Above: your intrepid reporter, left, with her longtime travelling buddy and university pal Anna K. We're in a bus bound for Munnar, a glorious hill station and tea-growing center in Kerala, South India.
What a crazy way to start the New Year! I found myself on a plane bound for Trivandrum, South India, an invite to a family wedding clutched in my hand. Many adventures ensued - some of them crafty in nature.
I thought I'd put together a gallery of my South Indian craft travels in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, so that you can discover a crafts culture far from the famous beaches and IT hubs of this vibrant part of India.
Some links:
Watch a kolam (traditional floor drawing) created by Selvi, of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, here.
Read about kolam and the associated art forms from other parts of India on the Tara
Books blog.
Info on visiting Handloom House.
And even if you can't make it to South India, you can still visit my favorite shop for readymade clothes from the subcontinent, Fabindia. Fabindia is famous for working with craftspeople from all over India to make amazing threads featuring amazing dyeing and embroidery. Plus, they ship internationally!
Also check out Aranya Naturals, a charitable foundation where people with disabilities learn how to make high-quality textiles and other gifts. I visited their shop in Munnar, Kerala, and went a little crazy buying scarves for myself (see above) and friends back home. They're ace.
Enjoy!
[Images copyright Ellen Lindner and Stephen Betts.]
