Crafts play an important role in adding value to our lives. A dreary existence is made interesting due to the introduction of aesthetics. The crafts renaissance in India took place under the tutelage of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, the Founder of Crafts Council of India. She was the doyen who took upon the responsibility of reviving a number of lost crafts.
Crafts play an important role in adding value to our lives. A dreary existence is made interesting due to the introduction of aesthetics. The crafts renaissance in India took place under the tutelage of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, the Founder of Crafts Council of India. She was the doyen who took upon the responsibility of reviving a number of lost crafts. The Crafts Council of India (CCI) has its affiliates in whole country and Coimbatore is blessed with the Crafts Council of Tamilnadu (CCTN). The Crafts Council of Tamilnadu has done much by promoting crafts over the years. The workshops and exhibitions conducted by the Crafts Council of Tamilnadu have enlightened quite a few people. The members undertake visits to other parts of the country and the world with the idea of propagating crafts. Thanks to the good work of the Crafts Council, the people of this region have begun to patronise and promote crafts of different kinds while pursuing their avocation. Thanks to the good work of the Crafts Council of Tamilnadu, it has been possible to understand the nuances connected with floral decorations through the book 'Pushpanjali'.
Karunasagari, the energy behind Bhakti Natya Niketan has been holding workshops for children year after year during summer with the idea of enriching the dancing skills of her students. The latest workshop was held at 'Vidya Vanam' in Anaikatti. Karunasagari happens to be the grand daughter of Late Swarna Somasundaram who was known for her knowledge of Saiva Siddhanta. Her parents Aravind Venkatachalam and Neela have upheld the tradition flagged off by Swarna Somasundaram. Neela's book of Saiva Siddhantam has been published by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and its a ready reckoner on the subject. Aravind Venkatachalam had been holding the 'Meikandar Nadai Payana Thavam' for a number of years. Basically the programme consisted of a walk over a number of days in the temple regions of Tamilnadu which have been home to a number of 'Padal Petra Sthalams'. Olaiyya, the craftsperson got introduced to the family of Karunasagari during one of the annual walks conducted by her father and he has been teaching palm leaf craft to the students of dance ever since.
Olaiyya is a native of Pondicherry and this bachelor lives with his parents Rathnavelu and Saraswathi while he is not on the move. He has done upto to his seventh standard and leads a nomadic life. Its difficult to contact him but he goes out of his way to stay in touch with his friends and contacts. "Olaiyya has been training our students for the last couple of years. I have never had to call him and fix up the programme. It is he who gets in touch with me every summer in order to conform his participation. He is a cool person and does not make big demands ever. Since he works on leaves or olai, he has taken a name based on his activity. He wears a white shirt, white dhoti and sports a white head gear all the time. Its interesting to work with him," stated Karunasagari.
"Long ago texts were written on palm leaves and they had a life of about 300 years or so. Thereafter scribes used to copy them again in order to preserve the contents for the future generation. This kind of knowledge preservation and transfer have been part of our tradition. Palm leaves have a long life and therefore the thirumangalyams worn by married women were made of palm leaves those days. I spent a lot of time in Kerala and learnt this craft by observation. The Achan Kovil is famous for the Kerala Vilakku Pooja decoration and it was from here that I began my journey in this direction. Now I have worked on say 1000 designs so far. I will continue to work as long as I am able to. Coconut leaves do not last long but palm leaves do. Therefore I do things based on the requirement. It just takes a few minutes to make a flower. I love teaching these budding dancers and really look forward for this camp," smiled Olaiyya while making a flower. He calls his palm leaf flowers as 'Vadamalar'.
Olaiyya makes decorations for temple festivals, Kumbabishekhams all round the year. He never seeks work but it comes to him. He participates in the 'Nalvar Madam Guru Poojai' at Sencheri Malai and has done alangarams (decorations) for the Perumal Temple in the same place. Olaiyya has done work for Lord Muruga's (Velayudhaswamy of Mandhiragiri) wedding at the Sencherimalai Temple.Though he lives in a number of places, his residence is at Kaattukuppam and he puts in time in the neighbourhood of the Kadambavana Nadhar temple. The income from decorations and his father's pension sustains Olaiyya and family. Olaiyya supplicates himself to his craft and he states that this work is his 'Yandhiram, Mandhiram and Thandhiram'. He loves 'Deepa or Jothi Vazhipaadu'. Olaiyya was a watch repairer earlier and has been a keen self learner who spends a lot of time reading in public libraries. The self learner is keen to share his 'olai craft skill' with aspirants at all times.
The interesting life of Olaiyya is sure to remind people about the nomadic but knowledgeable bards and crafts people who used to traverse across our country in pursuit of experience while sharing their ideas, skills and thoughts with the populace. Olaiyya and his ilk are like rivers who enrich the society during the course of their travel.