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For a plastic-free world

PUSHPA CHARI

The `pom-pom' rail, crafted by the Chennapatna toy makers, and a kora grass mat have won the UNESCO-CCI award.

HONOUR: The award winning rail on show at Tohfa. - Photo: K. V. Srinivasan

It was a tiny, beautifully handcrafted, `pom-pom' rail, splashed with yellow, mint green and orange, racing on smooth wheels — a step towards crafting a non-chemical, non-polluting and plastic-free world for children. The delightful toy crafted by traditional Chennapatna toy makers, was the proud recipient of the prestigious UNESCO-CCI `Seal of Excellence Award for Handcrafted Products.' The Seal Award was established in 2004 to encourage craftsmen of South Asia, Central America and the SAARC nations to use traditional skills and materials, to ensure the perpetuation of traditional knowledge and skills, and to strengthen cultural diversity. The award was also a part of the movement worldwide to integrate the philosophy of handwork and make creativity sensitive to the larger environment, both human and natural.

Another exquisitely finished craft product which was awarded the Seal of Excellence was a natural dyed kora grass mat, woven in `ikat' style with tie and dye colouring in splashes of maroon, black and yellow. Maya Organics, the producer of `pom-pom' rail, and Industree Crafts Ltd., creator of the kora grass mat, are both NGOs working in the craft sector. The former produces educational toys called Moogli toys in Chennapatna, fashioned out of cream-coloured, oil-free, close-grained `hale' wood. The traditional skills of Chennapatna wood artisans are used to create contemporary toys such as wonder stackers, building blocks, sets of beads for threading, abacus, birds, tops, rattles, mobiles and the like. Each of the lacquer ware toys was attractive. Coloured with natural dyes, they play a role in the child's motor development, hand-and-eye co-ordination, building up of word skills, spatial and conceptual skills and counting ability. Sixty artisans, including women work to craft the `Maya Organic' line of educational toys.

Industree Crafts concentrates on natural fibre products such as kora grass reeds, banana fibre and Palmyra. The Foundation supports a rural production base with 250 women organised in SHG groups in Tirunelveli and is spreading the skills across India.

The `pom-pom' rail and the other educational toys are on display at Thofa, 25/2, Cenotaph Road, II Lane, Alwarpet, and Industree products were showcased at the Design Store, 32, C. P Ramaswami Road, Alwarpet.

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