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Banjara Needle Crafts

Banjara needle craft is a needle craft embroidery in the state of Telangana. The craft has evolved through centuries across generations. It is an embroidery and mirror work on tapestry. The work pieces are bright-coloured. Banjara needle craft is unique to the region of Telangana. It involves use of simple needles, embroidery thread, original fabrics (cotton or woolen), and needs high proficiency in the craft. Combined together, they create splendid pieces of art.

Needle work is the mainstay of this craft and the combination of certain patterns such as geometric shapes - squares, tracings and diamonds are widely used.

The colourful threads used on the basic cloth along with tiny mirrors, beads and cowrie shells impart a vibrant look to the piece of cloth. The mirrors, beads and shells diverse style of stitching - herringbone, simple chain stitching, long and short stitch.

Generally diverse colours such as pink, white, yellow and blue coloured clothes are used. In many instances, blue or brown cloth is used to ensure proper amount of contrast to enhance the beauty of the embroidery.

Banjara needle craft presents a range of embroidery such as bags, kurtas, cushions, gift articles, women garment fabric, bed sheets, and other home furnishing cloths.

Banjara needle work is not exotic by itself, but is the cut, craft and the ideas picked from nature that make it so different. Before itsy-bitsy blouses showing décolletage or open back blouses became fashion statements in urban areas, Banjara women were stitching and wearing them. It was this nifty needle work that incorporated mirrors and shells that drew the attention of the Crafts Council officials to Sepavat Angoori, then a 17-year-old married girl with a daughter, in Yellamma tanda (hamlet), Ibrahimpatnam taluk.

Sepavat Angoori honoured by Crafts Council of Telangana for her role in spreading the needle craft 

The Banjaras in Telangana are gypsies in ancient times who led a nomadic life. They travel from place to place and do a vocation related to their travel. Banjara needle crafts are handmade fabrics made by Banjaras.

Embroidery in general began with woman folk of travelling tribes who did not have the opportunity to go out home in pursuit of any vocation. They began embroidery as a matter of vocation. Embroidery is associated with every facets of life. Embroidery is symbolic of expressing one's passion for creativity.




http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/Owning-the-Banjara-needle-craft/article17000665.ece
http://telanganatourism.gov.in/blog/banjara-needle-crafts.html
http://golkondacrafts.telangana.gov.in/blog_banjara_needle_craft.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/335938/magical-stitches-banjara-needles.html


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Ammapalli Sita Rama Temple

Ammapalli Sita Ramachandraswamy Devasthanam is located in Ammapalli Village near Shamshabad, Rangaredddy District, Telangana, India.

The temple is unique in more ways, it is a Ram temple but there is no Hanuman inside the sanctum
sanctorum, instead there is a Hanuman at the base of the dhwaja stambh (flag post) looking towards the temple. It is believed that Hanuman is looking towards Lord Rama to wait for instructions from him to fulfil the desires of the devotees. There is another Hanuman idol that looks directly outside at the bottom of the second flag post. This was a unique thing for me was the presence of two dhawaja Stambhs in the temple courtyard one seems to be old and other recently added (recent here could mean 100+ years). The 3 idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshaman are made from a single stone and not made from separate rocks.

The Rama temple was built by Vengi kings in 13th century but the idol was 1000 years old. The temple is adorned with a large seven-story tower which is quite famous among Telugu movie fans. There is a large image of Lord Vishnu is sleeping posture above the gateway of the tower.

“There are no inscriptions of this temple but legend has it that it was built during the time of Kalyani Chalukyas,” says Anvesh Sharma, the temple priest. 

There is a large temple pond which is very ancient. The pond is surrounded by porticos and once it provided shelter to the pilgrims. The surroundings of the pond are filled with coconut trees. There is a mandapa opposite to the temple.

Tollywood film industry loves Ammapalli Temple and they believe that movies recorded here would become hits with the blessings of Sri Sita Rama Swamy.

Sri Rama Navami is celebrated with great passion at this temple every year (Apr).

The gali gopuram is a magnificient work of art that rises some 80 feet into the air. Though it is similar to other gali gopurams in South India like Hampi and Tirupati, the one at Ammapalli is leaner and is a combination of limestone plaster, baked bricks and stucco giving it a more dramatic appearance. Surprisingly, the multi-storied gopuram also incorporates elements of Rajasthani architecture such as the flared chajjas that curve upwards. “The gali gopuram and the walking path around the temple are later day additions. They were built in the 17th century while the inner sanctum sanctorum is the earliest structure,” says the priest.

It is the sanctum sanctorum with the three idols of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana that the story of the temple unravels. “This is carved out of a single stone. Even the deities of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana have makarathorana (the arch above the idol) carved out of the single piece of rock. The unique aspect of this Rama’s idol is that the makarathorana has small idols which are representative of Dasavataram,” informs the priest. The gopuram over the idols is a smaller structure but with greater detailing of the temple iconography which is intact despite its age.

While most villages have Rama temples with Hanuman kneeling in front in an act of prayer, the Ammapalli temple has an idol of Kodandarama where Rama holds the arrow in his right hand and a bow in the left. “There are very few Kodandarama temples as they are built only in places where Sri Rama travelled or stayed during his 14 years of exile. That is also the reason the temple doesn’t have Hanuman sitting near the three as he didn’t join them till the end of exile,” says Sharma.

Spread over nine acres, the temple and its ancillary structures hark back to a time when land was not at a premium. It has a step well that sprawls over an acre of land and has a walkway around it. Unfortunately, the well is dry as a rock. “Earlier the well used to be full of water through the year. But now due to a lot of construction activity, the natural pathways of water have been disturbed and the well dries up on a regular basis,” says Anuradha Reddy of Intach who has a family ties to the trustees of the temple belonging to Rajapet Samasthan.

How to reach Shri Rama Chandra Swamy Temple Ammapalli Village: If you are coming from ORR take exit 17 and travel on service road till you meet the underpass that takes you on Rallaguda Road towards Narkhoda, Ammapalli village will be on the way and you will see a big Arch on the main road informing about the temple.

If you are coming from Banjara Hill/Mehdipattnam side come from the PV Narsimha Rao Expresswayand then follow this map to join the same route after you reach the Shamshabad village. Here is a Google map to reach the Ammapalley temple from Shilparamam you can expand it and change your starting point.


http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/serish-heritage-ammapalli-sita-ramachandraswamy-devasthanam/article18304930.ece

http://desitraveler.com/sri-rama-chandra-swamy-temple-ammapalli-village/

https://www.trawell.in/telangana/hyderabad/sri-rama-chandra-temple-ammapalli




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Alvanpalli Jain Temple

Alvanpalli Jain Temple is located in Alvanpalli, (Gollathagudi) village, Jadcherla Mandal, Mahabub Nagar District, Telangana, India.

It is a rare brick temple belonging to 7th – 8th Century A.D. It is the only brick temple of Jainism
faith which retained architectural features and stucco decorations. The stucco figurines discovered in the excavations exhibit the continuation of the lime plastic Art of Amaravathi School. The temple has been a subject of study, due to its unique architectural elements, which is not that prominent in other Jain sites.

The excavations nearby the settlement at Gollathagudiby the Archaeology team has brought to light many Jainism vestiges besides the remnants of a Hindu Temple, belonging to early medieval times. Jainism sculptures like Mahaveera, Parsvanatha and other objects found here, have been shifted to the District Museum, Pillalamarri, Mahabubnagar as well as the State Museum in Public Gardens, Hyderabad for preservation.

The oldest Jain temple built with bricks and in terracotta style lies in shambles.

According to the officials of Department of Archaeology and Museums, there are only two such structures now in the country. One is the oldest Hindu Temple built during Gupta period is located at Bhitargaon under Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. The second one is located in Telangana which was built between 7th and 8th century.

There are similarities between the two; while the one located in UP is the only remaining oldest Hindu temple and the other one is at Alvanpalli in Mahbubnagar district is the only remaining Jain temple built with bricks and in terracotta style, the sources added.

The temple, which was damaged around 18th century, has been remained exposed to vagaries of the nature. “This had resulted in the only remaining Jain brick temple suffering major damage as no efforts were being made to conserve it, besides it was left with no maintenance to protect it from further deterioration,” the sources pointed out.

Alvanpalli (Gollathagudi) village is located about 10 km from Jadcherlatown and nearly 30 km from the district headquarters of Mahabubnagar. It is well accessible by road.




http://tsdamblog.com/ancient-jain-temple-alvanpalli/

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2017-04-30/Unique-Jain-temple-in-Telangana-lies-in-ruins/296815



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