Last weekend, Martine, Chardaie and I drove down East Coast Road to Dakshina Chitra, a non-profit craft village run by the Madras Craft Foundation. This hybrid marketplace-museum displays historic and contemporary crafts of South India. Despite the 110 degree Fahrenheit afternoon, I walked away with a few (okay several) scarves and a few other souvenirs.
Traditional loom for Ikat weaving, a particular type of textile with dyed threads woven into pretty, geometric designs. Interestingly, the finished product looks a lot like Native American designs.
The market. Local artisans set up shop in stalls of varying size. This couple treated theirs as a working studio of sorts.
Bangles galore.
Photo op: yoga pose with the multi-appendage goddess. Lakshmi Priya would be proud of us, Martine!
The village emphasizes the various architecture styles of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as well as their respective handicrafts. Tiny houses were reproduced, and in a few cases, the originals moved, to reflect development over time.
Kerala house. I love the thatched roof canopy bed and Sacred Heart of Jesus painting.
Peacocks are my favorite.
I'll blame it on the heat.
2 comments:
Get me some scarves and bangles!!!!!!
Come visit me and you can get scarves, bangles and more!
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