Sambalpur Sambalpuri Ikat Handloom Weaving Odisha GI

Sambalpur district in western Odisha is the hub of Sambalpuri handloom weaving — a tradition of resist-dyeing (bandha or ikat) cotton and silk thread before weaving, creating the characteristic feather-edged patterns of shankha (conch), chakra (wheel), phula (flower), and deer motifs that distinguish authentic Sambalpuri fabric from imitations. Sambalpuri saris (cotton bandha) and Sambalpuri silk (khandua) have Geographical Indication status; the Khandua Patta sari woven in Nuapatna and Maniabandha near Cuttack is a specific variant of the tied-resist silk tradition used in temple ritual and as bridal dress. Sambalpur town on the Mahanadi is also the entry point for the Hirakud Reservoir — the world's longest earthen dam (25.7 km) that controls the Mahanadi flood and provides irrigation across Odisha's coastal delta.