Handwoven Telia Rumal Pachisi Cotton Saree

Description

Telia Rumal is a method for the oil treatment of yarn. It originated from Chirala in Andhra Pradesh. At Chirala, in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh where the craft started, the weavers had virtually stopped making Telia Rumals. People who acquired skill in this dying art took the lead to introduce this in Puttapaka village of Nalgonda district in Telangana .Recently Puttapaka Telia Rumal was accorded with Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is an art of Ikat tradition using natural vegetable dyes. Some noted designers like Gajams are popular for Telia Rumal designs.

Woven in a flying shuttle loom in the intricate double ikat style, the telia rumal is a valuable craft that has been exported for centuries. The word telia (meaning oil) comes from the artisan’s distinctive use of castor ash and oil for colour retention. The word rumal (meaning handkerchief) is a nod to the square shape it was woven into for use as a headgear.