The word Ikkat simply translates to tie and also refers to bind. It is one of the traditional sarees of Telangana State, and the saree had its origin in the town of Bhoodan Pochampally. The unique feature of an Ikat saree is, it is the only yarn that is dyed, before weaving, which makes it highly matchless and exceptional. Ikat employs resist dyeing, where the garment is carefully dyed, avoid smudging of colors on the rest of the fabric, creating a pattern using wax, or mud. Each thread is carefully measured, and the design is transferred on weft and wrap. The complicated process of dyeing is laborious, where each thread that goes into the loom has to be moniterd carefully, but the dexterous hands of weavers convert the fabric into a marvelous art piece with solid patterns and abstract designs. The technique of Double ikats, involves a much more complex process, where it is both dyed, and wrapped, and processed before weaving. The art of weaving had been passed on to generations, where now around 10,000 families are involved in the process of making beautiful Ikat sarees. It is one of the favorite draperies among women.
