Monthly Archives: September 2014

Rural wares reach the urban space

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Wide array:Products on display at the IRDP Mela at the Manjalikulam SMV School grounds in Thiruvananthapuram.— Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar / The Hindu
Wide array:Products on display at the IRDP Mela at the Manjalikulam SMV School grounds in Thiruvananthapuram.— Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar / The Hindu

Products at Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) mela range from food to décor to jewellery

Entrepreneurship with a warm and homely rural touch —that is what the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) and the Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) Mela that began at the Manjalikulam SMV School grounds here on Monday is all about.

Organised by the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat and the District Poverty Alleviation Unit, the event, inaugurated by Deputy Speaker N. Shaktan is slated to continue till September 5. The mela has rural products from 11 block panchayats of Thiruvananthapuram, mostly results of self-employment projects initiated via Kudumbasree. The products range from food to home décor and from garments to jewellery. Special focus was given to handlooms and handicrafts, the organisers said. “They may be the last generation to make such handicraft products. The handicrafts are on the way to extinction,” said George Jacob, Project Director, Poverty Alleviation Unit.

The food products include coconut oil, wine made from gooseberry and ginger, wild honey, sweet and sour chips made with jackfruit and garlic, various spices, tamarind, jaggery, tea powder, pickles, and boiled tapioca and fish curry.

The home décor and decorative items are mostly made of clay and steel with a variety of bamboo products too on display.

Bamboo jewellery

Jewellery made of paper and bamboo too are being sold at affordable prices.

The garments section has handloom saris from Balaramapuram and khadi shirts and dress material apart from a host of readymade dresses. Kitchen utensils, household items including cane and bamboo furniture, washing soaps, cleaning lotions, candles and incense sticks are also available.

Saplings, including those of medicinal plants, organic vegetables, a stall of the Department of Dairy Development where the quality of milk can be tested, a Prakriti Biotech stall where bio-pesticides and fertilizers are available, and a stall of the palliative care unit too are among those that are attracting visitors on day one. G. Mohan, an entrepreneur at the event, said he had found the mela a “profit making opportunity,” which was why he came every year.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Anasooya Sakthidharan / Thursday – September 02nd, 2014

‘Onakodi’ and the revival of Handloom sectors

Arts,Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
Sarees, woven of high quality yarn ensures superior comfort. File photo: Manorama
Sarees, woven of high quality yarn ensures superior comfort. File photo: Manorama

With Onam being just around the corner, a number of Co-operative societies are getting ready with their traditional weaves to meet the popular demand for variety Onakodis. The sarees and other handloom products of Chendamanagalam received the coveted Geographical Indication (GI) registration tag and the sale of the same usually happens between February and May. The sarees, woven of high quality yarn by employing traditional methods are also made, by taking into consideration the climatic changes during these months, thus ensuring superior comfort.

The Chendamangalam handloom weaves are expected to have a sale of above 3 Crores during this festival season. The Chendamangalam double Mundu is priced between Rs.475 – Rs. 1350, the handloom sarees can cost anywhere between Rs.800 and Rs.4000. While the traditional Mundu-Neriyathu comes in the range of Rs.800 – Rs. 2850. Handloom bedsheets are priced between Rs.415 – Rs. 770. Cotton shirt pieces sell at Rs.190 – Rs.220 per metre. The sale of Chendamangalam handloom happens through their exclusive outlets set up in major centres or through Onam exhibitions or sales. The production is mostly concentrated in areas like Chendamangalam, Kuriappilly, and Vypinkara. Major handloom centres in the state like Hantex and Hanveev started sourcing the weaves from the production places around two months back. These are again sold through various textile showrooms or through seasonal exhibitions.

All of the materials sold are of 100 percent cotton and of good quality. The sarees are sold at reasonable rates from Rs. 275 to Rs.1600. The Kasavu sarees of Hantex are priced between Rs.750 to Rs. 16,000. The Kasavu or the plain double Mundu can come up to Rs.400 to Rs.2000 and the shirt pieces are priced between Rs.120 to Rs.320. Bedsheets that come in cotton or satin can cost from Rs.750 – Rs.2080. The Balaramapuram white single Mundu priced from Rs.160 to Rs.200 are much in demand and cotton shirts and matching Mundu in the same pattern is a popular trend now.

The Khadi Gramudyog Bhavan in every Indian state showcases handloom sarees and other weaves from Kerala. The Khadi showrooms will also have textile exhibitions from across the country during Onam. There are sarees ranging from Rs.1000 to Rs.10,000, Mundu in the price range of Rs.500 to Rs.2000, and shirt materials costing from Rs. 120 to Rs.500 at such sales exhibitions. A great variety of silks and cottons are their speciality.

There are a collection of sarees like Sambalpuri, Kosa silk, Rose silk, Jute, Printed appliqué work. Sarees also happen to be the top selling item in fairs.

source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> In-depth> Onam / by Manorama Correspondent / Monday – September 01st, 2014

HIDDEN HISTORIES – Memories of a prince and a gentleman

Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All
The group photograph showing the Rajapramukh Sri Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma sitting at his mother’s feet; Col. Goda Varma Raja is also sitting on the carpet (extreme left).
The group photograph showing the Rajapramukh Sri Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma sitting at his mother’s feet; Col. Goda Varma Raja is also sitting on the carpet (extreme left).

Do memories fade away with age? “No,” says the nonagenarian K. Sankaran Nair, who was born in 1924. Soon after Sankaran Nair completed his studies in 1944, he joined as a demonstrator in the Department of Physics in University College, Thiruvananthapuram. It was then that he joined as an officer in the University Officers’ Training Corps and the National Cadet Corps. In May 1953, he was detailed to undergo a refresher-training course in the NCC at the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC) at Wellington, the Nilgiris. “My colleague Lt. Viswanathan Nair was the only other NCC officer from [erstwhile] Travancore. However, we formed part of a contingent of about 15 NCC officers from different colleges of South India such as Mysore and the former Madras Province. We were attached to the MRC and was accommodated at the Officer’s Mess there,” Nair recalls.

K. Sankaran Nair / The Hindu
K. Sankaran Nair / The Hindu

Sri Chithira Thirunal, the then Rajapramukh of Travancore-Cochin, was an honorary Colonel of the Madras Regiment. In May, the royal family of Travancore was staying in the Nilgiris for their summer sojourn and they were invited to a lunch at the Officers’ Mess. Lt. Viswanathan Nair and Sankaran Nair were quite excited about the occasion. When the Rajapramukh arrived, the officers were introduced to the chief guest. “We were introduced, one by one to the Rajapramukh. Astonishingly, the Rajapramukh immediately recognised the officers from Travancore. He greeted us with the remark, ‘Oh, you are both here!’’’’ recalls Nair.

Next came a photography session with the royal guests. But when the guests assembled before the camera, they realised that the number of chairs arranged was inadequate to accommodate the senior officers and women who were present. People rushed in different directions to get more chairs. As the uneasy situation got prolonged, the Rajapramukh waited for a few moments with a faint smile. Then, in his clear ringing voice, he called out, ‘Col. Syed! I suggest that we gentlemen sit on the ground and allow the ladies occupy the chairs.’ Before anyone could apologise or make alternate suggestions, the Rajapramukh seated himself on the red carpet. Within two minutes, the senior officers were all sitting on the floor, cross-legged, on either side of the Rajapramukh.

The Wellington station photographer captured that memorable moment. The Rajapramukh was literally sitting at the feet of his mother, Maharani Sethu Parvathy Bayi. At one end of the row, seated on the ground, with his constant companion the ‘Rollei Flex’ camera beside him, was Col. Goda Varma Raja.

For the past 60 years, Sankaran Nair has treasured this valuable photograph. “I occupy a very insignificant corner in the photograph, yet I am in the company of three of the most influential personalities associated with Travancore history,” says Sankaran Nair.

(This write-up is based on an interview with K. Sankaran Nair, former professor of Physics)

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review > History & Culture / Sharat Sunder Rajeev / Thiruvananthapuram – August 29th, 2014

A village’s own white revolution

Agriculture, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives & Environment, Nature
T.P. William Rajan, a traditional dairy farmer in Peerumade, Idukki, is trying to make an entire village free of packet milk.
T.P. William Rajan, a traditional dairy farmer in Peerumade, Idukki, is trying to make an entire village free of packet milk.

A traditional dairy farmer in Peermade is trying to make an entire village free of packet milk.

T.P. William Rajan, a traditional dairy farmer, is the milk-delivery man for almost the whole of the Peerumade grama panchayat.

His cowshed has 12 cows of different varieties. He is trying to revive and an old system of milk delivery. His cows graze on the nearby grasslands during the day and return by evening. The milk has not been ‘branded’ but it is already a brand in itself.

“Now, I supply 45 litres of milk and the milking is done two times daily,” he says. His wife, Philomina, supports him in the endeavour.

The cowshed has Holstein Friesian, Jersey, and other varieties and the selection is done through a ‘trial-and-error method.’ “Local milk delivery is an old system which was prevalent here. I supply milk in bottles, half litre and above, to restaurants and houses,” he says. The average yield is low as far as the total production is concerned.

“This is because the cows and their calves are allowed free grazing and they eat natural grass alone. We provide pure water to our animals,” he says. His dog Pakru herds the cows and leads them back to the cowshed in the evening. “The cows give us a regular income and we get a price higher than the market rate. This is because the milk is farm fresh and delivered at the doorstep,” he says. His work begins at 5 a.m. with the cleaning of the cattle and milking. The work ends by 9 a.m. and the cowshed is opened for Pakru to lead the cattle out. Santhosh, a customer, says the delivery is prompt and the product fresh and pure.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Giji K. Raman / Peermade (Idukki District) – September 01st, 2014