SHANTHIMALAI HANDICRAFTS DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

 

The Shanthimalai Handicrafts Development Society was established in the year 2001 in Tiruvannamalai. It is situated on the Tiruvannamalai-Bangalore highway, close by the Ramanashram and the government arts college and opposite to the Om Sakthi temple.

The Society functions with the main objective of helping the poor village people in the surrounding areas of Tiruvannamalai. At the time of its inception, it was considered that, by providing the rural folk with proper training in traditional weaving methods and other types of native handicraft-making, it would enable them to earn their own livelihood in a respectable manner and that too, from a trade which would be beneficial to their culture as well as the environment, resulting finally in improving their social and economic standards.

After this training programme was successfully completed, a cottage industry was established in the villages and thus the trained workers were furnished with production centres and necessary raw materials which equipped them to work and produce by themselves, the different types of handicrafts and handloom woven cloth.

Functioning as the chief of the other 8 member societies, the main society renders every form of assistance in their work by providing them with all kinds of raw materials and necessary equipment, and is also instrumental in the marketing and sales of the handicrafts which they produce.

Moreover, the societies are helped in acquiring the required cottage industrial skills and other useful tools in order to enhance their productive capacity. All the handicrafts are subject to stringent quality control measures after which they are exported to foreign countries as well as distributed to other major Indian cities.

SHDS, Shanthimalai Handicraft Development Society, was registered as a society in 2001. Under the Societies Registration Act 1975. SHDS is a non-government, non-profit, non-sectarian organization fir the uplift of the marginalized people in rural areas of Tiruvannamalai for the past 3 years. SHDS has an excellent staff and field workers to implement the projects.

1) The Embroidery Section:

This section was started in the village of Kaveriampoondi with about 60 women initially and it is now functioning with 120 women. Apart from making prettily hand-embroidered towels, tablecloths, cushion covers, hand towels and curtains, the section also undertakes embroidery work on all types of garments.

2) The Hand-work Section:

This section was started in the village of Ch. Agaram with around 50 women. Now, the strength is augmented to 100 women who are engaged in making lovely cotton-stuffed cloth dolls, exquisite beads-worked cushion covers and pillow cases, multicoloured nylon wirebags and beads and mirror work shopping bags etc.

3) The Tailoring Section:

Located in the village of Athiyandal and having about 50 workers, this section produces tailor-made school uniforms, pants, pillows, cushions and covers for the same, beautifully handicrafted cloth-bags and ready-made dresses to suit fashionable women of the modern age.

4) The Leaf-Painting Section:

Located in the village of Aswanagasuranai village, this society has 40 workers and makes exquisitely designed and hand-painted greeting cards using dried peepul leaves for all occasions.

5) The Batik and Block Printing Section:

This society has its seat in the village of Perumpakkam. Working with the traditional style of manual block printing and the Batik form of dyeing, they produce attractive wall hangings, dress materials, curtains, towels, table cloths, pillow and cushion covers, table napkins, blankets & bed-covers, etc,.

6) The Palm-leaf Section:

Located in the village of Kilchettipattu, this society has 30 workers and they fabricate Bowls, Shopping baskets, Trays, Garlands, Tea & Table mats etc., made out of palm leaves.

7) The weaving Section:

This society is located in the village of Aswanagasuranai. Using the Gandhian method of handloom weaving, they produce all sorts of hand-woven cloth and fabric, Napkins, Placemats, Bedsheets, etc.,

8) The Cane furniture Section:

This society is situated in Tiruvannamalai town and the carpenters make a wide range of hand-crafted cane furniture like Chairs, tables, beds, Unjal, Easychair, etc.