An artisan of exquisite talent from Wayanad, Biju Babu weaves magic into bamboo, crafting artifacts of unrivalled beauty that echo the unique allure of Kerala.
Yet, his painstaking craftmanship is being eclipsed by an avalanche of inexpensive Chinese imitations flooding the local market. “I am disheartened. It is casting a long shadow over my creative endeavours and industrious spirit, “ Mr. Babu says.
Also read |Kerala Souvenir Network to make available State’s unique artefacts to tourists
‘Soulless’ souvenirs
Across the nation, it has become increasingly commonplace to find trinkets and mementos bearing the emblem of Kerala. Yet these soulless souvenirs churned out in far-flung factories in China or North India, offer no true link to Kerala’s vibrant culture and heritage.
“On closer inspection we find that they are neither made in Kerala, nor handmade. You need not be surprised to find a ‘Made in China’ inscription on it,” said Jaiji Elizabeth, an artisan from Kozhikode narrated her experience.
For artistans like Babu and Elizabeth, however, a flicker of optimism is emerging, courtesy of the intervention of the Kerala government.
Kerala Souvenir network
The Kerala Souvenir Network, launched by Tourism Minister P.A.Mohammed Riyas on Thursday, is perceived to be a solution to this crisis.
“The products that come out of this network will be branded under Kerala Tourism and will be made available exclusively at premium government authorised outlets at resorts and tourist destinations across the state besides on the Responsible Tourism Portal,” said K. Roopesh Kumar, State Coordinator of the Responsible Tourism Mission, which is the nodal agency for implementing the souvenir network.
The Responsible Tourism Mission, soon to be Kerala Responsible Tourism Society, has over 5,000 units across the state, of which there are a large number of handicraft units too, which would play a major role in developing unique souvenirs for the State. The Mission has launched a competition among units registered under the Souvenir Network programme wherein they need to come up with innovative products under a specified theme within a month.
Initial stage
“In the initial stage, we plan to launch 15 branded souvenirs, one each for the 14 districts and one specifically for Beypore, the constituency that is being developed as a Responsible Tourism destination at present,” Mr. Roopesh Kumar said.
The winning souvenirs will be selected by an expert panel, based on factors such as cost, material (need to be eco-friendly), weight, function and aesthetics. Moreover, a group of 30 craftspersons will be shortlisted and trained by experts to further train other artisans in the State in the manufacture of these souvenirs, with due credit to the person who provided the original idea.
However, the number of souvenirs available in the outlets will not be limited to these 15, just that the others will not be branded and promoted as these. “The aim of the Souvenir Network is not to wipe out the existing souvenirs of Kerala. We already have the Aranmula Kannadi, Beypore Uru, Aleppey House Boat and such, which are quite popular among tourists”, said Mr. Roopesh Kumar. “The Kerala branding will provide them authenticity and a reliable platform for sales,” he added.
The Mission plans to open souvenir outlets in easily accessible locations so that the tourists need not wander around in search of authentic Kerala products.
