Telangana360

Tandur red gram is a variety of pigeon pea (Tur dal) that is grown in the Tandur region in Vikarabad district of Telangana, India has got geographical indication (GI) tag. The Geographical Indication tag was granted in December 2022 to the Yalal Farmers Producers Company Ltd, which had applied for 'Tandur red gram' with the support of Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU). It is the first agricultural commodity in the state to get the GI tag. The specialty of the Tandur red gram is that it "tastes better, cooks faster and has a longer shelf life of cooked dal" as it is grown in the fertile deep black soil of this region which has huge deposits of Attapulgite clay mineral along with huge limestone deposits. Tandur red gram contains around 22–24% protein, which is almost three times the protein content of cereals. Individual farmers and dal mill owners in Tandur will now have to register themselves as authorized users and begin branding Tand...

Puttapaka Telia Rumal meaning "Oily kerchief" is a double ikat textile from the village of Puttapaka, Narayanapur Mandal in the Nalgonda district of Telangana, India. Puttapaka is now on the global map after securing the coveted Geographical Indication tag in 2015. The style developed in Chirala, on the coast of Andra Pradesh, with the earliest recorded pieces made in the 1800s, but spread further to the Nalgonda District due to high demand from Arabic markets. Presently, the village of Puttapaka, Nalgonda District is one of the few places still weaving the telia rumal. There, the Gajam family have been keeping the skill alive. The more common single form of ikat is a process where the warp or weft yarn is resist-tied before being dyed and then woven. (‘Resist dying’ uses various methods — in this case, tied-off sections of yarn — to dye textiles with patterns.) Single ikat is found in many places around the world, but double ikat is more rare, requiring a high degree of wor...

Chennur silk sarees shine brightly with their elegance and rich history. Hailing from Chennur, a small village in Nirmal District, Telangana State, India. These sarees are a representation of a beautiful and ancient craft. Let’s explore the story of Chennur silk sarees, their unique features, and why they continue to attract fashion lovers, especially the younger generation. The Kalamkari Hand Painted Chennur Silk Saree is a masterpiece of Indian textile artistry. Crafted from exquisite Chennur silk, this saree features intricate hand-painted Kalamkari motifs that tell captivating stories of tradition and culture. The vibrant colors and detailed designs make it a visual delight, showcasing the skill of skilled artisans. Chennur is famous for its silk weaving tradition. This craft has been passed down through generations, with families perfecting the art of making stunning silk sarees. The village is close to Tussar and Mulberry silk fields, which provide the high-quality silk threads u...

Cheriyal (or Cherial) is a town and a municipality in Siddipet district in the state of Telangana in India  an hour’s drive from Hyderabad and about 85 kms from Warangal city is known for its unique scroll paintings and masks created by artists called Nakashis. This art form is unique to the state of Telangana.  The name that the art form is known by today, i.e., Cheriyal, is derived from the town it is currently practised in.The practice of the art form is much more limited than it was previously. Initially, these paintings were known as nakash or naqash, which translates to a drawing or a sketch. Art and tourism often go hand in hand, with art being a popular tourist attraction. The people involved in the creation of these traditional nakash or Cheriyal paintings, are a community known as the Nakashis. Other than this community, there is another important group of individuals associated with this tradition. It is important to note that the actual purpose of these scroll...

Tourism in Telangana has very rich potential with its ancient history, art and culture, evidence of human habitation dating back to the Neolithic era.  Telangana’s rich cultural heritage, history and topography have endowed the state with a variety of tourist destinations, from waterfalls and hills to temples and forts. With affordable travel and stay, a unique albeit delicious blend of South-indian and Nizami cuisines, amusement and adventure parks, hospitality, lakes, historical attractions and medical tourism, Telangana has a little something for every visitor. The State also won four National Tourism Awards in the four categories of Best State (Comprehensive Development of Tourism), Best Golf Course (Hyderabad Gold Club), Best Railway Station (Secunderabad Railway Station) and Best Medical Tourism Facility (Apollo Hospitals) in 2022. Heritage Tourism From its ancient archaeological sites to its magnificent monuments, Telangana offers a fascinating journey through time.Telangan...

A Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or reputation that are typical to that origin. Across the world, such select products are recognised and GI tagged. This tag signifies the product’s unique identity and genuineness. The GI tag helps spread awareness and build confidence amongst the buying community GI tag get better prices as the tag is an assured symbol of quality. Pochampally Ikat was the first product from the state to receive the GI tag in 2005. A total of 432 products in India have been granted GI status in India, with Darjeeling Tea being the first product to receive GI status in 2004-05. The registration of a GI is valid for 10 years from the date of issue and can be renewed every 10 years. The Geographical Indications Registry, which is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, is located in Chennai. Pochampalli Ikat  in Yadadri Bhuvana...

Chandlapur is a village in Chinna Koduru mandal, Siddipet district, Telangana State, India. Located at a latitude of 17.72692 and a longitude of 78.00892, is renowned for its rich heritage of producing intricate handlooms, particularly Gollabama Sarees . Weaving has become the primary occupation of many villagers, with these exquisite sarees finding recognition both nationally and internationally. The village boasts a cultural legacy rooted in the traditional art of handloom weaving, preserving ancient techniques and utilizing traditional materials. The primary theme of tourism in Chandlapur is centered around promoting and showcasing its exceptional Handloom Craftsmanship, with a particular focus on Gollabama Sarees. Chandlapur has been recognized as Best Tourism Village 2023 in Bronze category. Chandlapur stands as a living testament to the timeless art of handloom weaving and this enchanting village is a treasure trove of intricate craftsmanship and cultural heritage. Chandlapur...

Handloom to date remains one of the most rich traditional practice of the country. Geometric patterned durries remain the most famous durries from Warangal and are in demand both in national and international markets. Lack of self-branding and promotions are the reasons that Durries made in Warangal are unable to market their uniqueness. Warangal's famous durries are now available to the world: Weavers sell their products on  Amazon Recently, e-commerce giant Amazon signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Telangana Department of Handlooms and Textiles to help handloom clusters in Warangal, Pochampally etc.  Durries of Warangal to date remain one of the few crafts left in the country that is still done by hand. It is still amazing to find weaver’s making an entire durry with traditional looms even when the rise in technology has led to the introduction of Power looms.  In recent years, screen printing techniques and kalamkari prints were adapted to Wa...

Banjara needle craft is a needle craft embroidery in the state of Telangana. The craft has evolved through centuries across generations. It is an embroidery and mirror work on tapestry. The work pieces are bright-coloured. Banjara needle craft is unique to the region of Telangana. It involves use of simple needles, embroidery thread, original fabrics (cotton or woolen), and needs high proficiency in the craft. Combined together, they create splendid pieces of art. Needle work is the mainstay of this craft and the combination of certain patterns such as geometric shapes - squares, tracings and diamonds are widely used. The colourful threads used on the basic cloth along with tiny mirrors, beads and cowrie shells impart a vibrant look to the piece of cloth. The mirrors, beads and shells diverse style of stitching - herringbone, simple chain stitching, long and short stitch. Generally diverse colours such as pink, white, yellow and blue coloured clothes are used. In many instances, blu...

The Narayanpet saree is made either of cotton or silk.  One school of thought states that in 1630 AD during Shivaji Maharaj’s campaign in the Deccan, the brightly coloured saris of the ladies caught his eye and thus the Narayanpet saree got its Royal Maratha Patronage. Other versions of the tale state that the weavers, who were part of Shivaji’s camp during a campaign, were the ones who stayed back and developed the form as we see it today. Much before the world was made aware of the concept of a global village, the Indian Subcontinent had embraced the idea. The merger of cultures of different princely states and regions in the country has produced some fantastic weaves and styles that are heralded to this day for their sheer beauty and exclusivity. The Narayanpet saree is one such example. These sarees have had the privilege of enjoying the royal patronage of the Marathas. Regarded as the garment of the Gods, Narayanpet sarees were used to drape the idols of deities and...

Nirmal Toys world-famous wooden toys are made in the historic town of Nirmal in Telangana state derived its name from that of a 17th-century ruler, Nimma Naidu, who had a great interest in art and toy-making. Back then, he collected about 80 artists and started a toy-making industry that came to add cultural significance to the town. The Nirmal toy cluster has 60 families registered with the state rural self-help group, who keep the craft alive, making toys that are sold through state emporia. The cluster earns revenues in the range of Rs 3- 4 lakh per month. Considering that the cluster largely produces toys, which is a non-essential item, there is always the danger of artisans losing interest in this traditional craft and moving on to more lucrative occupations. However, the award of the Geographic Indication (GI) status to Nirmal toys in 2009 was a morale booster for them. The GI status acts as a flagging device that helps producers differentiate the Nirmal toys from competing pr...

Karimnagar Silver Filigree is a silver filigree made in Karimnagar, India. It is an ancient art of Karimnagar. Karimnagar Silver Filigree received Intellectual property rights protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2007. Silver filigree, the ancient art of making silver artefacts and ornaments by using silver wire, an art which Karimnagar town is famous for, cries for attention, protection and promotion of the age-old art and tradition. Silver filigree was popular during the Nizam era when the rulers encouraged the silversmiths to make the exquisite silver plates, ‘pandhan’ and other artefacts as show-pieces. These artefacts made by the silversmiths of Karimnagar were made available at Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad. Since 19th Century AD, the very talented craftsmen of Karimnagar fashioned rich intricate trellis/Jali made of twisted silver wire. The locals say that this unique craft was adopted some 200 years ago by the Elgandal town near the Karimnagar...

Gadwal Saree is a handcrafted woven sari style in Gadwal of Jogulamba Gadwal district in the Telangana State, India.  . Gadwal sarees are made from cotton and silk which is usually tussar or mulberry. “The dyeing is usually done at Chirala where the yarn is dipped in boiled coloured water at an extremely high temperature. Higher temperature means the colour will last a long time. It was registered as one of the geographical indication from Telangana by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Though Gadwal is the most famous of all, there is an entire of cluster of smaller villages also engaged in weaving these sarees. Over 800 looms are used every day at Rajoli village to create these seven yard beauties. All sarees produced here are sold to the master weavers of Gadwal, which is probably why Rajoli is overshadowed. Other notable villages where they are made are Gattu, Yemmiganur, Aiza and Nagaladinne. It takes painstaking effort over five ...

Gollabhama or Gollabama sarees are globally famous, and even have the Geographical Indication Tag. Though Siddipet Gollabhama sarees have a geographical indication tag, it hasn’t led to any boost in sales for the weavers. Sustaining this art means getting the weavers to incorporate the motifs in stoles, dupattas and scarves and use new colour palettes which is happening slowly.The weavers replicate these silhouettes to create alluring designs on their looms with cotton as well as silk yarns.  The saree is often in a single colour dotted with small gollabhama butas throughout the fabric, while the larger intricate motifs are showcased on the border and/or pallu (end-piece). Typically, three motifs are used for saree designs viz. Gollabhama, Bathukamma and Kolatam, with Gollabhama being the most commonly used. These sarees get their name from the decorative motifs that are used – the gollabhama(milkmaid). Gollabhama (milkmaid motif) woven onto the border of the saree ...

Cheriyal Scroll Painting is a stylized version of Nakashi art, rich in the local motifs peculiar to the Telangana. Several hundred years ago, Kaki Podagollu, a story telling community would travel through Telengana, singing and narrating stories, and depicting them in a visual format. An hour’s drive from Hyderabad is the village of Cheriyal in Siddipet district, Telangana. Here is where the famous ‘Cheriyal Scrolls’ come from.   These canvas scrolls made from Khadi are hand-painted in a style unique to the local motifs and iconography. Characterised by a dominance of the colour red in the background, these brilliantly hued paintings even received Geographical Indication Status in 2007. Painted in panels as a narrative, these are like comic strips from the past, depicting scenes and stories from Indian mythology and epics. Distinct in their style they immediately convey age-old Indian traditions and customs in a beautiful and engaging manner. Of which, both the Lords K...