Fabric Treasure of Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh offers a rich variety of handmade textiles, each with a distinctive character, tradition and appeal. The artisans from different regions of the State have developed and preserved an awe-inspiring variety of textile art forms over centuries of eventful history. We are proud to be inheritors of such glorious traditions.

In this book, a comprehensive study has been made of the various varieties of textiles and their manufacturing centres in the State. While it has not been possible to cover the details of all the centres, this work puts together some interesting writing on the main centres of textile from Andhra Pradesh. At attempt has been made in this work to trace in brief the antiquity, the meaning and definition of cloth and the different fabric materials. The book throws light on the different Handloom Centres of Andhra Pradesh and also discusses the Production Technique involved in creating selected textile crafts pertaining to the State. The publication is adequately illustrated and the aspects covered will be of interest to art historians, students of design and textile technology and to connoisseurs of art.

Dr. V. Suguna Sharma a Hyderabadi, has had a brilliant academic record securing several medals in the school and a Rolling Cup for securing highest marks at University level in B.A. She obtained the M.A., M.Phil. & Ph.D. degrees from Osmania University, Hyderabad. She also holds a Diploma Certificate for a short term Museology course conducted by the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad. Besides, she has undergone a Certificate course in Computers She is associated with several Academic bodies and Institutions and is a life member of Indian Art History Congress, Andhra Pradesh History Congress etc. She has attended several National and International Seminars and presented informative research papers. She has also contributed several interesting Articles to well-known research Journals both within the country and abroad. The young author has travelled widely within the country and recently visited the north-eastern Himalayan belt, Nepal and also Tibet in pursuit of Buddhist studies and brought out an interesting work on "The Tibetan Thangkas" (in press). The other fascinating titles published by the author are "Studies in Indian Textiles", "History and Antiquities of Raichur Fort". She is continuing further research in different branches of History & Archaeology viz., Buddhism, Jainism, Iconography, Museology, Art & Architecture etc.

Andhra Pradesh offers a rich variety of handmade textiles, each with a distinctive character, tradition and appeal. Each region of the State has its own distinctive style of weaving, dyeing and printing. As it is said about language that every 10 kms or so dialects change, in the same way every village or centre has a distinct style for weaving which a connoisseur can distinguish. This adherence to traditional use of fabrics has been responsible for retaining the distinctive regional styles. Variations were introduce yet the basic factors like the colour, design, the technique and the desired effects were retained. Today many of the techniques and design tradition which were extinct, have been retained. Rich variations in textiles continue to be woven in the State. Tradition, however, is too strong to be lost, and there is today a resurgence of traditional and elaborately woven patterns based on old designs, both in silk and cotton in all the centres of Andhra Pradesh. Thus, it is felt that it would be interesting to recount the more important among the textiles of Andhra Pradesh which are popular not only in India but also many parts of the world.

The silk sarees of Dharmavaram, Narayanpet and Pochampally have a distinctive style of their own and have a wide appeal. Gadwal and Kothakota also excel in silk and brocade work, offer distinctive patterns influenced by the motifs drawn from the monuments of the area. Besides, Gadwal offers a combination of cotton and silk with zari checks, a gold border and the intricately woven pallu.

The finely spun Venkatagiri sarees combined with golden border and gold pallu excel among the cotton varieties. The cotton sarees of Siddipet are also quite popular. Guntur, Chirala, Machilipatnam, Patur, Pondur etc., are some of the other centres known for weaving a variety of attractive sarees.

Printing on fabrics dates back to the 17th century. The close affinity of printed kalamkaris of Masulipatnam with Persian sources is universally acknowledged. Similarly, the handpainting art of Kalahasti, where the figures of gods were painted, as well as the myths and legends described, has continued to hypnotize the folks.

Pile-carpets were probably introduced into Indian from Iran. There are two centres in Andhra Pradesh noted for the woolen pilecarpet industry. One at Warangal and the other at Eluru. Among the mixed fabric varieties, Himroo and Mashru are well known even outside India.

The artisans of Andhra Pradesh have developed and preserved an aweinspiring variety of textile art from over centuries of eventful history. We are proud to be inheritors of such glorious tradition.

Thus, it is felt that a comprehensive study of the various varieties of textiles and their manufacturing centres in the State has been studied. While it has not been possible to cover the details of all the centres, this work puts together some interesting writing on the main centres of textile from Andhra Pradesh. The aspects covered will be of interest to art historians, students of design and textile and to connoisseurs of art.

Fabric Treasures of Andhra Pradesh is a very fascinating aspect of our traditional textile industry and its antiquity goes back to Vedic age. The author has done a commendable job with great zeal, enthusiasm and untiring efforts to contribute to his most significant book which will go a long way in cultural history of Textile industry.

It is amazing to know that this art of spinning of cotton and wool was common to the people of Indus Valley though the terracotta figures of male and female show the evidence of scanty garments.

The author has evolved very systematically the different classifications of fabric based on different materials like cotton, silk, wool and mixed fabrics.

The author with great efforts has also tried to evolve the cultural identity of South India with its rich, original traditional designs and techniques of Pochampally, Gadwal, Dharmavaram, Kanchipuram, Armur, Narayanpet, Vennkatgiri sarees with distinctive patterns. It is remarkable to note that select textile crafts like Himroo Fabrics of Hyderabad, the Kalamkari textile of Machilipatnam and Kalahasti, the pile carpets of Warangal and Eluru gives in detail the various techniques of production.

The most magnificent art originated in the coastal town of Masulipatnam is Kalamkari and this art which depicts the temple cloth painting at Kalahasti is mentioned with great clarity.

For the beginning of the story of the Indian cloth or costume, we have to go back to antiquity. The excavations at Harappa and Mohenjodaro (2,500 to 1,500 B.C.) have revealed a fairly high stage of advancement in the art of living. From the discovery of many spindles and spindle whorls from the excavations, it may be inferred that the art of spinning of cotton and wool was common to the people of Indus valley. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of textiles of any description except small pieces of cotton were noticed at the base of a silver vase. Interestingly, the purple dye found on a piece of cotton indicates that the art of dyeing was also known and practiced.

The terracotta figurines of male and female show the evidence of scanty garments. But there is no actual specimen of stitched cloth during the course of archaeological excavation conducted at Harappa and Mohenjodaro.

As Indian civilization advanced, in course of time, dress became more ornamental. Dress and cloth of different types have been referred to in Vedic literature. The dress worn by the royalists in the Vedic period consisted of garments viz., the vasa (or lower garment), and adhivasa (or upper garment), and usisa (urban) for men. A sort of cloak is often mentioned. Garments of women consisted of two pieces, an under skirt (chandataka) and upper garment (vasaua, vasas) and usņiṣa is only mentioned for the goddesses. The female dancers used a kind of embroidered garment (pesas). The bride during the marriage ceremony wore a dress called Vadhuya. Skin was worn by the mendicants, sages and seers. Garments during the Vedic age were offered as gifts to the priest for performing different rites and rituals. The dress during the period, was made of different materials such as Kusa grass, Cotton, Wool, Silk and Skin.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages