Remember the good old days when swings would hang from massive trees at grandmother’s front yard and you would perch on the wooden plank of a seat, grab onto the thick, rough rope tied to a branch 20 feet above, and pump your legs until you were kicking the clouds. The simple swing offered pure, easy happiness. Since the dawn of civilisation, a swing has held a great fascination, both for the young and the old alike.
With the apartment culture gaining ground, most people forego the pleasure of swinging with not much space in their flats to accommodate the exquisitely carved swings like in olden days.
Adapting to the changed circumstances, artisans of Mahendranagaram in the city, who have been making attractive swings of different sizes and shapes for aristocrats for generations, are now churning out beautiful Ooyala that can be easily installed in a flat or a small independent house as well.
“We source the raw material from Assam which is famous for canes of various types and make swings to cater to the requirements of different sections of people,” says Ch. Venkateswara Rao, a highly-skilled artisan, while giving a finishing touch to the popular Ooyala .
“It takes two to three days to make one piece,” says another artisan K. Nagabhushanam Rao. “The cost of each swing ranges between Rs. 2000 and Rs. 3,500,” chips in fellow artisan Kota Madhu.
Walking down the memory lane, a customer, Srinivasa Rao reminisces: “I and my sister used to have loads of fun, swinging in turns on the Ooyala in the backyard of the house where an apartment block stands today. I am taking this home because I want my children to experience the same fun on this Ooyala that can be easily installed in my flat,” he says.
