Chekutty finds a new home in Kozhikode

First doll-making session organised in city

Symbols of hope: A child examines Chekutty dolls that her friends crafted during a workshop in Kozhikode.

These Chekutty dolls are more ornate than their counterparts elsewhere — their skirts fancier, their eyes wider and with that pleasant smile on their lips.

“Chekutty is always a happy girl. She cannot be otherwise because it is her duty to spread smiles on the faces of those weavers in Chendamangalam,” said Anjali Chandran, founder of Impressa, who brought Chekutty to Kozhikode and enlisted volunteers in the making of the dolls.

Chekutty dolls, which have emerged as a symbol of the post-flood resurgence of Kerala, are made from soiled handloom materials from Chendamangalam, the weavers’ village in Ernakulam district that was almost washed away in the floods, causing huge financial losses to the weavers’ families. However, a few fashion designers took it upon themselves to help the weavers survive the disaster and the idea of Chekutty was born.

The first Chekutty-making session in Kozhikode was held on Friday under the aegis of Impressa and Beyond the Blackboard, a collective of art teachers in the district. The art teachers are responsible for the ornate look of the dolls made in Kozhikode. About 10 volunteers including some students were involved in the 5-hour-long Chekutty making session on Friday.

500 dolls

“We made around 500 dolls from two thoroughly spoilt sarees brought from Chendamangalam. While the artists drew patterns on them, the volunteers tied up the pieces using the yarn which was also brought from Chendamangalam,” said Ms. Chandran.

Website

The dolls are sold through the website www.chekutty.in at the rate of ₹25 per piece. “It came to our notice that some people were making Chekutty duplicates using waste cloth and selling them. To avoid such confusions, Chekutty dolls are sold only through the website,” she said.