Supraja Saikumar (right) and Saranya Damodaran. / Photo: M. Srinath / The Hindu
From creating terracotta jewellery for personal use, Supraja and her sister are now teaching the art to others. Vipasha Sinha meets the duo
Terracotta jewellery has found a special place in every woman’s life. It is eco-friendly, colourful and goes with almost everything. Cashing in on the trend are Terracotta sisters who organise regular workshops in T. Nagar.
Supraja P. Sasikumar and Saranya Damodaran learnt the art of terracotta jewellery-making so that they could make their own jewels. Eventually, they decided to teach others the art.
“I’ve always been passionate about jewellery and keep up with the latest fashion. I heard about terracotta jewellery and wanted to learn how to make it. I joined a class three years ago,” says Supraja.
She regularly made jewellery for herself and people always took notice of her accessories.
“Making a piece of jewellery for oneself is different from teaching others. I prepared for three months and my sister helped me out. I am a research scholar and a professor at Adhiparasakthi Engineering College. It is the teaching instinct that led me to do research before starting my classes. Since a year ago, we have been conducting regular classes during the weekends and teaching anyone above the age of eight. We have taught around 350 students,” she says.
At Supraja’s workshop, one can learn to make varieties of studs and jhummkas, anklets and she also teaches how to make Ganesh idols out of terracotta. “The session is inclusive of designing and painting,” she says.
The workshop is held every weekend at 101/35 Bazullah Road, T. Nagar, next to Vivek and Co. For details call 7708752662.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Downtown / by Vipasha Sinha / Chennai – May 01st, 2014
The Milk collection point established by MSSRF. / Photo: Special Arrangement / The Hindu
“I have to get back my payment of Rs. 22,000 for supplying which is pending from my earlier milk vendor. Even after two years he is not ready to pay. Every time I go to ask for the amount he gives some excuse and sometimes he is not in his shop,” says Ms. Chellam from Thiruvennakoilpatti village, Illupur taluk, Pudukottai district.
Like her there are many people in different villages with the same story — pending payments from the local milk vendor or tea stall for the milk they supplied.
Confident
But today, after the Rural Women’s Entrepreneur Federation (RWEF) has been inaugurated by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Pudukottai, Ms. Chellam can be confident of getting back her due since there is a group to support her.
“The group was started in 2012 with an initial membership of about 450 women members after a survey in the village revealed that cattle rearing was not a popular off-farm activity since irregular monthly payments, faulty milk analysis, lack of knowledge in animal health care and management were some of the common reasons cited,” says Dr. R.S. Shanthakumar Hopper, Director, Ecotechnology Center, MSSRF.
Based on a request from the members, a federation called Komatha milk producer association (KMPA) was started, consisting of 375 women dairy entrepreneurs managed by RWEF.
The objective was to promote an integrated system of credit access for animal purchase, create quality and cost effective fodder banks, and establish vermicompost units, manufacture bio products from cow urine and maintain animal health care and insurance.
Azolla
Through the introduction of Azolla (used as green manure in rice fields), it was demonstrated that feed cost for the animals can be reduced by 20 per cent.
During the current year, the project promoted 80 acres fodder sorghum crop to ensure fodder availability for animals during summer.
To ensure a transparent management system, a committee consisting of nine members was elected from KMPA who meet once a month to discuss various matters related to their milk business.
KMPA has established six milk collection centers till date and has provided a revolving fund loan for Rs. 13 lakh for purchase of milch animals.
Indirect threat
“Though the women received loan from the federation and were willing to sell the milk to the federation, indirect threat came from the buyers that the pending money will not be given if they do not continue to supply the milk to them. The delayed payment is the trump card of the traders for making the women dependent on them and ensures regular supply,” says Dr. Hopper.
But constant efforts of the group resolved the delayed payments and the milk supply has increased from initial 100 litres per month to 12,000 litres per month with an annual gross income of Rs. 25 lakh.
Price
“The local milk trader gave us only Rs. 12 per litre and now we have bargained with a private milk vendor for bulk sales for Rs. 24 per litre. We also sell milk locally to a few shops on a regular basis for Rs. 28 per litre, that provides us with additional income” says Ms. Rajamani, a member of the association.
“I know that certainly I will get my milk sales money by 5th and 20th of every month. Now, this has enabled me and my family to plan for productive expenses.
“I have gained lot of confidence and respect in my family and community” says Ms. Muthulakshmi another milk supplier.
Long term plan
The long term strategy for the RWEF is to increase the milk producers to 1,000 members by 2015.
For more details contact Mr. Dr. R.S.Shanthakumar Hopper, Director at email: hopper@mssrf.res.in, mobile: 9445394394 and K. Thachinamurthy, Project Coordinator, Samathanapuram, Irunthirappatti road, Illuppur – PO, Pudukkottai District. email: thachinamurthy@gmail.com, Phone: 04339 272630, mobile: 09626737207.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> S & T> Science / by M. J. Prabu / April 30th, 2014
The flowers are a cure for venereal diseases and nervous disorders. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The magnificent punnai trees of the city have several tales to tell
“This is the punnai maram,” pointed out the elder person to the seven-year-old. “It will make your wish come true if you tie a thread around its branch.” We were at the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, walking around the old tree next to a small shrine in a courtyard. “You see the figure of the peacock? That is goddess Parvathi worshipping Lord Shiva. Mylapore got its name from this legend — ‘myil’ (peacock) and ‘oor’ (place). The Shiva here is also known as ‘Punnaivananathar’ (lord of the punnai grove). Being the stalavriksha (tree attached to a Hindu temple), she guessed the tree must be as old as the temple itself.
Hymns by the Nayanmars have references to Kapaleeswarar temple, but place it on the seashore. The scholarly view is that the original temple was built on the shore, but was destroyed by the Portuguese, and that this one was built by the Vijayanagar kings in the 16th century. Add to it the fact that ‘Karpagambal’ (the presiding goddess) means ‘Goddess of the wish-yielding tree’, and the age of the punnai tree becomes anybody’s guess.
“It can be witness to surrounding history for more than a hundred years,” said Dr. TD Babu of Nizhal. While punnai is its Tamil name, botanists have named it Calophyllum inophyllum and its common English label is Alexandrian laurel, he said, adding that Punnai is our own coastal tree with a grey or black bark. It grows 12 to 14 metres high, has thick, dark leaves, each with a prominent mid-rib and parallel veins. It spreads by throwing out hard seeds. Its clustered flowers, blooming in winter, are white and fragrant. The punnai’s fruit is spherical with a smooth, greenish-yellow skin.
Some 40 km down ECR, at Thiruvidanthai, inside the compound of the Nithyakalyana Perumal Koil, is another magnificent punnai on a specially-erected platform. The Archaeological Survey of India, which maintains the temple, has put up epigraphical information to show the temple is more than a thousand years old. The priest said that three preceding generations in his family have talked about it. If not the tree itself, its significance goes back much further, or else why would the temple’s pillars have carvings of Krishna dancing on the punnai tree?
The punnai’s seeds are rich in oil (dilo), which was once used to light lamps and lanterns. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The punnai’s seeds are rich in oil (dilo), which was once used to light lamps and lanterns. Dilo oil is believed to cure rheumatism, bruises, ulcers, scabies, and was used as pain reliever for leprosy through intramuscular injection (Dastur 1962). The oil is used to make soap, the fruit yields commercially important gum. The bark has anti-microbial effect, so its decoction is used to wash painless ulcers. The juice is taken internally to stop internal/external bleeding. Snuff from the leaves is believed to relieve giddiness and headache. The leaf extract soothes sore eyes. The flowers are a cure for venereal diseases and nervous disorders. The wood was once used for railway sleepers and in ship-building
“Those who visit the Vaikuntavasa Perumal Temple at Koyembedu must stop to admire the lovely punnai tree there,” Babu said. He put its age at 80. “Trees get value-added as they grow old,” he added. “We must think of them as faunal biodiversity and do everything to preserve them.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Geeta Padmanabhan / Chennai – April 30th, 2014
Depending on the demand and requirements, the company would expand the park in the 75 acres owned by it and adjacent to the park, Chellappan said.
Coimbatore :
Rooftop solar installation company Swelect Energy Systems has commissioned a 15 MW solar energy park near Vellakoil in Karur district of Tamil Nadu.
The 15 MW park is a modular energy park, wherein the company owns 12 MW and 3 MW capacity is owned by two other companies, Yajur Energy Solutions and Amex Alloys, company’s Managing Director R Chellappan told PTI today.
Set up on 75 acres of land with an investment of Rs 102 crore, the power evacuation is through a 33 KV dedicated feeder connecting Periyarnagar sub-station of Tangendco, he said.
Depending on the demand and requirements, the company would expand the park in the 75 acres owned by it and adjacent to the park, Chellappan said.
On the policy bottlenecks, Chellappan said the solar sector would benefit a lot if the Renewal Purchase Obligation (RPO) was regularised.
To a question on Tamil Nadu’s project to generate 3,000 MW through solar energy in three years, Chellappan said that the sector was waiting for favourable scheme.
The company has been engaged in developing solar power projects for a decade now as channel partner to Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, he said, adding, it has installed over 1,500 rooftop projects across the country.
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Industry> Energy> Power / by PTI / April 30th, 2014
There will be an interaction between experts and participants
Salem District Small Scale and Tiny Industries Association (SADISSTIA), Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) and Germany based Fredrich-Newman-Foundation Service Centre, will be jointly organising a one-day seminar on “Energy Conservation”.
The programme will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hotel Grand Estancia in Kuranguchavadi, on April 30.
Chief Executive Officer of Jindal Steel Works, Mecheri, Salem, D. Ravichandar, will deliver the keynote address. Technical expert S. Kannan, from Tiruchi, will enlighten the participants on “Energy Conservation” in all types of buildings.
Focus will be on energy conservation in hotels, hospitals and educational institutions.
R. Baskaran, an energy conservation expert from Coimbatore, will be addressing the participants on energy conservation in utilities, compressors, boilers, fans and pumps.
Topic
Officer of the South India Textile Research Association, Coimbatore, N. Vasantha Kumar will elaborate on the topic for textile industries.
P. Ashok Kumar, President of the Tamil Nadu Solar Energy Developers Association, will explain on getting solar energy equipment at a concessional rate with allowable subsidy from the Government. SADISSTIA President K. Mariappan said that there will be an interaction between experts and the participants.
The registration fee will be nominal for those who enrol for the programme at the SADISSTIA office opposite Alagapuram Police Station in Fairlands, Salem.
Further details could be obtained over phone at 94437-17295, 94426-31277 or 0427-2448479.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Staff Reporter / Salem – April 27th, 2014
Just opposite the busy Flower Market on Mettupalayam Road are four narrow lanes called the Devangapet Streets. The streets appear to almost be an extension of the commercial main road. Streets are densely populated with garland makers, ceramic tile outlets, hardware stores and bakeries. With two-wheelers and auto stands parked on both sides of all the streets and the connecting bylanes, parking is a nightmare. It is difficult to imagine that these streets were closed to vehicular traffic for years around two to three decades back. These streets were where threads used to weave sarees were woven from cotton and dried on the road.
The streets were named after the community that used to weave these cotton threads —the Devanga Chettiars, a community that migrated from in and around Hampi, within the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire. The Devanga Chettiars were Telugu-speaking people who specialised in hand-weaving threads and saris. “Their cloth was very popular among the North Indian community, especially among people from Rajasthan,” recalls historian Rajesh Govindarajulu. “The cotton was considered very good for turbans,” he says.
This community is considered the people who created the Coimbatore cotton. “They were hard-working and industrial people. They were responsible for the advent of modern textiles 70 to 80 years ago,” says Govindarajulu. “This led to them making a fortune out of it,” he says.
Many in the community continue to manually weave threads, dye them and leave them on the streets to dry. They mainly lived on the four streets forming Devangapet and a few streets on the opposite side like Light House Road, R G Street and Oppannakara Street.
“They used to live on one-storied limestone and roofed houses,” remembers an employee of CSK Tubes, which has been on Devangapet Street for the past 30 years. “We used to know many of the residents living here till they sold their houses away,” he adds. Govindarajulu describes the houses as modest but well-constructed. “They used to have nice large windows, even if the houses were narrow. Many of their houses are considered heritage buildings,” he says. Today, only a handful of them remain. Most have them have converted to two or three-storied concrete buildings or commercial establishments with large frontages.
One of the streets during the 70s was also renamed as the Nanneri Kazhagam Street or the NNK Street. Though no stretches of the road bear the name, a few auto drivers remember that the Devangapet Streets were renamed NNK Street a few years ago. The Nanneri Kazhagam was founded in 1956 by Baburaj to promote Tamil literature. “It started in a small place above a jewellery shop on Big Bazaar Street,” says Perur K Jayaraman, a city historia, adding “We still meet once every month and host an event..”
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Pratiksha Ramkumar, TNN / April 27th, 2014
It took a while for A Muruganantham, the 49-year-old resident of Coimbatore, known globally as the menstrual man for his revolutionary design in the production of low cost hygienic sanitary napkins, for the news to sink in when he came to know that he’s one among four Indians to be featured in the Time magazine list of 100 most influential people in the world along with BJP leader Narendra Modi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Aravind Kejriwal and writer Arundhathi Roy. The list also includes the likes of US President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin, education activist Malala and whistle blower Edward Snowden.
“It is a great feeling to realise that I am sharing space with these people. But it has not been an easy journey for me so far even though I’m constantly trying to improvise and upgrade my skills, which is my main driving force,” said Muruganantham, seated inside his modest workshop in the outskirts of the city. When he is in Coimbatore, he spends most of his time tinkering with his production design for low cost sanitary napkins. But most of the time he is travelling across the globe delivering lectures and attending seminars organised by universities including Harvard University. A Muruganatham had decided to come up with the sanitary napkin manufacturing machine way back in 1998 when he realised that his wife Santhi used a piece of old rag cloth as a substitute for sanitary napkins. He realised that most Indian women like his wife were finding it difficult to access hygienic sanitary napkins due to lack of availability and affordability.
“Hailing from the family of a handloom weaver and making a living from a modest workshop, I realised that if the women in my family decide to opt for branded sanitary napkins then we will have to make major cuts in our family budget,” added Muruganantham.
His initial attempt involved buying 10 grams of cotton at 10p and presenting a sanitary napkin to his wife. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a major disaster. This forced him to do some ground research on the type of materials used in branded sanitary napkins.
“At once I realized I was in trouble as I was unable to get feedback on existing products. Besides, I didn’t have access to used napkins to study and understand the type of raw materials I would need. Fed up with my obsession, my wife left me for a while. There were rumours that I was a pervert in my village. Some even said I was a vampire yearning to drink blood,” he said.
But Muruganantham continued with his efforts and realised that the key raw material to manufacture sanitary napkins was cellulose which could be separated and turned into the fluffy cotton used inside the pad. After further research he came up with a design that was finally approved by IIT Madras. Instantly, his fortunes were reversed and he began to receive global attention in 2009. He went one step further and decided to supply the units to women self help groups in India and globally where groups of women could manufacture and market their own local brands of sanitary napkins.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by Binoy Valsan, TNN / April 27th, 2014
Enthusiasts thronged Coimbatore city for ‘Aeroplus 2014’, which exhibited more than 20 varieties of aircrafts, choppers and their manoeuvres.
The exhibition is being organised by Nehru College of Aeronautical Science and will continue for three days. Most of the aircrafts that were on display have been brought from Indian Air Force and other foreign countries.
“The show has been organised to create awareness among the public regarding aviation field,” said organiser of the aero show, Krishna Kumar.
The visitors were mostly attracted to miniature helicopter, which was designed by an aeronautical student. One of the distinct characteristics of this miniature chopper was it cannot be detected by radar which can be greatly useful for the armed forces.
“We thought that models would be exhibited, but there are real choppers and flights being exhibited here, there are choppers designed by the students. The students explained us about the working of the choppers and about the flight here and inside the lab, the engines and the materials used to manufacture the flight are being displayed. This is a wonderful experience,” said a visitor, Priya.
Some of the aircrafts that were on display included Hawker 1A, Beech aircraft, King Air C-90 aircraft, Cessna 150D, a rare Enstrom F-28 helicopter, etc.
Inside the exhibition halls, visitors also got the chance to witness an international airport which was prepared in the form of a big model. There were runways, terminals, security points, radar, repair yard, flying club, parking area arranged along with the aircrafts. Engine models were also put on display including MIG-21 fighter plane engine.
Aircraft accessories, aviation photo gallery and cockpit instruments were also set up in this novel exhibition.
source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> News-ANI> National / ANI / Coimbatore – April 27th, 2014
The Nehru Yuva Kendra and the Muthamizar Tarkappukalai Valarchi Arakkattalai will organise martial arts annual festival in the city on May 25. Various martial art troupes functioning in the state will demonstrate the art forms such as silambam, wrestling, using of weapons, body building etc. Each troupe will be allotted thirty minutes time for displaying and demonstrating the martial arts.
The objective of the programme to create awareness among the common people on the martial arts of the State, motivate the troupes practising martial arts and provide them a platform to display their talent. Interesting troupes could register with the Arakkatalai on or before May 5. For details, they can call 9442610605, a press release of K. Chandrasekar, managing trustee of the Arakkattalai, here said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Tiruchirapalli / by Special Correspondent / Tiruchi – April 27th, 2014
Ramanathan Krishnan and Lalitha Krishnan at their natural grass court patterned on those at Wimbledon./ Photo : R Ravindran. / The Hindu
The English championship is two months away and fans are making plans to be there. But the first family of Indian tennis has other ideas
No sprightly girls and boys to chase the yellow balls. No linesmen to yell out calls. No electronic board to flash the scores. But superlative matches are played every day at this grass court, where tall trees fill in for spectators.
These ‘matches’ defy the humdrum order of time, space and sequence. One moment, an iceberg-cool Borg and a fiery McEnroe are locked in a nail-biting tie-breaker. In the next, Ashe gets the better of Connors with a clever mix of slice and spin. Then come Nadal and Federer fighting a war of attrition, which is followed by an emotion-soaked final where a kind Duchess of Kent offers her shoulder to a teary-eyed Jana Novotna, disconsolate after her loss to Steffi Graf.
Welcome to the private grass court at Oliver Road in Mylapore, maintained by Indian tennis’ first family, the Krishnans, as a tribute to Wimbledon. For the Krishnans, this natural grass court, which borrows features from the hallowed courts of Wimbledon, serves as a mind screen to replay and relive the timeless matches from the prestigious English championship. (Also significant is that this court is one of the very few natural grass courts in the country.)
“Wimbledon is dear to every member of our family. We have followed the championship closely for decades,” says Ramanathan Krishnan, 77 now.
Ramanathan Krishnan in action at Wimbledon. / The Hindu Archive
The Krishnans not only tracked Wimbledon, they also excelled in it — a fact that largely shaped their deep attachment to the championship and also the decision to design a natural grass court patterned on those at Wimbledon. Ramanathan Krishnan is a two-time semi-finalist (1960 and 1961) at Wimbledon and his son Ramesh Krishnan, the winner of the 1979 Wimbledon juniors title and a quarter-finalist in the men’s section in 1986.
Ramesh Krishnan discussing with his father Mr Ramanathan Krishnan at a practice session in Madras on October 07, 1980 as mother Mrs. Lalitha Krishnan and his playmates look on./ The Hindu Archives
“It was our son Ramesh’s idea to design a Wimbledon-type grass court at our house on Oliver Road. Around four years ago, he came up with this plan and everyone was excited about it. Ramesh got all the necessary information from Wimbledon. My wife Lalitha assisted in executing the project. And when it was done, we knew we had brought Wimbledon home,” declares Ramanathan, who spends the evening hours with Lalitha at this private grass court, both of them merrily parked in broad, deliciously comfortable bamboo chairs. “When Wimbledon is on, we bring out the television set and watch the matches sitting here,” says Lalitha, 70.
The Krishnans are going to a lot of trouble to make Wimbledon more immediate for themselves: they have put two men, A. Shanmugam and M. Manickam, on the job of maintaining the court. Natural grass court maintenance is costly and cumbersome, the reason we don’t have many of them around.
Notably, this grass court is not used regularly — for ‘real’ matches, that is. “Once in two months, Ramesh, who lives in R.A. Puram, brings some of his friends along for a game,” says Ramanathan.
Besides the love of Wimbledon, there are other sentiments that spur the desire to keep the court in shape and working order. Beneath the grass, lie clayey memories of long practice hours and family bonding. “This was a clay court for well over three decades, before it was turned into a grass court four years ago. We set up the clay court in 1975. It was a training ground for Ramesh,” says Ramanathan.
“Father would train Ramesh from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at this court,” recalls Gowri Krishnan-Tirumurti, Ramanathan’s daughter, who also trained at the court and is the 1982 Indian national juniors champion.
TK Ramanathan with his son Ramanathan Krishnan./ The Hindu Archives
In its clayey days, the court saw five south Indian champions play and practise the sport — T.K. Ramanathan, Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan, Gowri Krishnan and Shankar Krishnan (a cousin of Ramesh and Gowri). “Just like my dad and brother, Shankar went on to play Davis Cup,” says Gowri.
This private tennis court may have created champions, but its charm lies in the sense of togetherness it has fostered among the Krishnans. “I remember when we would be practising, our mother would sit on the sidelines and peel oranges for us,” says Gowri.
The bonding has extended to the youngest generation. Ramanathan’s grandchildren — Gayathri, Nandita, Bhavani and Vishwajit — are in their twenties and studies have taken some of them away from home; yet, when they visit their grandparents, they love to sit around this clay-turned-grass court. Says Gowri, “Successive generations have learnt many things around this court. Discipline is one of them.”
And, surely, also what it takes to be a winner.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus> Society / by Prince Frederick / Chennai – April 25th, 2014
