‘Gift a Tradition’ project of Kerala Government reaches out to weavers and artisans

An initiative of Kerala Arts and Crafts Village, it has boxes with handloom and select handicraft products of the State

VV Suresh Kumar smiles when he says that the traditional Nettoor petti and Kaal petti crafted at an artisans’ workshop at his home has reached many as this year’s Onam gift. These wooden boxes of yore — Nettoor petti as jewellery box and Kaal petti for storing clothes and important documents — were among the items included in ‘Gift a Tradition’ project of Kerala Arts and Crafts Village (KACV) run by the Government of Kerala at Vellar near Kovalam in Thiruvanathapuram. ‘Gift a Tradition’ was launched in June by KACV to support artisans in Kerala. The traditional Kerala handloom and handicraft products in the list are Kerala sari, settu-mundu, dhothi, Aranmula mirror, Nettoor petti, Kaal petti and a wall decor piece made in wood, usually that of a Kathakali artiste’s face.