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Gollabhama sarees of Telangana get Unesco listing; an honour to Siddipet weavers: Govt
Describing it as an honour to the skill of Siddipet weavers, Rao said the state government was making all efforts to promote Gollabhama sarees through the state textiles department and would set up stalls all over the country
Hyderabad
The Telangana government on Sunday hailed the listing of Gollabhama sarees, a unique variety of sarees made in Siddipet district, as an iconic craft of India by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
State finance and health minister T Harish Rao, who represents Siddipet constituency, said the Unesco had communicated to the state government that the Gollabhama sarees woven at Siddipet were listed under iconic crafts of the country.
Describing it as an honour to the skill of Siddipet weavers, Rao said the state government was making all efforts to promote Gollabhama sarees through the state textiles department and would set up stalls all over the country.
He said Gollabhama sarees of Siddipet were granted geographical index tag nearly 10 years ago and now it was heartening to note that they had won the Unesco recognition.
“Siddipet has become the sole address for these unique sarees made exclusively by the local weavers. We shall present these Gollabhama sarees as gifts to visitors who arrive from various parts of the country and from across the world,” he said.
In its report on “Handmade for the 21st Century: Safeguarding Traditional Indian Textile,” Unesco listed the history and legends behind the textiles, especially the strenuous efforts put in by the weavers.
Apart from Siddipet Gollabhama sarees, Telangana’s Himru weaving and Gongadi sheep wool blankets were also featured in the Unesco’s list of nearly 50 iconic textile crafts of the country.
