Category Archives: Green Initiatives/ Environment

The business of farming

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature

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I Support Farming strives to make agriculture a profitable business option

The floods that rampaged Chennai and several regions on the Coromandel coast in 2015 transformed Vasanth Kumar Mani’s life. A marketing professional with an IT firm, he had gone to Cuddalore for relief work. “I saw how people from other parts of the State donated food and clothes,” recalls Vasanth. “But they were just dropped off at the centre of the city. A lot of them didn’t reach those in need.” Vasanth saw how there was a huge gap between those willing to do something for society, and those who actually need it. “This is the case with farming,” he says.

“A farmer requires ₹1,000 to plough half an acre of land,” he says. This amount may not be a big amount to a salaried city-dweller. “But for a marginal farmer, this is a big deal.” What if they and those with a heart and the capacity to give, are connected? This is the idea behind I Support Farming, a company that Vasanth and his brother Vijayakumar Mani founded in 2016. Vijay quit his HR job to take the plunge.

“We enable the partnership of the two,” says Vasanth, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture.  According to him, this business partnership is a win-win for all those who are involved. The “investment” made by a city-dweller, goes into buying seeds, fertilizers, and renting tractors (the company has its own). “We facilitate all of this,” he adds.

The company has a team of 14 on-field technical officers who oversee work on the land. “The profit is split among the three of us — a major portion goes to the farmer, and the rest for the investor and our company,” he explains.

Vasanth says that investing in farming can give better returns than say, opening a Fixed Deposit account. “It’s not as risky as the share market too.” I Support Farming, for their part, does most of the ground work — it evaluates the land before opening it out to investors and also provides technical support to farmers. “We connect with local agricultural research stations to give scientific inputs,” says Vasanth.

Vijay adds that they hope to scale up their company like a mutual fund investment. With an office at the TIDEL Park, Vasanth and Vijay are now working towards opening a line of retail outlets in the city from where people can directly pick-up farmers’ produce.

All this required plenty of work though. “The most difficult part was convincing farmers to come on board,” says Vijay. But they managed to do so. The trick, they realised, was to talk to the most influential farmer in the village.

The first farmer to open up to their initiative was Dhanasekar from Anumandai village in Viluppuram, who convinced several others to join him. Vijay and Vasanth want to do away with the impression that farming is a loss-making venture. Says Vasanth, “With the right approach, we can bring about change.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society / by Akila Kannadasan / June 20th, 2018

Showcasing history of hydro-electricity projects in India

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

Students can visit the museum at Manjoor that has an array of equipment and photographs

The hydro-electric museum which was inaugurated recently at Manjoor, boasting more than 600 pieces of equipment and historical photographs, aims to highlight the history of hydro-electric power, and the Nilgiris’ key role in electrifying Tamil Nadu till the second half of the 20th Century.

The museum, believed to be the only one of its kind in India, has been set up to not only detail the history of the various hydro-electric projects across the State and country, but to also serve as a centre for documentation for students and researchers to delve into, and to learn about the early techniques used for dam construction, operation and maintenance.

S. Ragu, Superintending Engineer, Kundah Hydro-Electric Circle, told The Hindu the museum highlights the roles of the people responsible for introducing hydro-electric power to Tamil Nadu and India, like the first chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, V.P. Appadurai Mudaliar, who travelled to Canada and brought back expertise.

“In fact, the Sri Appadurai Collection in the museum comprises photographs and documentation brought back by the man himself after his trip to Canada,” said Mr. Ragu.

The museum also emphasises the crucial role the power stations played in fuelling the economies of the surrounding districts, including Coimbatore. Mr. Ragu pointed out that the Singara power station helped power the textile mills and other industries in Coimbatore. “We also have pictures and documentation of the now demolished, temporary power station at Glenmorgan, which used to produce around 1 megawatt of electricity for the Nilgiris,” he added.

One of the most striking exhibits at the museum is a series of 52 photographs documenting, step-by-step, the construction of the Emerald Dam. Each row contains images of the left and right banks, as well as the centre of the dam, showcasing in great detail not only the scale of the project, but also the thousands of workers engaged in the construction.

“The Kundah dam was constructed over a three-and-a-half-year period with over 10,000 workers reportedly working each day,” said Mr. Ragu.

V.R. Thimmarayappan, who joined the Kundah hydro-electric circle as Junior Engineer in 1961 shortly after its completion, and who was on a visit to the museum, said that the museum was showcasing instruments and equipment that have been in use since the early 1930s. “As the golden era of dam constructions have come to an end, college students and people interested in learning about the history of the various dams across Tamil Nadu must pay a visit to the museum,” he said.

It has taken officials more than a year to collect the items that are currently on display, including survey equipment, prepaid electricity meters, phone booths and other technical equipment that were installed in the power plants. Most of the items were rescued from scrap heap and restored to their original condition before being put on display. Mr. Ragu said the museum was open to visit by college students or of any educational institution.

“As the interest in the museum will be from a purely technical perspective, we feel that engineering students and students pursuing higher education will stand to gain the most from the visit. They are free to do so after getting permission from us,” said Mr. Ragu.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Rohan Premkumar / Udhagamandalam – June 19th, 2018

‘Herbal’ solution for air pollution?

Amazing Feats, Education, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Records, All

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With his parents assisting him, a school student develops a mask with vetiveru

Inquisitiveness is at the root of innovation. Arul Srivastav, a Class VI student of a city school, has illustrated this, through a rare experiment he has conducted with the roots of Chrysopogon Zizanioides, called vetiveru in Tamil.

Two years ago, with the assistance of his parents, Arul Srivastav, now a Class VI student of Vanavani Matriculation Higher Secondary School located on the IIT Campus on Sardar Vallababhai Patel Road, Adyar, designed an anti-pollution mask with vetiveru.

“Vetiveru root is ubiquitous at our home. When boiling water, we add it to the water. I add it to my hair oil. Arul wanted to find out if he could ‘add’ it to a customised anti-pollution mask,” says Arul’s mother, Vijaya.

So, Arul’s parents — M. Vijaya and Abhishek Srivastav — encouraged him to make a mask from vetiveru roots. When Arul reached a stage where he had to make a filter, his parents took him to screen weavers found near Aavin Park at Adyar signal.

Arul and his parents also learnt to how to weave vetiveru roots. Vijaya helped Arul weave the roots into a triangular filter, measuring 10cm x 8cm. This was then wrapped within a soft net. His parents then took him to an automobile pollution testing centre at a petrol bunk in Thiruvanmiyur to check the efficacy of his filter.

“A simple test was carried out at the centre. Vehicular emissions from a car and a bike were first noted. With the vetiveru filter fitted to the exhaust pipes of the vehicles, emissions tests were again conducted. The readings were noted down. And, the report proved the efficacy of the vetiveru filter,” says Vijaya. Arul sent the findings of the project, which Vijaya put together for him, to the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam IGNITE Awards, instituted by the National Innovation Foundation – India. The Foundation, located at Ahmedabad, is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology. The aim of the award is develop scientific temper and innovation among children.

Soon, to Arul’s pleasant surprise, Foundation sent a letter, stating that his innovation had secured the “accepted” status, which means the applicant has substantiated his innovation and that the innovation is qualified for documentation.

“Similar tests should be conducted for smoke emanated from industrial chimneys. If hazardous emissions were found to be filtered by using vetiveru filter, then appropriate measures should be taken to contain air pollution,” suggests Arul.

Arul and his parents live at Kandhasamy Nagar in Palavakkam.

For details, call 95434 96569.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by L. Kanthimathi / June 15th, 2018

Madras Inherited to unravel city’s architectural treasures

About Chennai(Madras) / TamilNadu, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Leaders, Records, All, World Opinion
One of the projects taken up by the Triple O Studio
One of the projects taken up by the Triple O Studio

Any mention of Chennai’s architectural marvels instantly brings to mind large, red public structures built in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style. But, there is more to the city’s architectural history in its residential areas.

Madras Inherited, an initiative of a group of architects and volunteers, aims to unravel these hidden architectural gems through heritage walks and document the fast disappearing residential structures in the city.

Spearheaded by Triple O Studio, an architectural firm, Madras Inherited will focus on small residential buildings across the city that have gone unnoticed unlike public heritage structures. While Chennai has some of the finest Indo-Saracenic structures, it is also a confluence of many intriguing architectural styles that the group will research and map through a series of walks.

Tahaer Zoyab, architect and co-founder of Madras Inherited, said a project to document the old houses of Mylapore came as an eye-opener to the vanishing heritage in the city. “The character of the interior lanes is fast changing and we wanted to share the stories with people before residential buildings disappear and also document the rich legacy,” he said.

The team has so far documented architectural designs of about 50 houses in Mylapore. “We have traces of Neoclassical, Gothic and Art Deco styles in structures across the city. We can still find traditional vernacular architecture in some of the Agraharam houses of Mylapore, Tiruvanmiyur and Triplicane,” he said.

Classic example

George Town, one of the older settlements in the city, presents a classic example of a confluence of different styles. Dare House in Parrys Corner, for instance, is designed in the Art Deco style in which there is an emphasis on vertical lines and the distinct design of a ‘sunburst jaali’ for ventilation, Mr. Zoyab pointed out.

Such intricate details imbibed in residential and private building architecture will be documented and shared with heritage enthusiasts in the city. Madras Inherited will focus on cultural tourism and heritage education and management through a series of interactive events like photo walks in historical areas. The initiative will be launched on June 16 with a walk through the lanes of Royapettah, where participants will get to decode the architectural history of the area. The walk that starts at 6.30 a.m. will cost adults Rs. 700 and students Rs. 450. Participants get to take home a bag of custom-made souvenirs, ranging from coasters to bookmarks.

The locality has a range of styles from Agraharam houses, traces of Gothic design and Islamic-style houses. The proceeds from these walks will be used to fund the mapping and documentation of city’s heritage structures. There are plans to expand to areas like Periamet, Vepery and George Town after September. For details on the walk, send an e-mail to mail@madrasinherited.in or contact +91-8939135048.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Tamil Nadu / by K. Lakshmi / Chennai – June 15th, 2018

Coimbatore youth gets National Gopal Ratna award

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Nature, Records, All
A. Dhiraj Ram Krishna (second right) receiving the National Gopal Ratna award from Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Radha Mohan Singh (second left) in New Delhi on Sunday in the presence of Minister of State Krishna Raj (left). | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL
A. Dhiraj Ram Krishna (second right) receiving the National Gopal Ratna award from Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh (second left) in New Delhi on Sunday in the presence of Minister of State Krishna Raj (left). | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL

The engineering graduate received the award for upkeep of best dairy animals of indigenous breeds

A young engineer from Coimbatore has won an award from the Central Government on June 2 for cattle rearing and dairying.

A. Dhiraj Ram Krishna received the ‘National Gopal Ratna’ award from Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh in New Delhi for ‘upkeep of the best dairy animals of indigenous breeds’.

The 24-year-old award winner, who holds a B.E. in Production Engineering, ventured full time into dairy business soon after he completed his studies in 2017. “When I wanted to do business, I set sight on dairy. It was a natural choice as cattle has been at home since birth.”

He had stepped into dairy business even when he was pursuing his second year of engineering. It was in a small way, selling milk.

The Periyanaickenpalayam resident says he started with 10 cattle and now has 50, including 10 Gir cows and bulls and 40 cross-bred varieties. The cows give around 250 litres milk a day and he buys another 200 litres to sell to residents in and around the area.

When he started, there was not much opposition from parents, says Mr. Krishna. “Parents only asked me to think twice before venturing into the business. And, when I told them that I’ve made up my mind, they were very supportive.”

He says he did not undergo a course or workshop but learnt dairying on the job. “When it is driven by passion, you tend to learn it and that is how it has been for me.”

He has set up a processing plant to process milk and engages 15 to 20 people on part and full-time basis.

Under the ‘Ganga Milk’ brand, Mr. Krishna also sells curd, ghee and paneer, which he says are distributed throughout Coimbatore.

He has set up a few collection centres in and around Periyanaickenpalayam for farmers to sell their milk and plans to set up a few more in the neighbourhood as he aims to sell at least 1,000 litres milk a day by the December 2018.

The ‘National Gopal Ratna’ award has encouraged him to achieve the target and given ₹ 5 lakh, which he plans to invest for expanding the business.

His father P.R.G. Arunkumar is the Member of Legislative Assembly from Coimbatore North and an AIADMK district secretary as well.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by Karthik Madhavan / Coimbatore – June 04th, 2018

Butterflies of Tamil Nadu captured in a book

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Records, All
P. Mohanprasath and N. Satheesh with their book Butterflies of Tamil Nadu in Chennai. | Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan
P. Mohanprasath and N. Satheesh with their book Butterflies of Tamil Nadu in Chennai. | Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan

It is the culmination of a two-year project

Did you know that Tamil Nadu has 326 species of butterflies identified so far? And did you know that the fragile vannathu poochi (or pattaam poochi) we chased as children are important ecological indicators?

“If you find butterflies in parks or in your gardens, it means these areas are fine for living. Butterflies are very sensitive to environmental changes and will migrate if they cannot survive,” explains N. Satheesh, Conservator of Forests, Tamil Nadu Forest Plantation Corporation Limited (TAFCORN), Tiruchi.

Mr. Satheesh, along with P. Mohanprasath, who works with the NGO, Act of Butterfly, has authored a book titled Butterflies of Tamil Nadu. Volunteers with the Act of Butterfly study the activities of the pretty insects, including their annual mass migration.

The book, with colourful photographs of 316 species found in the State, was recently released in the city.

The culmination of a two-year project, the book explains the ecological role of butterflies, their life cycle, and a list of 32 butterfly ‘hotspots’ in the State. It would make a good addition to any library.

Tamil Nadu has two butterfly parks — one in Srirangam in Tiruchi, and another in the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur near Chennai. “If you want to watch butterflies, the best time is either between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. or from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. When it’s hot, they would rather hide in the shade than flit around in the sun,” Mr. Satheesh says. The book is priced at ₹ 900.

Copies can be purchased at the Forest Department office in Saidapet after a few days.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Deepa H. Ramakrishnan / Chennai – May 29th, 2018

Two new coir clusters to provide jobs to 320 artisans

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature

The two new coir clusters recently set up at Uthiyur and Puliyampatti through government and beneficiary contributions is all set to provide employment to 320 artisans and increase the turnover from the said regions by ₹10 crore this financial year.

The targeted developments in terms of revenue and employment are planned to be achieved by undertaking cluster development activities to the tune of ₹8.55 crore, which would be a combination of grants from Union government and beneficiary contributions.

Of the outlay, the government grant portion was ₹5.78 crore.

“We are aiming to increase the turnover from the Uthiyur region from the present ₹27.6 crore to ₹31.74 crore before the end of the current fiscal year through an annual production of 8,760 tonnes of matting and biodegradable coir geo textiles like soil erosion control woven blankets”, Anitha Jacob, deputy director of Coir Board, which is the nodal agency of cluster activities, told The Hindu.

Similarly, the cluster activities at Puliyampatti region would be catapulting the turnover from the present ₹34.06 crore to a projected ₹39.16 crore in the current financial year through a combination of exports as well as domestic sale of products like coir pith and coir growbag.

Common facility centres

As part of the cluster activities, common facility centres were set up at both the clusters where the artisans could collectively use provisions such as fibre extraction equipment, growbag manufacturing gadgets and pith block making facility, among others.

The numbers of units involved in the manufacturing of various coir products too were expected to go up by another 10 to 20 units in each of the clusters because of the enhanced support.

Special purpose vehicles

To streamline activities, Special Purpose Vehicles have been constituted in two clusters with the representation of beneficiaries and officials from the Coir Board and ITCOT Consultancy Services.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by R. Vimal Kumar / Tirupur – May 28th, 2018

Tradition, innovation to fore at national paddy fest

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technologies
A child, along with farmers takes a look at the tradional paddy varieties on display
A child, along with farmers takes a look at the tradional paddy varieties on display

Trichy :

Farmers exchanged traditional paddy varieties, shared their experiences and discussed the necessity to conserve and cultivate traditional paddy varieties at the 12th National Paddy Festival which commenced in Tiruvarur district on Monday.

Addressing hundreds of farmers from across the country who are attending the two-day festival, Nabard chief general manager Padhma Raghunathan said that the bank has been encouraging not just organic cultivation but innovative ideas from farmers. The need of the hour was to take cultivation of traditional paddy varieties to neighbouring states also.

Leaders of various farmers’ bodies like Ambalavanan, R Sridhar and Ushakumari from Kerala, Durai Singam of the NGO ‘Create’, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai president  T Vellaiyan and progressive farmers from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Puducherry participated. Experts delivered lectures on organic farming, traditional varieties and preservation of soil health among other things. The participants took a pledge to preserve organic and natural farming practices, besides conserving the environment.

The festival was organised by ‘Nel’ R  Jayaraman, who has revived around 170 traditional paddy varieties as part of the Save our Rice (SoR) Campaign aimed at conserving traditional varieties of paddy. Traditional paddy varieties such as Karun kuruvai, Neeladi Samba and Maappillai Samba besides herbs, agriculture equipment and traditional food varieties, green manure, guides as well as manuals for organic farming have been exhibited too. Earlier, a rally led by organic farming expert Nammalvar and followed by farmers carrying traditional agriculture equipment such as plough, spade etc was taken out.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Trichy News / TNN /May 22nd, 2018

Adding colour to train journeys

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

The Madurai railway junction has been adjudged the second most beautiful station in the country and behind the laurel is the efforts of two local artists

The side-wall of the escalator on the second platform inside Madurai railway junction, presents a picturesque and colourful painting. The imposing wall of 60 feet by 23 feet depicts a scene from rural Tamil Nadu, replete with bucolic paddy fields, farmers, huts, rolling mountains and lush greenery. The painted wall has become an attraction for passengers who pause to take a look at the grand and elaborate piece of art. Similarly, a two-dimensional mural measuring 14feet by seven feet adorns the wall inside the AC waiting hall on the station’s first platform. The mural painted in the Tanjore style of painting showcases the event of Meenakshi Tirukalyanam and has added a tinge of colour to the hall.

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In a bid to beautify one of the biggest railway junctions in the region, the management roped in arists A Kannan and G K Ramesh to do up some art in strategic places inside the station. “It’s part of the ongoing project by Ministry of Railways. The idea is to showcase local talent in beautifying the place.” says Neenu Ittyerah, Divisional Railway Manager, Madurai Division. In a contest held recently in which 68 stations took part, the Madurai junction has won the award of second most beautiful railway station in the country, along with Madhubani station of East Central Railways. The first prize is won by Chandrapur and Ballarshah stations of Maharashtra. “It took quite an effort to decide on what and how to paint. We wanted to have some variety so we decided to paint two different things in different styles. Station art is evolving as a genre in itself and has to be big, bold and visible. Hence, we chose the escalator wall and the waiting hall. While the first one was based on a generic theme and made in a modern poster-art style, the second one was traditional Tanjore painting choosing a theme that’s typical of Madurai and what better than Meenakshi Kalyanam, as the event is celebrated by the entire town.”

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A Kannan, who works as art teacher in TVS Matriculation School, Palanganatham and his team of assistants worked for over 10 days to complete the painting on the escalator wall. “I have used enamel paint and a combination of soothing cool colours. Since the base colour of the corrugated tin wall was blue, I retained a blue background. We had to build a scaffolding to reach to the height and chalk out a graph, so that the painting can be done to scale,” says Kannan, who has contributed in the Madurai corporation’s beautification projects previously. He has painted the pillars beneath the Kalpalam bridge and the wall around Gandhi Museum. “That’s how I got the opportunity to paint the station as well. I enjoyed the process and I am happy that my work has earned the place the distinction.”

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The mural art is done by GK Ramesh, Stapati belonging to Sirkazhi. Having painted some of the famous and big temples across the state, Ramesh is an expert in Temple Art. “I come from a family of temple artists and learnt it from my father. In 2009, I repainted the frescos on the ceilings and walls of Meenakshi Temple. That’s how I was recommended for drawing a mural at the station,” says Ramesh. “I have used acrylic paint and my style is inspired by Indian art before the period of Ravi Varma, characterised by flat two-dimensional figures,” says Ramesh. “Though I have showcased my skills in temples like Tiruparankundram, Pazhamudhircholai and Srivilliputtur, drawing at the railway station gave me a unique experience. I am grateful and glad that my art has bagged a national-level recognition.”

The other stations under Madurai Division that were beautified are Virudhunagar and Kovilpatti, where the side of a staircase and a wall have been painted respectively. “We nailed the brief and that’s one reason we got the prize. From the railways, we will continue to add art and value to stations. The next stations we will be working on are Rameshwaram and Kodai Road/Dindigul, as they attract heavy flow of tourists. In Kovilpatti, one of our staff has done a worli art and we encourage such initiatives,” says Ittyerah. “Railway stations need to look good for two reasons – one is that it’s a highly patronised public space and creating beauty outside home will instil a sense of ownership in people using the space. And secondly, railway junctions are places that leave an impression in the mind of every traveller. You also always take something from a station.”

Madurai Division

Madurai Division was formed on 16.05.1956 and it is the largest Division on Southern Railway with 1363.06 Route Kilometers, extending over 12 districts of Tamilnadu, viz., Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin, Dindigul, Theni, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and Tiruchchirappalli and 1 district of Kerala, viz., Kollam.

The total BG line is 1298.80 km and 118.12 km is under gauge conversion ie.89.74 kms between Madurai and Bodinayakkanur.

The division has 99 block stations, 20 flag stations and 20 halt stations. The division is running 39 pairs of daily express trains and 45 pairs of non-daily express trains and 70 pairs of daily passenger trains and 4 pairs of non-daily passenger trains.

Madurai Junction

Madurai Jn. is a ‘A-1’ category station with an average earnings of Rs.37 lakhs per day and an average of 44 lakhs passengers are dealt per day. The station has six platforms, six UTS and eight PRS counters.

Number of trains dealt:

Express trains: 12 pairs of daily, five pairs of bi-weekly, three pairs of tri-weekly, one pair of quadruplet weekly and six pairs of weekly

Passenger trains: 13 pairs of daily

Bookings office, Food plaza, Catering stall, Retiring rooms, Water cooler, Automatic Water Vending machines, RO water plant, Waiting halls, Mother feeding centre, Escalators, Lifts, Wheel chairs and Pay and use toilets are the other facilities provided at the junction.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society / by A. Shrikumar / May 11th, 2018

From Tirunelveli, plant motifs on saris

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives/ Environment, Records, All
Summer sale: Good demand for the chedibutti saris introduced by the Handloom and Textiles department is keeping the weavers of Veeravanallur busy.
Summer sale: Good demand for the chedibutti saris introduced by the Handloom and Textiles department is keeping the weavers of Veeravanallur busy.

Handloom exhibition brings to light the traditional art of weaving

Did you know that in Tamil Nadu around 150 varieties of saris are woven? And that the State contributes to 12% of the country’s handloom production?

There is a lot more to handloom than just weaving. Creativity starts with choosing the yarn: ordinary coarse cotton to materials with lustrous finish, resembling silk. Choice of dyes involves thinking through: chemical dyes and vegetable dyes. Then there is the design — from Kancheepuram silk replicated on cotton to the famous Madurai sungudi apart from region-specific motifs.

Clusters of handloom weavers in small villages across Tamil Nadu have worked hard to create an exclusive collection of designs and weaves.

The Handloom and Textiles department has been training weavers to introduce new motifs not only to keep their looms going but also revive the art. One such effort is the chedibutti design.

Last of the generation

The design has become integral to a cluster of 200 families, mostly men over 50 years of age, in Veeravanallur of Tirunelveli district. They are the last of the generation to carry forward the traditional weaving of artificial silk.

“They are on old-age pension but we are keeping them employed by training them to weave new designs,” said R. Thamizharasi, joint director of the department. “As they are trained weavers all we are required to do is give them the design. Since they are conversant with the patterns they are able to incorporate it easily. We introduced the chedibutti design (a plant like motif with colourful flowers) three-four years ago and is now being woven by these families,” she added.

The State is ranked first in sari production and third in the country in handloom production. It has 3.19 lakh looms providing livelihood to 1.89 lakh families.

On Thursday, a week-long exhibition of cotton handloom saris was inaugurated by the department’s director C. Muniathanan at Sri Sankara Hall in Alwarpet. As many as 15 varieties of saris are on display.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / May 11th, 2018