Technicolour dreams: This flea market offers art to jewellery

From painted shoes to shell showpieces, this flea market offers inventive handcrafted products from across India 
Technicolour dreams: This flea market offers art to jewellery

Every year, during this time of the month, Kalakshetra in Thiruvanmiyur is filled with stalls and brimming with people bargaining in every corner. The Great Indian Flea is put together after five weeks of planning by Buzzonify and Gravity Event Affairs. It is the first edition for both the event organisers at Kalakshetra. From apparels to home decor, this three-day event will have over 82 stalls, caricature designing and a pottery workshop. Also sip on cups of soda and enjoy the musical events for entertainment. Here are some interesting picks that you can try from the flea market.

Pamper your feet
There’s more to a shoe than protecting your feet and keeping it warm. The year-old brand AshBaDe, based out of Chennai, offers a collection of personally handcrafted and handpainted sandals and shoes. With a manufacturing unit in Thoraipakkam, they have been exporting shoes to Europe and Scandinavian countries for eight years. “I worked as a designer in Europe for 20 years and started this company in 2007, in India. We have an in-house team that works on the sole, leather and designing,” says Sridharan Ganapathy, founder. The customised orders are delivered within 15 days.
Picking his favourite from the collection, Maya and Flame, he says that these shoes can be folded and kept in pockets as well as washed in machines. Look out for their stall at the market! They are currently working on water-proof leather shoes, expected to be launched in a couple of months. `700 upwards. Details: ashbade.com


Crop to cup
Apart from having 200 varieties of tea sourced from over 150 tea gardens in India and Nepal, this brand claims that it packs its tea powders in nitrogen-flushed tea bags, as a preservative method. The five-year-old Bengaluru-based brand Teabox is known for its blends of black and white teas. Their range includes teas from Darjeeling, the Nilgiris, Assam, Nepal, Kangra as well as boutique gardens of northeast India. “We ship to over 100 countries. These are freshly made every now and then, so they don’t lose their aroma and taste. Our factory in Siliguri takes care of sourcing and packaging,” says Arunima Ray, founder. You can expect a fresh set of flavours like morning dew made of jasmine flowers and other floral blends at the flea market. `250 upwards. Details: teabox.com


Out of the shell
Looking for some shell-based showpieces for your interiors or organic pepper to spice up your curry? Well, this lady brings a mix of both. Sheena Manuel, a software consultant-cum-entrepreneur, has a curated collection of seven intricate showpiece designs made of shells sourced from Italy. Meanwhile, she also has an organic farm near Munnar, where she has been growing organic pepper and cardamom for the past three years. The shell showpiece starts from `75 and organic pepper from 1,100.  Details: 9884328938


Nature’s kitchen
Whether you’re making a Dal palak in a clay kadai or panniyarams in a soapstone idli maker, The Indus Valley, a two-year-old brand, makes sure we not only eat healthy, but also cook healthy. This Chennai-based company works with in-house artisans from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad.
“We are specific about the materials used for the cookware, based on the demands at the market. Unlike a teflon or toxic coating, we use materials that have good heat capacity and are lightweight, like wood and clay,” shares Madhumitha UdayKumar, founder. Their products are available in 100 outlets across kitchenware stores in the city, Amazon and on their website. Some of their much sought-after items include their neem wood chopping board and scratch-free cookware. The list extends to bowl, spoons and dosa tawas. `100 upwards. Details: facebook.com/official.indusvalley/


Of mud & wood
Kerala-based Anu Vargese Cheeran, a graduate from the National Institute of Design, specialises in ceramics, terracotta and glass painting. Inspired by nature, her collection is all about terracotta pots for plants, showpieces, fridge magnets, flower vase, home decor and jewellery. She also makes portraits based on her childhood experiences. `100 upwards. Details: facebook.com/Thelittlegoldfish.anucheeran/

`100 upwards. The Great Indian Flea has been rescheduled from November 3 and is expected to take place before December 10. 

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