally
on the way to the Vinoba Bhave ashram be restored
and re-adapted for use
as a Tourist Guest-house
This building has been selected because it is one of the oldest & largest masonry constructions in the
village. It has a unique architectural character, small but interesting spaces within and an old world
charm which can make a good Museum or Guest house building. There are several weavers’ houses
with tiled roofs which perhaps could have served as alternatives to house a museum. However, these
houses are still in use, whereas the 101 door house has been unoccupied for the last few years. The
owners are willing to lease out the house to the Department of Tourism for use. The house was built
80 years ago and belongs to the family of Mr. Ramakrishna Rao and Mr. P.V.Ranga Rao.
The Plan
The Plan comprises of an entrance courtyard to the north. This leads to a semi-enclosed verandah
lined by an arched colonnade. At the centre of the house is the main central hall with small rooms on
either side. A courtyard on the east side acts as a transition space between the main living and
sleeping spaces and the well and granary store. The access to the first floor is from a staircase leading
48
Façade / Elevation
Ground floor and first floor drawings with detailed dimensioning have been prepared at scale : 1/8” = 1’-0” and accompany
this report.
Construction techniques & Building Materials

Walls
The walls are built using stone or brick masonry. These are load-
bearing. The thickness of the walls varies from 1’-6” to 2’-6”. Lime
mortar or mud mortar ha been used for the walls, which are finished
in Lime plaster. The walls are presently in a deteriorated condition.
Thick walls and relatively small openings in the external walls are
perhaps seen as providing the much needed protection from the
summer heat.
Roof
The house primarily has sloping roofs to cover parts of the ground floor and all of the first floor areas.
These were originally covered with half-round country tiles. More recently, the half-round tiles have
been replaced with mangalore tiles. The roof tiles are supported on country wood battens that rest
on teakwood rafters that rest on the load bearing stone/brick walls. The spaces on the ground floor
that have enclosed spaces above or that make a terrace or open-to-sky space have been covered by
madras terrace roofing. This roof type consists of 2” thick bricks placed diagonally on timber planks
and bound with lime mortar.
49
Flooring
Shahabad stone has been used for the flooring in the entrance
sitout as well as in the interior spaces.
Staircase
Plan of staircase
Doors
50
Activity 22
Construction of an Information and Interpretation centre
Objective : To provide the tourist with a simple and interesting introduction to the village and its
people
This area will have a ticket counter, a shop selling momentoes, publications, brochures, picture-
postcards, management offices & public pay toilets.
Activity 23
Sound and Light show on Bhoodan movement at the
Vinobha Ashram
Objective : To bring alive the intensity of the efforts of Acharya Vinoba

Bhave
Activity 24
Construction of R&D center on weaving / Weavers’ resource centre
Objective : At this centre, the weavers will have access to training in Marketing, Design &
Entrepreneurship skills.
The centre will invite fashion and textile designers to spend time at
Pochampally for interaction with the weavers on traditional and
modern design as well as weaving processes. This centre could be
an extension of the Weavers’ Service Centre at Hyderabad. It would
be located within the Pochampally village so that it is easily
accessible to all the Weavers.
Design students will be encouraged to document various creative &

technical methods used at Pochampally for centuries. This will help
generate an archive for research scholars from India & abroad in the
field of textiles.
Weavers’ Resource Centre

Training areas
Research section
Library & Archives
Workshop
51
The HINDU, Jan 8, 2004
NABARD to help weavers
The National Bank for Agriculture has taken up the task of registering the products of Pochampalli
handloom silk cluster under the Intellectual Property Rights – Geographical Indication of Goods
(Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, on behalf of two local weavers’ organisations. The two
organisations are the Pochampalli Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society and the Pochampalli
Handloom Tie and Dye Silk Saris Manufacturers’ Association. The registration will prevent
unauthorized use of Pochampalli designs and brand and enhance market opportunities in the country
as well as in foreign countries and bring economic prosperity to weavers.
Activity 25
Celebration of festivals associated with date palm fruit (munjalu), non-
fermented toddy (neera), local games etc.
Objective :
On the lines of beer festival of Munich and champagne festival in France
Time duration : Different cultural events once a month or depending upon the village festival calendar
Activity 26
Involving Shyam Benegal in the ETP
Objective :
He has made a classic movie 'Sushman' on the plight of Pochampalli weavers and can add glamour
Activity 27
Fashion show at Pochampally by leading designers showcasing Pochampalli
ikat tradition
Objective :
Involving select representatives of tourist trade, fashion industry, hospitality industry, media, etc.,
52
4 ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDED
Activity A
The Handloom tour circuit
There are weavers‘ villages in many parts of andhra pradesh such as Pochampally, Pedana,
Mangalagiri and so on. Pochampally is famous for its IKAT fabric and Pedana for its Kalamkari.
These craft or weaving villages can together make a Handloom tour circuit
A walk through Pedana, where the kalamkari fabric is made . . .
starting on the main road, into a small street, inside a house, through courtyard, into another street,
passing by verandahs and trees, climbing steps, carving of blocks, coming out into backyard, narrow
lane, more weaving, yarn hung to dry in the sun, the sound of the working loom.
At a later stage, other weaving villages in Andhra Pradesh may be linked with Pochampally to
make such a Handloom tour circuit.
53
Activity B
Micro-Planning
• Resources
• Housing
• Transportation
• Economy : Services & Trade
• Education
• Health
Activity C
Public Programs
1. Economic & Social Seminar
( to visualise the village as not just a place to live in, but also as a key to development )
2. Interactive workshops towards tourism planning
3. Guide & Hospitality training programs
Activity D
Encouraging Private participation
There is a need to invite private enterprises, institutions and business houses to participate in the
Pochampally Rural Tourism Project. A meeting may be conducted to put across the concept idea of
the project and seek suggestions from private investors on what they see as a mutually beneficial
relationship in this program. It may be useful to extend the need for investment to facilities needed in
the village as well as on the way to Pochampally e.g. a wayside amenity at the point of entry from NH9
to the Pochampally road i.e. at 11 km from the village; perhaps a highway plaza on the way from
Hyderabad to Pochampally along the national highway.
Activity E
Inviting Tour Operators to Pochampally
Conducting a meeting of Tour Operators – Local and Foreign on the Proposed project at Pochampally,
organising a day’s visit to the village for them to allow them to know the village, its plus points and its
drawbacks. A two day program consisting of
Day 1 – Visit to Pochampally
Day 2 – Workshop in Hyderabad on findings at Pochampally
The feedback from this Workshop may be ploughed back into the development of the project for a
realistic approach.
Activity F
Status Report on Infrastructure
In order to know whether Pochampally is already structured to take a daily inflow of visitors or to plan
for an additional tourist inflow, a report on existing infrastructure facilities may be prepared. This report
may include details on existing conditions of :
• Water supply w.r.t. current demands

• Drainage
• Electricity
• Street lighting
• Roads
54
Activity G
Physical planning
Street development
(to include - road repairs, but no widening
Lighting inputs would include providing sodium
vapour lamps. These would be moderately used,
without floodlighting the street and the street lamps
would be old-fashioned designs)
Infrastructure Upgradation
including water supply, sanitation & electric supply
Landscaping
of the accessways and the vicinity of the weavers’
houses
Existing linkage of house drainage to the street drainage
Refurbishing the weavers’ houses

In consultation with the Weavers’ a tour route may be worked out within the village. Based on this
route, the houses that a tourist may enter to be identified. These houses to receive priority in being
refurbished, roofs to be repaired, painting jobs to be undertaken etc. In addition to this, the other
house owners to be offered incentives or some financial assistance to refurbish their houses in the
traditional way. Design guidelines to be drawn up which all house owners must adhere to. These
guidelines to be based on the indigenous ways of building adopted in Pochampally region in the past.
The weavers houses, the street corners would all become part of a larger rural tourist center.
55
Activity H
Marketing “Rural tourism”
If the villagers can play host, the tourist will experience the village through their eyes. Playing host
would mean offering a tour of the habitat, a taste of the cuisine, an experience of the culture and an
exchange of the livelihood pattern.
Pochampally
The Land
of
Sunlight Weaves
LESSONS FROM Kerala Tourism
• Prepare an audio-visual to market Pochampally as a Weavers Heritage Centre

• Send promotional CD’s to travel writers
• Host teams of travel writers and TV crews from across the world
• Ads in travel magazines
• Road shows and trade events
• Quality brochures in various languages
• Small book on Weavers of Pochampally or the Textile traditions of Pochampally
(that should be priced at not more than Rs. 200)
• Involve local people
• Interact with and invite constant feedback from tour operators
• Ensure earnings are spread in the area
• Follow a focused plan
• Improve Roads
• Better public transportation
• Hold a Tourism Mart focussing on the Weaving Craft villages of andhra pradesh
• Coin a memorable catchphrase e.g. “Land of Sunlight Weaves” or something better
• Encourage local entrepreneurs
Activity I
EXHIBITION on Pochampally IN THE NETHERLANDS
- Ms.Martine Wolff, Foundation for Internationally Shared Heritage (FISH), The Netherlands
Any handloom exhibition in the Netherlands requires adequate action from a dutch counterpart to
convince a museum to take it on. If it is organised, in the Netherlands, then it has to be planned
maybe years ahead. The Tropical Museum in Amsterdam would be a fit place. Some of the other
places can be the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam, the textile museum in Brabant, also maybe the
Openlucht Museum in Arnhem. The Ethnographical Museum of Leiden, maybe. Or a museum in an
other European capital, if another country would participate. This could be Budapest, Hungary, where
the 17th century copies of chinz can be found. Or, the textile museum in Mulhouse, France, where
they show the story of French textile of the Provence, which is on Indian cotton and motifs too.
56
Maybe the public would like to see the production process, in photo's blown-up, and the results of that
in real. Also the history of Indian textiles on all of Europe.
For the best museums, an exhibition

always brings the result of new
research. The strong point of the
andhra handloom exhibition could be to
show the wide and long-lasting
influence which Indian textiles had all
over Europe. People know a bit about
the Dutch, French, British copies, but
not of the Hungarian or Scandinavian
ones. In Germany, Poland, Russia, one
might also find examples. What has
been published in all these countries
could be researched. One is referring to
folk-textiles, commonly used.
A view of Professor Earl Snellenberger's exhibition

Surface Design India: Contemporary Printed, Dyed, and Embellished Textiles
held at the Leah Ransburg Art Gallery at the University of Indianapolis
Also, this theme is most interesting to show in India, as few Indians realise the huge influence of
Indian cotton, material and motifs, all over Europe. The influence started earlier than the European
expansion, through the Silk Route, and through Venice. It might be interesting for Indians to see the
European copies. What they copied, how, and why. The Europeans translated Indian motifs to what
they understood, and everywhere in a different way. The theme also shows similarities and differences
among the European cultural traditions. So, it is a very European cultural theme. One needs to stress
the fact that originally, Europe did not know any cotton for daily use, Europeans had wool (from sheep)
and linen (from flax). And then, show the first imports of cottons and their spreading over Europe, first
the original ones, then the locally made copies. This is a big and fascinating story to tell. And, so
colourful. The current Indian practice of handloom weaving, decorating textiles, etc. is worth to be
shown, because India has been consciously conserving man-made techniques. Europe did not, for
reasons of enabling the people to earn their living, and the West longs for the personal touch of man-
made products. A part on fashion design, western designers of both fashion and interior decorating,
using hand-made woven and embroidered Indian textiles, could be included.
PLUS
• Excursions for School children from Hyderabad to Weavers’ Village
• Audio-visual packages to be prepared on Pochampally weaving for Primary & Secondary

schools of A.P.
• Connect with Weavers Associations abroad to plan Weaving tours for foreign tourists
• Travelling Photo-exhibition on Pochampally

(photographs of ikat fabrics and sarees, the weaving process, and the history of weaving in Nalgonda to be
mounted as a small travelling exhibition for India and abroad)
• Picture-postcards to be produced of colourful Ikat patterns and sent for sale to all tourism offices
in Andhra and India
• Fashion shows
• Creating a website for Pochampally Weavers Village
57
• Research to be done towards Tours that will highlight the weaving, cultural and architectural
traditions of the region. The package to be offered to Tour operators for indian and foreign
tourists
( Extensive briefings to be provided to tourists on local cultural values. A booklet may be provided to foreign
visitors with information on Pochampally and its way of living. Some of the advice given in the booklet may
be : “Remember that we are guests of a different culture. Please follow the customs of the Weaver
community and respectfully try to learn about them during your stay here”)
• Sketches and Paintings by well-known andhra artists of Pochampally with subjects such as ‘the
weavers’ or the ‘Pochampally landscape’
• Outreach Programs in collaboration with SpicMacay Hyderabad (the student group working towards
understanding and promoting indian culture)
• Calendars that corporate houses are encouraged to buy (e.g. city-based companies may sponsor a
calendar that features 12 images from the Weavers village, for distribution to its staff and clients)
Principal Consultant :
Ms.Kiran Keswani
Research & Documentation team :

R. Raghavendran
G.Vamsi Mohan
G.S.V. Purnima
K.V. Nirupama
Navata
Anil Kumar
Important names & addresses :
Pochampalli Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society

Pochampalli – 508284
Dist. Nalgonda, A.P.
Ph : 08685 – 222628
Sri Nomula Ganesh

Sarpanch
Bhoodan Pochampalli (Mandal)
Nalgonda Dist. , A. P. 508284
Ph : (O) 08685 -222087 from outside A.P.
916 - 222087 from Hyderabad
(H) 222705
58

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Rural Tourism Project

Project Report commissioned by the Department of Tourism, Andhra Pradesh

Kiran Keswani architect

PART II - Future course of action

2 Recommendations from the people of Pochampally

4 Additional activities recommended

Rural tourism is any form of tourism that showcases the

Endogenous or transformative tourism means travel,

For those who will be part of the implementation team on the

At Pochampally, Rural Tourism development will aim at providing :

1. Sri Raghavan Retd.Engineer-in-chief & former Director-General

3 Developing a Weavers’ Village as a Tourist Center

It is proposed that Pochampally, a weavers’

11 km stretch from the highway to the village

Why Pochampally for Rural Tourism

• Ramoji Film city

At Pochampally, telia rumals were made during the pre-

VINOBA BHAVE MANDIRAM

This village is often called Bhoodan Pochampalli,

GRAM PANCHAYAT BHOODAN POCHAMPALLY

Commencement year of Gram Panchayat 1959

Extent of the village 28 sq.km.

Temples in the village 5

In order for a PLACE to stand still in time, we need to prevent further

Development of a village or town

Handloom weaving ( Chenata )

Current Tourist inflow

The Development of the Plan may consist of :

The important question :

WHAT DO THE WEAVERS AT POCHAMPALLY THINK about such a project?

There is a need to identify the

It is then spun on to a Ponte

It takes a day or two to prepare the loom

The design of the proposed textile bazaar, the

There are open spaces also

Elevation of the drying area

House facades in the village

A Plan that has developed from

The house has pits built into its

Every member of the family is

Weaving Room Nethana

Sometimes, one enters into a large front room and

The backyard has vats of water, a small stove and

Beyond the store room is the open-to-sky space

The drying area is used for drying the dyed yarn,

The well in the backyard

Mixing the mud

As families grow, more living spaces are

The main or primary rafter is usually made

The roof overhang

The main source of light to most parts of the weaving

The house also receives natural light from its wall

For those weavers, who have their pits a little

The other rooms, like the kitchen, the store,

Doors & Windows

Children have long days at school attending until Saturday

Pochampally organises Kabaddi tournaments involving the neighbouring villages.