Chennai in a Box, captures the essence of the city within a small bamboo frame, including bajji shops, the Lighthouse, Central Station and other heritage buildings.
The painting is by an Engineering student from Chennai, who returned home to Kayalpattinam, a seashore town in Thoothukudi district, during the lockdown. It is now on Instagram, @46Thaikastreet, an account run by Jariya Azeez in Kayalpattinam.
Jariya launched Abati (which means ‘My Father’ in Arabic), a store focussing on handmade products at her ancestral home, with the intention of giving back to her town. “Most of the women here (predominantly Muslim) remain homemakers, with no opportunity to exhibit their knowledge and talent,” says 29-year-old Jariya, an MBA.
“Although I am from Kayalpattinam, I was raised in Chennai and we visited only during vacations. When we decided to settle here a few years ago, I began to see this town from a different perspective,” she adds, explaining that she is currently focussing on tapping into the talents of women from her community and highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Kayalpattinam.
“The town is one of the oldest trading ports along the coast of Tamil Nadu. A strong Arab and Sri Lankan influence is seen in its cuisine and culture,” she explains.
Jariya motivated her sister Afeera Azeez, a home baker, to launch Abati Cakes and the venture was an instant hit. By then Jariya was familiar with Kayalpattinam, and had made some friends. “I began to spot talent in tailoring, embroidery, calligraphy, mehendi art, painting and so on. Then, I started giving them ideas and motivated the women, who would otherwise never openly exhibit their skills.”
For instance, she came across a handmade vattuvam, an ethnic sling bag made of cloth, which women traditionally used to carry money. On learning that 80-year-old Ayesha kamma (grandmother) was adept at making vattuvams in all sizes, she collaborated with her to create a range using recycled cloth.
Jariya says, “She was thrilled by the attention she got and her family also encouraged her. They are completely handmade, with double lining and compartments. Many young girls learn from her and today we design vattuvams in silk and other material as well,” says Jariya adding that they also embroider the bags.
Abati also sells terracotta artefacts, clothes, palm leaf and wooden show pieces. Jariya focusses on upcycling and recycling. She says the products are valuable as material is sourced locally, designed by local artists and hand-crafted.
For calligraphy, she developed and designed mementos using terracotta plates sourced from a village nearby. “We have an artist who creates wonders with these plates and in combination with artistic calligraphy, these are constantly in demand,” she says.
- Jariya has restored to glory her ancestral home, which has unique architecture and design, with separate entrances for men and women. She also offers consultation for restoration projects.
- During the lockdown, a lending library was launched as one of the women in the community had a good collection of books. Within a few weeks, two more have joined and come forward to lend their books. Information on books available is circulated
- Jariya is keen on reviving some of the old Kitabs (textbooks) written in Arabu Tamil. This language, a fusion of Arabic and Tamil was spoken locally many years ago, and had a script and a number of books were written in it as well. Today very few can read Arabu Tamil, and sadly, only very few copies of the books are available.
As palm trees are in abundance in the region, palm leaf baskets are part of the culture — Jariya has put up a range of these eco-friendly products as well.
Slowly the boutique began to grow within her home. She says, “I put my heart and soul into bringing out the local art of Kayalpattinam, and gradually, I set up a shop in a portion in my house.”
Soon, her house, initially known only for Abati Cakes, became a hub for arts and crafts and she started promoting them on social media. “As many who hail from this town live overseas, they connected with this project and youngsters who live in neighbouring towns started showing interest,” she says,
The address of the craft shop, 46 Thaika Street, is Jariya’s social media handle. “There is heritage in every street here, with centuries-old dargahs, fascinating local history and amazing traditional food,” says Jariya. Though the pandemic is a challenge now, she has plans for when life returns to normal. “I hope to conduct a heritage walk in Kayalpatnam in the future.”