The waste bin in Indra Swaminathan’s house is almost empty. Because she makes the most of the trash, using them to make dolls, curios and other useful products.
To give an example, from her grandson’s worn-out shuttlecocks, she has made dolls.
“For me, the shuttle cock resembles a skirt. Above the shuttle cock, I wrap bit pieces of old clothes of my grand daughter,” says Indira.
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Some of the dolls she has made carry tiny umbrellas with them. “Guess, from where I got these umbrellas. Whenever we go to restaurants, you will get them when juices are served. To make it sturdy, I have used the toothpicks also,” she adds.
Indira herself stitches the dresses for these dolls. “Whenever, we give clothes to a tailor, I insist that he return the remaining material. They are helpful to me.”
The bit materials of a brocaded blouse material and silk fabrics have formed the borders of her dolls’ dresses. Indira also collects the tambulya pouches, removes the knots and re-stitches them into skirts and gowns for dolls. “These days, tambulya pouches are beautifully done. It is made from satin materials and laces. I don’t have the heart to throw them away,” she adds.
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Aware of Indira’s interest, some of her close friends and relatives give her things they want to throw away. “Recently, one of my relatives had an excess number of invitation cards and they gave it to me.” She has made gift covers from those invitations. She also shaped those cards into a small cubicle-like shape and stuffed some sponge into it and inserted plastic leaves to create a thulasi madam.
“Once my grandchildren finish the pastel colours in the bottles, I collect them. No bottle goes waste in our house. I can make dolls and flowerpots,” she says. From the mosquito repellents, she has made dolls of Lord Ganesha.
“Whenever my son and husband buy shirts, I take the cardboards, the pins, the sponges and the plastic covers. I know I can put them to use.”
Indira has worked on the ball-like ice-cream cups to create Lord Krishna’s pots containing butter. “To hang those cups, I use tiny hangers. I collect them whenever new shirts and socks are bought,” says Indira.
Similarly, from paper cups, she has made wall-hangings. “I cut those cups to leaf-like shapes and colour them and have decorated those leaves with worn-out buttons,” she says.
Every year, she conducts a sale of these dolls and curios and the proceeds from the sale go to support a deserving poor student on Vijayadasami day. “It will be deposited in a bank. On a later date the accrued interest will be of some help to the child,” she says.
Indira Swaminathan, who is 74, goes swimming and cycling every day.
Besides making dolls for Navaratri, Indira makes quilts and cloth bags. “From old saris, I make quilts. I remove the zaris and stitch it along with bags and pouches,” she adds. She also conducts craft classes during summer. Indira Swamianthan can be contacted at 99401 46233.