Pochampally Village, Centre of Handloom & Rural Tourism

Pochampally Village located in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana, is famous for its traditional Ikat handloom weaving, popularly known as Pochampally Ikat. It is an important centre of rural tourism and handicrafts in India. In 2021, it was selected as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), highlighting its cultural and economic significance.

Pochampally Village

• The award was announced at the 24th UNWTO General Assembly held in December 2021 in Madrid, Spain.
• The village is famous for its traditional Ikat handloom weaving and efforts to promote rural tourism.
• The Union Ministry of Tourism has drafted a Rural Tourism Policy to promote tourism in villages, support local arts and crafts and strengthen the rural economy through employment generation.
• Earlier, the Rudreswara Temple (Ramappa Temple) in Telangana was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, increasing the state’s cultural importance globally.

India’s Award Winning Tourism and Handloom Village

• The Best Tourism Villages initiative of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) aims to recognise villages that are good examples of rural tourism development. It selects villages that follow sustainable practices and perform well in nine evaluation areas. 
• The programme also helps selected villages improve their tourism potential through training and guidance. From India, the Ministry of Tourism recommended three villages-Kongthong, Ladhpura Khas and Pochampally. Among them, Pochampally received the award.
• Pochampally is located about 50 km from Hyderabad in Telangana. It is popularly known as the “Silk City of India” because of its famous Pochampally Ikat sarees. Pochampally Ikat received Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2004, which protects its unique identity.
• The word “Ikat” comes from a Malaysian-Indonesian term meaning “tie and dye.” In this method, threads are first tied and dyed in specific patterns before weaving. The dyed threads are then woven into fabric, creating beautiful designs.
• In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first National Handloom Day on August 7 to honour India’s rich handloom tradition. The date also marks the beginning of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905.
• Pochampally is also known as Bhoodan Pochampally because the Bhoodan Movement was started here on April 18, 1951 by Vinoba Bhave. A small Vinoba Bhave Mandir still exists in the village to remember his visit and contribution.
• Vinoba Bhave was the first international figure to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958. 
• He was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1983.

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United Nations World Tourism Organisation

• The UNWTO is the United Nations agency that promotes responsible, sustainable, and accessible tourism worldwide. It provides a platform for countries to discuss tourism policies and encourages following the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
• Established in 1975
• Members: 159 countries
• Official Languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
• Headquarters: Madrid, Spain.
• Organisational Structure
  • General Assembly: Main meeting of UNWTO members, held every two years.
  • Executive Council: Governing body with 35 members elected by the General Assembly, meets at least twice a year.
• Best Tourism Villages Initiative
  • Launched in 2021 by UNWTO
  • It is a Part of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme, it identifies villages that excel in rural tourism.