Kottan Baskets

With changing lifestyles within the Chettiar community and the availability of various alternative materials and products, Kottan lost its place, only to be revived in recent years.

The number of craftswomen engaged in basketry have increased from ten in the first group to now more than 100 in the six centres.

While traditional basket designs have been revived, a whole new range of designs and products has been created afresh.

Kottans are woven from the leaf of the palm tree, locally known as Panamaram.

The leaves are harvested once a year and are stored for production.

Kottan baskets can be made with just these tools.

Earlier, women spliced the palm leaf into strips using a knife.

Nowadays, a splicer is used to cut the palm leaf into strips.

The spilcer is a simple device with an adjustable blade, that allows palm leaf strips of uniform width to be cut efficiently.

Once spliced, the strips are ready to be processed further.

A solution of dye is prepared in hot water in a large aluminum vessel.

Moist strips of palm leaves are introduced into the dye solution.

The strips of palm leaf are swirled in the hot dye bath using a stick.

When the strips attain the right shade they are removed from the dye bath and dipped in cool water to fix the colour.

The dyed strips of palm leaf are then dried in the shade.

A bunch of brightly coloured palm leaf strips ready for weaving.

Horizontal strips are lined up to make the warp for the base.

Alternate strips of the warp are lifted to insert the horizontal weft strip.

The artisans have devised a dip-dyeing method to make it possible to have two-coloured strips, as shown here.

Vibrant colours are used to make eye-catching baskets.

Once the base is ready, the strips are bent and the side walls of the basket are interlaced and woven.

Women sitting together, are engaged in different stages of weaving and production.

A needle and thread is sometimes used to give the edges greater strength.

The spine of the palm leaf is used for finishing the edges.

Once the basic weaving is complete, the basket is adorned in different ways.

In the final stages, thin strips are used for decoration in a process similar to embroidery.

An artisan at the M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation strikes a pose with the baskets she has made.

Traditional skills are built on to make a variety of colourful and attractive designs at the foundation.

Read more about Chettiar crafts here:
- Chettiar Heritage
- Athangudi Tiles