Eco-Friendly Jute Bags

Kalgudi at SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2019

                                                     

SARAS Aajeevika Mela, an initiative by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Govt of India with an objective to bring the rural women artisans and their SHGs under one roof to exhibit their skills, sell their products, help them access better market and marketing systems, understand the demand and taste of urban customers. The SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2019 was held at India Gate, New Delhi from 09th to 23rd Oct and it was inaugurated by Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Rural Development, Government of India. Over 300 stalls were set up at the venue where the product ranges from Art & Artifacts, Handicrafts, Food, Textiles and Health from 28 States were showcased.  

  
Lacquer Bangles from Rajasthan Jaipur Blue Pottery  
                                                                

    Jade Beads Necklace from Puducherry               Sohrai Painting from Jharkhand    

Kalgudi was invited by the NRLM to do the digital catalogue and to develop digital library for this event from 9th Oct to 23rd Oct. We were a team of 8 and what transpired once we got to ground zero was nothing short of wonder and awe. Central Air conditioned Halls with security at every entrance were put up on either side of the Rajpath Road. Hall 1 and Food Court on one side Hall 2 and Conference Area on the other side was a sight to behold. We collected our passes for the event at the registration desk in Hall 2 and headed for a reconnaissance. Stalls with food related products were neatly being set up by the individual SHG teams, numbered and labeled with respective states they represented. Apple Chutney and Jam from Himachal Pradesh, Banana and Jackfruit chips from Kerala, Komal rice (Magic Rice) from Assam welcomed our wondrous faces. As we walked past the stalls with Khatari Bhau, Govind Bhog, Tulaipanji the fragrant rice varieties of West Bengal, the mouth watering aromas of sweets and pickles from different states, we also made a beeline to the variety of textile stalls lined up at the end of the hall. We had to step out reluctantly to find our designated stall no.196 in Hall 1 as we have a mammoth task ahead of us. Hall 2 gave us a sneak peek into the creative world of arts and artisans of Indian Handicrafts. It was a visual treat to see stalls of various categories of handmade products lined up like Pottery, Leather, Bamboo, Cane, Wrought Iron, Jute. We were amazed at the brilliant portrayal of Indian folk art all under one roof. We met the artists of Madhubani, Sohrai, Patachitra at their respective stall and hearing them talk about their art and rich cultural experiences was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

For the next 2 weeks we spoke to over 100 SHG members, collected information of over 800 products, our photography team clicked over 6500 product images for the digital catalog and the digital library. Our effort to ensure we cover all the speciality products from each state of India has been to a good start by participating in this mela. We are proud to say now that consumers can purchase the authentic Madhubani or Mithila Paintings from Bihar, Sohrai Art Paintings from Jharkhand, Kutch Handicrafts from Gujarat, Paithani Sarees from Maharashtra, Pashmina Sarees from Uttarakhand, Water Hyacinth Handicrafts from Assam, Water Rush Baskets and Bags from Manipur, Wrought Iron Artifacts of Bastar and Cane and Bamboo Handicrafts from Chhattisgarh, Dhokra Bell Metal Artifacts, Golden Grass Handicrafts and Patachitra Paintings from Odisha, Gond Paintings from Madhya Pradesh, Lac Bangles, Black Terracotta Pottery and Jaipur Blue Pottery from Rajasthan, Eri Silk from Meghalaya, Sitalpati Craft from West Bengal, Rosewood Inlay work from Mysore are just the tip of the iceberg. Our trip to Aajeevika has truly been a rewarding experience which the team will remember for years to come.

#SarasAajeevikaMela2019 #Aajeevika #Kalgudi #Saras #Nrlm #Srlm #Shg #rural #india

                                                                                                                 https://nrlm.kalgudi.com/

Kalamkari

Kalamkari is an ancient style of hand painting done on cotton or silk fabric with a pen, using natural dyes. The word Kalamkari is derived from the Persian word ‘kalam‘ means pen and Kari‘ means craftsmanship. The art dates back to more than 3000 B.C. The fabric samples depicting Kalamkari art was found at the archeological sites of Mohenjo-Daro.

The process of making Kalamkari involves 23 steps. The natural process includes from bleaching the fabric, softening it, sun drying, preparing natural dyes, hand painting, to the processes of air drying and washing, the entire procedure is a process which requires precision and detail.

The cotton fabric used for Kalamkari is first treated with a solution of cow dung and bleach. After keeping the fabric in this solution for hours, the fabric gets a uniform beige color. After this, the cotton fabric is immersed in a mixture of buffalo milk and Myrobalans which help in fixing of colour and avoids smudging of dyes in the fabric as it is painted with natural dyes. Later, the fabric is washed under running water to get rid of the odor of buffalo milk. The fabric is washed twenty times and dried under the sun. Once the fabric is ready for painting, artists sketch motifs and designs on the fabric.

To create design contours, artists use a bamboo/tamarind or date palm stick pointed at one end like a pen. This pen is soaked in a mixture of fermented jaggery, iron filings powder, and water and used as outlining the designs. The Kalamkari artists prepare dyes using natural sources to fill colors within the drawing. Primarily the artists use natural colors like indigo, mustard, rust, black and green. Natural dyes are extracted from natural sources. The dyes are obtained by extracting colors from various roots, leaves, and mineral salts of iron, tin, copper, and alum. Black color is obtained by blending jaggery, water, and iron filings which they essentially use for outlining the sketches. Mustard or yellow is derived by boiling pomegranate peels, red hues are created from the bark of madder or algirin plants, blue is obtained from indigo a natural dye extracted from the plant (Indigofera Tinctoria) and green is derived by mixing yellow and blue together.

Motifs drawn in Kalamkari spans from birds, leaves, flowers, peacock, paisleys to divine characters of Hindu epics. This art is flourished in the south in Andhrapradesh primarily Machilipatnam and Srikalahasti area.

Kalamkari fabrics are always in trend. It is one of the prominent fabrics embraced by many. The fashion designers are creating new designs in accordance with the current fashion trends to accommodate and cater them from daily wear to occasional wear.

The women SHGs (Self Help Groups) supported by SERP (Society For Elimination of Rural Poverty) are into the business of making Kalamkari fabrics and many variants like (Sarees, Dress materials, pouches, Handbags, Jackets, Wall paintings, Purses, Home decor Wall plates, etc.) to name a few.

Kalgudi in collaboration with SERP-AP has brought their products on-line thus introducing the artisans to the digital market. Kalgudi has listed their products capturing intricate details, traceability, bulk order facilitation, etc. The products are live on Kalgudi, hence receiving orders from various geographical locations. Kalgudi thus created an alternate revenue stream for the rural women artisans. The payments are processed through Kalgudi secure payment gateway thus facilitating on-time payments. Customer support team facilitates the smooth delivery of the product by informing the status of the product and the tracking details through regular SMS. Kalgudi continues to empower rural women in sustaining their livelihood.

#kalamkari #KalamkariDressmaterials #kalamkariPouches #Homedecor #kalamkarijackets #Kalamkaribags #kalamkariPurses #kalamkariWallPaintings #partywear #KalamkariSarees #Bridalwear  #Casualwear

                                                                                                                             www.kalgudi.com

COST CUTTING IN COTTON CULTIVATION (Kalgudi Success Story)

During crop season, the farmer needs to juggle with various input products (Seeds, Fertilizers, Pesticides, plant growth boosters, farm equipment…...etc) their pricing, brands, availability, etc. The farmer has to personally visit many dealers and enquire about the prices of inputs of various brands which is a tedious task during the peak season. What if the effort of the farmer can be reduced with a benefit (discounted price)? The answer is on-line Kalgudi Farm Store. Kalgudi stages all the inputs with various variants (Seeds, Fertilizers, plant growth boosters, Insecticides, Pesticides, farm equipment…...etc).

The profitability of farming majorly accounts for the reduction of input costs. 75 percent of the cost incurred in farming is on farm inputs which include (Seeds, Fertilizers, and Pesticides). If the cost of the inputs can be reduced, the profit margins of the farmer increase.

The major challenges faced by farmers in input purchase are price, quality and brand authenticity as the market is flooded with duplicates and imitations. To overcome these hurdles and support the farmer Kalgudi came up with a digital platform with its online farmer store.

Cotton is extensively cultivated in the southern parts of India. Cotton is a very high-value commercial crop which yields good profits subjected to good yield. The costs incurred on inputs in cotton cultivation is very high. Usage of fake input products leads to less production and incur huge losses. To support Cotton farmers and eliminate fake and imitation input products Kalgudi team approached the FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) in Andhra Pradesh (Buttaiguda, Addateegala) and offered them authenticated certified seeds. The seeds are provided directly from the manufacturer and authorized dealers and made available to farmers for 25% less price than the market price. Kalgudi received bulk orders from various FPOs. Kalgudi assures on-time supply of seeds directly to the farm.The buyers get regular updates on the status of products purchased and regular assistance is provided from time to time. The whole payment transactions were done successfully through Kalgudi online secure payment gateway. Kalgudi thus bridged the gap between the manufacturer and producer by eliminating the middlemen. Kalgudi will continue working with the farmers and rural artisans to promote the interests of rural communities and uplift their livelihood and handhold them towards improvement in the quality of life.

#Farming #Agriculture #Agri #Farmers #FarmersMarket #FarmStore

                                                                                                                          www.kalgudi.com

Farm-Input Store-Fertilizers,Pesticides,Farm Equipment

Farm inputs play a major role in the productivity of the crop. The optimum quality and quantity of inputs determine the quality and quantity of production.

In this current scenario, many unauthorised retailers take advantage of naive and illiterate farmers and provide them with duplicate or imitative products (Seeds, Fertilizers, Pesticides, Fungicides and growth boosters etc). Usage of fake products results in less productivity and farmers incur huge losses. These instances can be minimised by bridging the gap between the manufacturers, distributors, authorised dealers and producers. To promote the interests of the farmers. Kalgudi came up with an online digital store with various variants directly from manufacturers to eliminate duplicates.

Farm Store in Kalgudi is an on-line store which is dedicated to agri-related and agri-allied inputs. Kagudi showcases Fertilizers, Pesticides, Seeds, Farm Equipment, Irrigation equipment, pheromone traps etc directly from the manufacturers, authorised dealers. Kalgudi supports the customers from purchase till the end delivery. The payment transaction is safe and securely done through Kalgudi payment gateway. Kalgudi technology is one of the best and the latest for secure transactions.

The farmers/Dealers can purchase from trusted and verified Inputs & Implement suppliers thus Kalgudi Farm store helps in eliminating the duplicates and imitations. Input supplies are delivered right at your farm field directly from dealers & manufacturers. Thus Kalgudi empowers the farmers through digitisation and reinforcing agriculture practices thus sustaining the farming community with modern technology and hand-holding them at every phase from purchase until the product is delivered.

Kalgudi will continue supporting the Rural Society and empower them with digitisation.

#Farming #Agriculture #Agri #Farmers #FarmersMarket #FarmStore

                                                                                                                         www.kalgudi.com

Tarpaulins -Kalgudi Success Story

Tarpaulin is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with polyurethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. Tarpaulins are necessary for farming and domestic purposes.

They are available in many varieties of sizes and thickness and usually have a waterproof warranty for a specific time period.

Tarpaulins are used as groundsheets, providing excellent ground coverage for storing items and crops above the damp of the earth and also covering the post-harvest products on the farm.

Tarpaulins are graded and measured by GSM (Grams per Square Metre). This is basically a measure of the weight and thickness of the material from which the tarpaulins is manufactured. The higher the GSM number, the heavier, thicker and more robust.

Tarpaulins are used in farming in several ways. Small scale and large-scale farmers are using them for the greenhouse to boost production in farming businesses because in the greenhouse for the growth of plants and production is regulated.

The various uses are Seed Treatment. Portable Garden Beds.Plant Protection Sheets.Fruit Ripening Chambers.Poultry curtains and roofs.Portable vermicompost beds.Floor underlays (Dunnage sheets).Pond linings for water harvesting.

Kalgudi Success Story:

An FPO posted bulk requirement for tarpaulins on Kalgudi platform. The Kalgudi team contacted the FPO and procured the tarpaulins and supplied it to the FPO directly from a manufacturing unit. This was just the beginning later the orders flowed in from many FPOs and kalgudi received many bulk orders from various parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The payment was done immediately after the products reach the consumer the payment process was routed through Kalgudi payment gateway and end to end transactions were totally supported by Kalgudi.

More than 5000 farmers are benefited. The orders were repeated from many FPOs and consumers because of effective quality and price. The farmers were able to get their orders on time. Kalgudi played a vital role in supporting the farmers interests and thus supporting the farmers by introducing them to the digital platform.The farmers could reap substantial benefits through Kalgudi online platform.

Kalgudi will continue to support the farmers in their upliftment to strengthen the rural society by empowering through the digital platform.

https://farmstore.kalgudi.com/

Crochet/Crosia Clothing

Crochet fabric is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials using a crochet hook. The name is derived from the French term crochet, meaning 'small hook'. The art of creating a fabric with the hook is called crocheting and the fabric is called crochet. This skill of making crochet started in the 17th century. It was considered as a home art and a hobby.

Crochet today is no longer just a hobby. It’s so much more stylish and wearable and, with so many new designers banking on crochet to incorporate this to everyday looks. They’re light, airy and they are in trend.

We all know that cotton has been used from times immemorial and despite the arrival of more complex artificial clothing fabrics, it continues to be used today as well. The crochet thread is made of thick cotton threads. They are weaved with bigger spaces between the threads to give an authentic look.

The rural women SHGs (Self Help Groups) supported by SERP-AP (Society For Elimination Of Rural Poverty) are into making crochet garments. Their products have many variants ranging from clothing to home furnishings. In clothing, they cater to all age groups (Skirts, Frocks, Long skirts, Jackets ) and many more. In home furnishings, they have Table Cloths, Bed Spreads, Cushion Cover etc.

Kalgudi in collaboration with SERP-AP lists and stages all SHG’s products online thus creating an alternate stream of income through digitalization. Their products are reasonably priced. Let’s empower and support rural women by purchasing them.

#Crochet #Clothing #Skirts #Jackets #Bedspreads #TableCloths                     www.kalgudi.com

INCREASING THE PROFIT MARGINS OF MANGO FARMERS

Kalgudi works closely with the agriculture and agri-allied organisations.

During farm visits, Kalgudi team met Mango farmer Mr Uday Kumar from Manhalli, Bidar, Karnataka. While conversing, Uday Kumar mentioned that his orchard Benishan, Mallika, Dasheri mango varieties and getting INR 42.00 - 45.00 per kilogram farm gate price for raw mangoes in the local market that includes additional transportation expenses to the local market.

Kalgudi team explained Mr Uday Kumar about Kalgudi and B2B and B2C marketing channels available to market his mangoes. Kalgudi team suggested him to go with retail marketing model available in Kalgudi. After explaining steps involved like how orders are notified, pricing, packing, delivery charges and payments, Mr Uday Kumar agreed to sell a portion of mangoes by listing them in Kalgudi.

Kalgudi team registered Mr Uday Kumar in Kalgudi and helped him in listing his produce (mangoes) in Kalgudi consumer store mentioning about the carbide free, natural ripening process used. These mango listings are promoted in digital platforms and resulting in bulk order. Kalgudi business team negotiated the price with Mr Uday Kumar at INR 70.00 per kg. Mangoes are packed and delivered.

In the entire process, Mr Uday Kumar got a benefit of INR 10.00 per Kg. This boosted his confidence in selling his mangoes to end customers in a seamless fashion wherein he is just doing what he is capable off while the rest is handled by service providers on Kalgudi for a fee in a collaborative commerce model. End customers were happy that they got carbide free ripened mangoes delivered to their doorsteps.

The end customers got the mangoes at Rs.82.00 /Kg and the market price for a similar type of fruits was @ 120/kg.( please incorporate the same)

Visit: www.kalgudi.com

Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys (Etikoppaka toys)

Etikoppaka toys (Etikoppaka Bommalu) is an art of making wooden traditional toys. These traditional toys are made by artisans in Etikoppaka village located on the banks of the river Varaha in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh state.

The art of making Etikoppaka toys, dolls, home decor and figurines are more than 400 years old and it is been traditionally handed over to them by their ancestors through generations. The art is also known as wood lacquer craft.

The GIR (Geographical Indication Registry) has given GI (Geographical indication) tag. GI is a sign used on certain products which correspond to specific geographic origin, quality and reputation.

Etikoppaka toys, dolls and figurines are unique in shape and form and are used for playing and home decoratives. They are made of softwood derived from Wrightia tinctoria (Ankudu Karra). The toys are painted with natural dyes prepared from seeds, lacquer, bark, roots and leaves. The dyes are unique and do not have any heavy metal or toxic content in it. This makes it totally hazard free and environmental friendly for kids to play rather than the cheap plastics with a high amount of lead. Recent studies by WHO(World Health Organisation) have proved cheap plastic products contain high traces of lead leading to various health ailments in kids.

The rural women SHGs (Self Help Groups) under the state government DWCRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas) supported by SERP-AP (Society for Elimination Of Rural Poverty) are into making of Etikoppaka toys. Kalgudi in collaboration with SERP-AP brought their products online @Kalgudi.com.The collections includes toys, figurines, hair accessories, home decor. These GI tagged products are now made available to all geographical locations. The plastic toys with heavy metals are hazardous as they contain, cadmium (plastic stabilizer), lead (heavy metal-carcinogenic) and many more hazardous chemicals. Let us all minimize the usage of plastic toys and start using wooden toys thereby uplifting the livelihood of rural women.

#ChildSafeToys #Eco-Friendly #WoodenToys #HomeDecor #Etikoppaka

Visit: www.kalgudi.com

Silver Jewellery

Silver is known as the poor man’s Gold. This precious metal is been into usage from time immemorial. Silver metal has significant health benefits hence been used across cultures for centuries. Silver has a proven track record as a powerful antimicrobial agent fighting infection and aiding in cold and flu prevention, wound healing, etc. Silver jewellery helps with internal heat regulation and circulation. Ancient Ayurveda recommends the usage of silver jewellery and cutlery to improve energy levels, balance in moods, blood circulation, body temperature balance, and maintain cleanliness and immunity. If silver jewellery turns blue when worn too long, indicates the presence of elevated levels of sodium in our body. Silver cutlery is used as it purifies the food and fights against harmful infection and disease hence the custom of gifting silver utensils is still live. Silver has anti-ageing properties hence used in cosmetics for skincare.

Researchers at the University of Southampton have proven that wearing silver ornaments helps to alleviate symptoms of arthritis. The study revealed that wearing silver ornaments helps reduce pain and hyperextension in rheumatoid arthritis and restore stability and range of motion in the inflamed joints.

Silver is a highly reactive metal so it is not advised to wear pure silver hence for making ornaments Sterling silver is used. Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% silver and copper. Oxidized silver is a process that many jewellers use to give sterling silver a black patina by using Potassium Sulphate. It gives the jewellery an antique or tarnished look.

The rural women SHGs (Self-Help groups) supported by SERP-AP (Society for Elimination Of Rural Poverty) are into making oxidized silver jewellery for earning their livelihood. These handcrafted authentic silver jewellery are very attractive and crafted catering to all the age groups and occasions (Chokar, Long chains, Bracelets, earrings to name a few). Kalgudi in collaboration with SERP-AP brought their products online @ Kalgudi.com. Let us all incorporate the habit of using Silver metal to reap health benefits and support rural women.

#Jewellery #Earrings #SilverJewellery #SilverEarrnings #Anti-Ageing #OxidisedSilver #Arthritis #Immunity

www.kalgudi.com

The Metamorphosis of a Traditional Bath Experience

How did baths evolve?

The experience of bathing may have existed from the time humanity has been around. Though not in the form that we know it today, it probably evolved from a dip in a water body such as a pond, river, a shared ritual in a public bath house (e.g. The Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro is the oldest standing public bath house from the most well known early civilization, the Indus Valley), to finally private bathhouses and piped bath water.

Baptism in Christianity, Mikvah in Judaism, Ghusl in Arabic, the Kumbh mela in Hinduism are all examples where bathing was treated as a religious ritual to #cleanse mindbodysoul. Ancient Indian bathing as mentioned in its vedic text- Grihiya Sutras, mentions the importance and steps to a proper bath. The ayurvedic texts prescribe a Abhyanga Snana- an oil massage with a deep cleaning using an ubtan of herbs, grains & lentils which is followed to date in rural India and to some extent during religious festivities in other parts of the country.

Do the ancient bathing experiences exist today?

The question conjured an image of a visit to the villages during festive occasions. The morning of the festival started with a ritualist bath. Water is set to heat on a wood burning stove and into the water went some dried lemon peels, eucalyptus leaves and neem leaves all said to have magical healing properties while subtly lending a fresh fragrance. The massage oil is warmed up and the village masseur/barber (for men) and the house help or older women (for women), set forth with song, gossip to catch up on and merriment as they start to polish one's skin. This is followed by a bath with a secretly guarded #traditionalnochemical bath recipe powder that scraped off any last traces of urban slime. The hair & scalp cleansed with a solution of cracked soap nuts which was an art in its form to ensure it did not get into one’s eyes. If it did, there were smart retorts of how it cleanses your eyes too but there were no excuses to escape the ritual that left one feeling tired and rejuvenated all at the same instance. The towels used were usually white, handwoven but super absorbent and my favourite part was when sitting down after the bath to have my hair infused with the nostalgic and aromatic #essenceofFrankincense/Sambrani that smoked from above the charcoal embers. This conjured memory is something that most people reminisce about in a fond way having experienced this at some time in their childhood or festive celebration.

Where do I get these products?

All of these products are readily available in the market. At Kalgudi, these products are #madebyruralwomenselfhelpgroups (popularly known as DWCRA groups) in a #timetestedtraditionalnaturalbathrecipe. The only hesitation that ever arose, was the crude packaging that may not appeal to urban dwellers who are now habituated to buying their wares on an e-Commerce platform that could best sell the conjured memory on the likes of the image below…..

The Cacoon

Curating the need of the urban consumer- Operation ‘Traditional Bath Hamper’ began. We set out, identifying products that could be a part of the traditional bath hamper. The bar was that each product had to stay close to the traditional bathing experience. 11 Products were listed, which looked like this…..

The Metamorphosis

These crude products needed to be moulded into a thing of beauty that everyone wants to buy. With a label design, brand new packaging, presentation in an aesthetic manner, right lighting and a camera lens- Viola !!!! the traditional bath hamper metamorphosed from its cocoon and has me breaking into song as I travel down memory lane to the festive bathing experience…...Idhi thailam petti, thalam Petti, thlangutho thalantuthe….telugu song

The Butterfly

All of the products in the basket are made by rural women self help groups. They are all #handmadebathproducts as per a time tested recipe made of the finest ingredients that stay #closetonature. The bath hamper consists of 11 products;

• Turmeric soap
• Vertiver body scrubber
• Ridge gourd loofah
• Terracotta foot scrubber
• Neem wood combs
• Shampoo Powder
• Bath powder aka Sunni pindi
• Herbal face pack
• Handwoven Khadi towel
• A Banana Fibre basket to hold all of these products.
• A drawstring Jute bag to hold the contents in place

Your purchase directly #empowerslivelihoods of rural women entrepreneurs who strive to keep traditions alive. To purchase your hamper, visit kalgudi.com

                                                                                                                                  www.kalgudi.com

Health Benefits of Earthenware (Terracotta)

Terracotta: "Baked Earth"

Food cooked in a clay or earthenware is good for health. According to Ayurveda “cooking in a clay pot not only has a variety of health benefits but also makes for an easier cooking process more flavorful and nutritious dish. The recent researches done proved Teflon coated cookware is one of the reasons for the cancer cause. It is simpler to cook and improves the nutritional quality as the earthen cookware add calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium and sulphur to food, which is extremely beneficial. Clay is also alkaline and thus, neutralises the acidity in the food, which makes it easy to digest. The porosity and natural insulation properties of clay cause heat and moisture to circulate throughout clay pots. This causes moisture and nutrient loss as compared to cooking in metal or enamel-lined utensils. ”Earthenware is eco-friendly, unglazed earthenware is 100% completely biodegradable when disposed of unlike Teflon pans and steel pots that fill up landfills increasing waste. The availability of earthenware is not much accessible to urban society. Hence, the use of earthenware is mostly limited to semi-urban and villages only. Terracotta is a type of iron-rich earthenware (and so a rusty red colour) that is often left unglazed so that it can absorb water. It is used for a range of applications. Plant pots, flooring and roofing tiles and storage jars, but not usually for plates, cups or other crockery.

So, Earthenware refers to the type of clay, and terracotta is a type of earthenware.

(Click on the image to enlarge)

The SHGs (Self Help Groups), which are into earthenware making business, are supported by SERP-AP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty). Kalgudi team did detail listing of their products and the SHG went live on Kalgudi on-line platform in October 2018. The products have been made visible to everyone thus making it reachable to any geographical location. Thus, Kalgudi helped the SHGs to increase their geographic reach out and thereby increasing their market. Let us also switch to Earthen-cookware and get health benefits and support the noble idea of environment protection.

You can buy any modern earthen cookware products at amazing prices with discounts and Free Shipping on Eligible Purchases from Kalgudi.

Related Tags:

#DWCRA #WomenEmpowerment #Earthenware #Terracotta #Cookware #noncancerous # Anti-cancer                www.kalgudi.com

Leather Puppets and Lamp Shades

The craft of making leather puppets is inextricably linked to the traditional folk form of cultural expression. Puppetry is also known as Tolu Bommalu or Tolu Bommalatta in Telugu i.e leather puppetry, this form of shadow-puppet theatre is found in several regions of Andhra Pradesh. Tolu means leather in Telugu and bommalu means dolls or figures in Telugu. The puppetry was one of the main forms of entertainment in olden days. Gradual urbanisation led puppetry limited to villages. In recent times, the entertainment business flourishing into movies, television and mobile entertainment, the art form is in a dying state hence the leather puppet makers are being forced to diversify their art into making utility items such as colourful lamp shades, in order to cater to a new market.

(Click on the image to enlarge)

The artisan makes the designs, which are mythological figures, animals and their own creations. Many puppets have movable hands and legs and some have movable heads and necks. These brilliantly crafted puppets help in the development of soft motor skills of growing children. Hence today many international schools are introducing puppetry as an activity in their educational regime.

• Hand Puppet play helps young children develop creative skills by enforcing them to use their imaginations.
• It is through imaginative play that children come to understand the difference between fantasy and reality.
• It improves their expressing skills.

The leather lamp shades are now the new age home decor. The leather painted lamp shades come in various variants and are decorated with vibrant colours which give an aesthetic look to the home interiors. The art of making leather puppetry dates back to centuries and is being carried forward through generations.

The SHGs (Self Help Groups) which are still into this leather puppetry making business are supported by SERP-AP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty) and the puppets (Peacock, Tiger, Horse, Vinayaka, Hanuman, etc.) to name a few and the lamp shades are listed on KALGUDI platform. Through the purchase of these beautifully crafted home decor puppets and lampshades, we can lend our helping hand to support this art form from extinction.

#LightShades #LampShades #LeatherPuppets #ToluBommalu #Marionette #SoftMotorSkills  #Memory in kids                  www.kalgudi.com

Weight Management with Millets

                                                       

Now is the world of superfoods. Many urban and semi-urban residents have brought a major transformation in their eating habits by replacing cereals with Millets due to many reasons like low calorie, high fibre content and nutritive value.

Due to sedentary lifestyle and busy schedules many of us hardly find time to do any form of physical activity, because of which many professionals are being diagnosed with high blood sugar, and cholesterol levels at a very young age which are quite detrimental over a period of time, so many professionals are avoiding high-calorie food, thus cereals are being replaced with Millets.

Millets are superfoods. Millets are low in calorie and high in fibre, which keeps blood sugar and cholesterol in control during one’s sedentary lifestyle. Many of us have become conscious about calorie intake, as a result, sweets and desserts are avoided with a heavy heart and thus forced to control our sugar cravings.

The SHGs (Self Help Groups) supported by SERP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty) in Andhra Pradesh are into the business of selling Millets (Ragi, Korra, Little millet, Brown millet, Barnyard millet, Kodo millet etc.), Millet Flour (Ragi flour, Korra flour, Bajra flour and little millet flour), Millet Snacks (Foxtail Millet Mixture, Ragi Boondi and Foxtail Murukulu, etc.), Millet Confectionery (Jowar Cake, Korra Cake, Jowar Laddu, Bajra Laddu etc.), and Millet Biscuits (Bajra Biscuits, Ragi Biscuits, Korra Biscuits, etc.).

The SHGs have come up with a variety of jaggery and millet-based sweets and confectionery for calorie-conscious and diabetic people to satisfy their sweet cravings without regrets in a healthy way. Kalgudi platform stalls these products for the SHGs.

Let us all contribute our share of social responsibility with a health benefit by purchasing these from SHGs through Kalgudi platform to uplift & empower rural women and also lead a healthy life which includes superfoods into our regular diet.

#WeightLoss#LowCalorie#WeightManagement#FatBurning#HealthyDietFoods#Millets

www.kalgudi.com

Indian Ethnic Wear - Saree

                      

Saree/Sari has been on every Indian women's list of clothing. It has a permanent space in every Indian women's wardrobe. Saree is an evergreen fashion flavour of every season. There are different types of Sarees from Synthetic machine made to handwoven sarees. The Sarees which are handwoven is an ancient age-old tradition which dates back to many centuries. Handloom Cotton fabric have been evergreen due to eco-friendly and skin-friendly nature and less prone to fire accidents. Cotton fabric is the most preferred form of clothing in Semi tropical region. While silk is for occasional wear due to its heavy constituency and inherent party look. The handwoven/handloom sarees are losing their authenticity as they are at a higher price, it involves a lot of manpower and it takes 3 to 40 days to make a saree based on the design and the materials.

The Handlooms have many variants based on thread count and the place of weaving, to name a few are Mangalgiri, Venkatagiri, Pochampalli, Dharmavaram, Uppada, etc. The handweaving skill has percolated from generations to generations. The weavers are now facing a tough time because of the synthetic cloth revolution in the industry which is cost effective and low maintenance. The weavers have meagre knowledge on digital marketing and online platform for promotion of their products.

To uplift these weavers KALGUDI is working with SERP (Society for Elimination of Rural Society) in Andhra Pradesh to bring all their products online under the brand name of eMahila. The products went live on Kalgudi platform and they are receiving orders from various locations.

Self Help Groups like Vyshnavi Handlooms, Prasanna Self Help Group, Suguna Self Help Group, APCO Amaravathi Handloom House, Madhuri Venkatgiri Handloom Sarees, Krushi DWCRA Products, K.Raghavendra Handlooms, Sivalingappa Gadwal Sarees, etc. to name a few are now online on KALGUDI platform.

Thus, Kalgudi brought the weavers online and increased their visibility and widened their market sphere.

Party Wear Sarees, Wedding Sarees, Kalamkari Sarees, Indian Bridal Sarees   www.kalgudi.com