Uravu Bamboo Grove Resorts

BAMBOO GROVE

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Uravu Welcomes you to Wayanad, Kerala

www.uravubamboogrove.com

1

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by means, without the prior permission of Uravu Eco Links Concept by: Corinne Karlaganis Book design & illustrations by: Sony Salma Priyadarshini Text by: Corinne Karlaganis, Camille Drompt, Solenn Goh Photo credits: Camille Drompt, Corinne Karlaganis, Elsa Thompson, Jasmin Brunner, Lorenz Frauchiger, Nibrasul Haque, Solenn Goh, Sony Salma Priyadarshini, Steven Goetz, Tamara Waeber, Vanessa Vacante, Vincent Weil

Welcome to Uravu Bamboo Grove Welcome to Thrikaipetta and thank you for choosing to stay at the Uravu Bamboo Grove. We hope you enjoy your time here as you experience the beauty of our resort and its surroundings. This booklet contains information on our eco-tourism and community-based resort, local activities and social etiquette. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Warm regards, The Uravu Bamboo Grove Team

You are here Wayanad District

Kerala

Kalpetta Block

Thrikkaipetta Village (you are here)

Map provided by IN:CH architects + planners

Contents 1

5

10

Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort

Collaboration with the Uravu Trust and our Partners

About the Area Wayanad & Kerala

14

14

18

Biodiversity in Wayanad

The Water Issue in Thrikkaipetta

Explore Wayanad through our Community Activities

29

35

38

Sightseeing in Wayanad

Unique Features of our Resort Home-made Food

Hot Shower Fresh, Clean & Drinkable Water

Unique Shopping Experience Merchandises (Uravu Shop & Uravu Bamboo Grove Furniture)

41

46

48

Meet our Uravu Artisans

Indian Social Etiquette

Emergencies & Contacts

‘Honeymoon Cottage’

Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort Uravu Bamboo Grove is an eco-friendly community-based resort located on the elevated and picturesque mountain plateau of Wayanad, Kerala in southern India. Our main objectives are to combine eco-friendliness, community involvement and innovative design.

Eco-friendly

We try to reduce energy consumption to the minimum. Waste segregation at source and ‘RRR’ (recycle, reuse, reduce) are our main aims. Biodegradable waste is composted and some of our cooking teams use it for the production of biogas.

Glass, plastic, aluminium and paper are separated and sent to the nearest recycling point.

Drinking water for daily use is sourced from a local open well. It is always filtered using non-chemical water purification methods (Katadyn filter).We are using a waste water treatment system based on an advanced oxidation process.

The villagers are encouraged to grow vegetables and produce meat. Wherever possible, organic vegetables and local fruits are used.

Preservation of biodiversity and wildlife is extremely important to us.

The area is therefore being maintained as a bird and butterfly-friendly space and our guests have the opportunity to plant bamboo, fruit trees and medicinal plants as well as to enjoy the natural surroundings.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

1

2

Top: Uravu Bamboo Village - Onam festivities, bottom: ‘Rock the Jungle Cottage’ www.uravubamboogrove.com

Community involvement

Community involvement includes food, which is prepared by trained local people. This ensures the involvement of local women and a broad sharing of profits, as well as the provision of traditional, home-made meals for both national and international visitors.

Visits to local and organic farms allow guests to find out about local farming techniques and enable farmers to interact with tourists. These farms supply grains, vegetables, fruits, free-range eggs and other products to the resort. We also train

Innovative design

Uravu’s innovative designs are inspired by local materials. Uravu has a lot of experience with bamboo structures. We work with a team of both international and local members, which encourages joint learning. Besides our local team, experts from Trivandrum, Bangalore, Mumbai, Switzerland and Spain have been involved.

Constructions and furnishings are based on green building norms: �A green building is one which uses less water,

some young people from the area as tourist guides. Furthermore, we are involved in the local cultural community centre and its activities.

We are constantly looking for opportunities to enable the participation of local communities as it is important to us that the Adivasi (tribal) communities and other underprivileged sections of the society are an integral part of our scheme and that they are involved in our activities.

optimises energy efficiency, conserves natural resources, generates less waste and provides healthier spaces for occupants, as compared to a conventional building�

(Indian Green Building Council).

The constructions therefore use locally available materials such as bamboo, areca nut and mud. Walls are plastered with mud and covered with a coating of eco-friendly mud-based paint.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

3

Uravu’s artisans

4

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Collaboration with the Uravu Trust & our Partners

Uravu Eco Links has developed and is managing the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort. We closely cooperate with the non-profit organisation Uravu and our other partners. Uravu Eco Links is also actively involved in the Uravu Bamboo Village activities.

Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre In the early 1990s, the rural and agricultural sectors in Wayanad were in crisis because of crop failures, and local people were unable to pay off their bank debts. This difficult situation led a lot of farmers to commit suicide. In an effort to support people in Wayanad, a collective of individuals started a new concept of community using bamboo. The aim was to revive traditional knowledge systems, protecting the environment and generating alternative sources of livelihood.

Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre (Uravu) promotes social enterprises of local, natural resources, especially bamboo, the ‘green gold’. Uravu implements integrated, end-to-end programmes in the bamboo sector, which

include providing skills training in bamboo processing, establishing micro-enterprises, marketing of bamboo handicrafts and cultivation of bamboo. Uravu has trained and established 16 micro-units with around 200 artisans (90% women). Uravu strives to empower marginalised social groups, especially the traditional artisans, women and the indigenous people. Uravu has also set up a bamboo nursery with more than 45 species.

Uravu is now a well-established organisation and centre for bamboo craft in Kerala and the region. The Uravu Bamboo Grove tourism project is an offshoot of the Bamboo Village Development Programme promoted by Uravu.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

www.uravu.net

5

Top: Uravu Bamboo Village - tug of war, bottom: Uravu Community Centre 6

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Uravu Bamboo Village The Uravu Bamboo Village programme was launched in 2006 by the Uravu NGO, with the aim of developing economic activities and creating awareness about sustainable development in Thrikkaipetta, with bamboo as its principal theme.

The Uravu Bamboo Village project helped villagers to set up micro-firms in order to diversify the sources of household income. One of the possibilities for attracting income was for villagers to modify houses into homestays.

In 2008, the NGO ‘Kabani - the other direction’ joined the project and trained several families in the Uravu Bamboo

Village on how to host tourists. Nowadays, the village hosts travellers from all over the world, without disturbing the everyday life of the villagers.

Several events and activities are organised in the Uravu Bamboo Village every year, such as the successful Jack Fruit Festival, which promotes the countless possible ways of preparing and cooking this healthy fruit. The Uravu Bamboo Village has jointly with AFRC set up a Community School for Language, Communication & Culture. It also supports the Senior Citizens’ Group and the Children’s Club, which is particularly active during the school holidays.

www.facebook.com/uravubamboovillage

Uravu Eco Links, the managing company Uravu Eco Links, which has been working with the local community since 2004, was formed as the marketing agency for Uravu’s bamboo products. Currently the main focus of Uravu Eco Links is on community tourism, bamboo trading and bamboo construction activities. The Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort is fully managed by the Uravu Eco Links company.

Besides supporting the six homestays in the village, the main objective of the Uravu Eco Links tourism project is to develop and run a sustainable, eco-friendly

tourism venture involving and benefitting the local community. The villagers help to manage the project, which features innovative building designs conforming to environmental standards. The buildings use locally sourced materials and incorporate the ideas of local artisans. These homespun designs use local knowledge of sustainable construction and draw on the expertise of an enthusiastic team of international and local experts in the areas of architecture and design, engineering, innovative water and energy management, tourism and crafts.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

7

Top: Taking measurments for the resort, bottom (clockwise): Sivaraj, JĂźrg, George, Ariadna 8

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Jürg Grunder from IN:CH architects + planners (Bangalore) and P.J. George (civil engineer, Padavu Builders) were the main partners in the design and construction of the Uravu Bamboo Grove. The project is well-anchored in the village and aims at

Our Partners

An important feature of our project is the collaboration between Uravu Eco Links, the local artisans, Prof. Jürg Grunder from IN:CH architects + planners in Bangalore (formerly University of Applied Sciences, Berne in Switzerland) and the local engineer P.J. George, who is an expert in bamboo structures. They were our main partners, and were responsible for the design as well as support in the construction process of the Uravu Bamboo Grove project. The idea was to develop innovative structures using bamboo and other sustainable materials such as wood, mud and ferro-cement. The architects

providing work opportunities, as well as enabling community members to meet and mingle with visitors – encounters that can be, in more ways than one, an enriching experience for all concerned.

www.uravuecolinks.com

worked closely with Rakesh P.K. and Lenin C.P., two artisans and artists from Uravu, in the development of the bamboo lamps, as well as the beds, tables and chairs made of bamboo. The curtains were made by a handloom cooperative in Kannur. Paintings by local artists are included, in order to showcase and promote them. We worked closely with other experts such as the water specialist Prof. Ravi Kumar, professor emeritus of the Centre for Appropriate Rural Technology (CART) of the National Institute of Engineering, Mysore and the energy specialist Shyam Kumar from Trivandrum.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

www.in-ch-architects.ch

9

About the Area - Wayanad, Kerala

10

Uravu Bamboo Grove is located in Thrikkaipetta (pop. 4,000), a small village in the district of Wayanad, Kerala. The closest town is about 20 minutes away in Kalpetta (pop. 30,000).

India, similar to that of many developed countries, but with a lower per capita income. Due to a high unemployment rate, many Keralites work abroad, mainly in the Middle East.

Wayanad is a district in the Indian State of Kerala, which is located on the south western coast of India, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Compared to other Indian states, Kerala has a very high literacy rate (over 90%) and the highest Human Development Index in

Kerala has a rich cultural heritage.

Its diverse cultures have been influenced by three main religions: Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, as well as by the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 and interactions with foreign traders. Many sculptures, music and dance forms reflect

www.uravubamboogrove.com

the historical development of Kerala’s cultural traditions. The traditions of Kathakali (a 300-year-old dance form developed exclusively in Kerala combining art forms such as mime and opera) and Mohiniattam (traditional dance) helped the state to become known all over the world.

create a comfortable and a cool climate.

Wayanad has pleasant weather all year round. In the past ten years, tourism has been increasing and the Department of Tourism has identified Wayanad as one of the locations for implementing responsible tourism initiatives in Kerala.

Traditionally, Wayanad was an agrarian district. It is set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m. The high elevation and the forests

www.uravubamboogrove.com

11

Top: Thrikkaipetta, bottom-left: girls at a wedding, bottom-right: Mahashivaratri festival 12

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Kathakali dance www.uravubamboogrove.com

13

Biodiversity in Wayanad

Wayanad as part of the Western Ghats is a hotspot for biodiversity and is home to more than 5,000 species of flora and fauna. Many spices, plants and herbs used in daily cooking grow abundantly in Wayanad. There are tea

14

and coffee, as well as cardamom, ginger and pepper plantations. Wild turmeric, curry leaves, thulsi and many medicinal plants grow here.

An amazing variety of fruits grow in Wayanad, including bananas, mangoes, jackfruits,

www.uravubamboogrove.com

avocados, pineapples, figs, guavas, gooseberries, custard apples and many more. Wayanad has its own varieties of rice such as the two famous strains, Gandhakasala and Jeerakasala.

With the clearing of forests, many of the tigers and bears have vanished from Wayanad.

One can still see the bonnet monkeys, mongooses, jungle cats, squirrels, jackals, hares and elephants in the limited forest areas.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

15

16

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Water Issue in Thrikkaipetta

Water is precious. Especially before the monsoon season when it gets scarcer, saving water wherever possible, is important.

Thrikkaipetta is located on a rocky plate covered by a thin (6 metres/20 feet) soil coat. For this reason, our wells are shallow.

For the past five years, villagers have often found their well empty before the rainy season starts. The water does not stay for long under the village as it runs off down the rocky plate.

In order to avoid a bad impact on Thrikkaipetta’s limited water resources,

the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort harvests rainwater and waste water is treated with an advanced oxidation process before being used for watering the plants around the resort. Furthermore, we make sure that no waste water runs into streams.

Dear guests, please help us to save water by reusing your towels and limiting the water flow when you put the taps on.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

17

Explore Wayanad through our Community Activities!

Jointly with the community we have developed several activities in and around the village. You can get to know local customs and support the people living in and around Thrikkaipetta.

Bird watching

Duration: 3 hours

Preservation of Wayanad’s exceptional biodiversity and wildlife is important to us. This is why the Uravu Bamboo Grove is a bird and butterfly-friendly space and our guests have the

18

opportunity to enjoy an interesting bird watching tour with our local expert and photographer N. V. Krishnan.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Cooking class

Duration: 3 hours

Learn to cook delicious local Kerala dishes! A trained local woman will teach you how to cook a yummy homely Kerala meal for your lunch from

10:00 to 13:00. During the cookery class you will also learn about local spices and vegetables.

Village walk

Duration: half to full day

One of the best ways to experience Thrikaipetta is by taking a tour with a local guide. On these hikes, you will get the chance to learn more about our flora and fauna, and local businesses including our own bamboo nursery. The guide will give you an authentic picture of village life and can take you to visit the local school, the Anganvadi

(a nursery for children), or to spice gardens, tea, coffee and rubber plantations where you can see rubber tapping and the cultivation of many types of spices. This can also be combined with a trek to Thrikkaipetta’s local mountain, the Manikunnu Mala.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

19

Be a farmer!

Duration: half a day

This activity allows you to experience how the ‘sons of the soil’ live in Wayanad. Visits to local and organic farmers allow our guests to learn about local farming techniques and enable farmers to interact with tourists. These farm units also

supply grains, vegetables, fruits, free-range eggs and other products to the resort. You can help a farmer with planting and harvesting activities, depending on the time of the year.

Trek to Manikunnu Mala

Duration: 3 hours (round trip)

Thrikkaipetta’s local hill, the Manikunnu Mala is a great place for a hike. During this easy reachable 3-hour walk you will explore the flourishing countryside, enjoy the beautiful views, 20

spot some birds and butterflies, and discover plants and trees. We will organise a local guide for you who will explain all about the area and its impressive flora and fauna during the short trek.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Experience Ayurveda (at Ayushpathy Ayurvedasram)

Relax and enjoy a traditional Ayurveda experience with the traditionally trained Ayurvedic doctors at their newly opened Ayurveda centre in

Thrikkaipetta. Dr Mridul and Dr Sreelima can give you a consultation, traditional Ayurvedic treatment or a relaxing Ayurvedic massage.

Painting class in the Uravu Bamboo Grove

Guided by Sadanandan or another passionate artist from Uravu, you can experience a painting class. The class includes a training in sketching and watercolour. Inspired by Uravu Bamboo

Duration: 60-90 mins

Duration: half to full day

Grove’s surroundings you will create your own artistic work. There is also the possibility to learn to paint on bamboo. Options are visits to local painting galleries and artists.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

21

Craft with Uravu’s artisans

Duration: half to full day

The craft workshop is an opportunity to get to know bamboo – and the bamboo workers, who make a living from creating delicate handcrafted products. The touch, smell and the process of crafting an object out of bamboo is an extraordinary experience. In this half or full day activity you will work in the Uravu bamboo workshop and create some unique handicrafts, an

authentic souvenir, and discover the remarkable skills of Uravu’s artisans. Understanding how something is made and why it’s made that way changes our perception of the object and the maker. The interaction with bamboo craftspeople also provides insights into a whole different world and culture.

Yoga

Duration: 60-90 mins

Practise Yoga with an expert at the Ayushpathy Ayurvedasram, with a view over the rice fields and palm trees, either in a group or in a private course.

22

Yoga is usually practised early in the morning or towards the evening.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Tea plantation

Duration: half to full day

Enjoy a quiet and peaceful guided stroll through a nearby tea plantation at dusk or dawn. Mornings or evenings are the best time to immerse yourself in the amazing atmosphere and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the tea plantation in a golden light. The nearest tea plantation is reachable within 15 minutes by car or riksha. You can wander around it and admire the view of the Chembra Peak, the highest summit in Wayanad, as well as the Manikunnu Mala.

rehabilitate the tribal clans of the district of Wayanad from the yesteryear evil of bonded labour.

Priyadarshini Tea Environs - Mananthavady Tribal Plantation Corporative Society Priyadarshini Tea Environs is a special tea estate in Wayanad, nearby Mananthavady.

Priyadarshini Tea Environs is a community tourism initiative by the Kerala State Government, under the Mananthavady Tribal Plantation Co-operative which was formed in 1984. Initially the primary objective was to

Apart from the picturesque appeal of the plantations, Priyadarshini also boasts a significant amount of forest cover, making it a great location for travellers looking for an offbeat experience.

Uravu Eco Links is collaborating with this impressive project.

Around 300 Adivasi families were rehabilitated from different parts of the district. They now live in their own houses within the plantation, and work there as fully paid owners of the society.

The estate also includes its own tea factory, tea museum and nursery as well as accommodation and activity centres for tourists.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

23

Top: village walk, bottom: cooking class

Top: bird watching, bottom: experience Ayurveda

24

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Top: kids learn farming, bottom: trek to Manikunnu Mala

www.uravubamboogrove.com

25

Top: craft with Uravu artisans, bottom: Yoga class

26

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Top:Priyadarshini Tea Environs, bottom: painting class

www.uravubamboogrove.com

27

28

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Sightseeing in Wayanad Wayanad is becoming a place of touristic interest. There are several beautiful and exciting sites that can be visited. We can provide you with local guides and drivers.

Edakkal Caves

The Edakkal Caves are located on the Ambukutty hills. The caves are a prehistoric rock shelter formed naturally out of a strange formation of three huge boulders. Edakkal literally means a stone in between. In this Neolithic habitat you can

see impressive prehistoric engravings, which were discovered in 1894 and identified as New Stone Age carvings. We can organise a local guide for you who will tell you all about the engravings.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

29

Muthunga Wildlife Sanctuary Safari

Also known as Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the forest of Muthanga is blessed with many varieties of trees and other plants such as rosewood, venteak and maruthi. You will be amazed at the sight of wild animals such as elephants, jungle cats, civet cats, monkeys and

deer. If you are very lucky you might even spot a tiger or a leopard. The sanctuary is also home to an endless population of birds like peacocks, babblers, cuckoos, owls, woodpeckers and jungle fowls. We can organise a driver to take you there.

Soochipara Waterfall

Soochipara Waterfall is a three-tiered waterfall in Vellari Mala. This waterfall is surrounded by dense green forest. A 30-minute drive followed by a 2 km walk to reach the waterfall. A nominal fee is charged for entrance and camera usage. The

30

water here cascades down from a height of 30 to 60 m. You can see a pool beneath the falls where local people swim and bathe. During monsoon season, you will see the waterfall at its fullest.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Phantom Rock

This rock has the shape of a skull. It is situated about 13 km from Kalpetta. Locally known as Cheengeri Mala, this strange rock offers great

photographic opportunities. Opposite to the rock there is an impressive view point.

Banasura Dam

The Banasura Sagar Dam is considered to be the largest earth dam in India and the second largest in Asia. It holds back the waters of the Karamanathodu, a tributary of the Kabini River.

The dam is ideally placed at the foot of the Banasura hills and named after ‘Banasura’, the

son of Kerala’s famous ruler King Mahabali. The dam was constructed in 1979, to support the Kakkayam hydroelectric power project to meet the demand for water for irrigation and drinking purposes. One of the beautiful highlights is the setting of the islands in front of the Banasura hills.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

31

Bramhagiri Hills

The Brahmagiri Hills are located on the border of the Kodagu (Coorg) district in Karnataka and the Wayanad district. It takes around two hours to drive there. Ideally you start the trek to the Brahmagiri Peak in the early morning, as it is

getting quite hot later in the day. The entry fee includes a local guide who will make sure that you reach the top. In the beginning, the four-hour trek leads you through a forest. When you reach the top of the hill chain, you have a spectacular view.

Kuruva Dweep

Kuruva Dweep, also known as Kuruva Island, is a protected river delta, comprising a cluster of islands over the middle of Kabini River in Wayanad. Comprising 950 acres, Kuruva Island is densely populated with rich flora and fauna.

The uninhabited island is home to rare species of birds and plants. A bamboo raft (built by Uravu) 32

takes you to the island. Picnicking is restricted as Kuruva Island is an eco-tourism site. The island is open (9 am to 5 pm) from October to May and a nominal entry fee is charged. It is situated 40 km from Kalpetta and it takes around one hour to get there.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Pookode Lake

Wayanad’s beautiful freshwater lake, Pookode Lake, is situated 15 kilometres from Kalpetta.

Nestled between evergreen forest and the Western

Ghats, the lake extends over 13 acres and is 40 m deep. This is one of the most popular and busy tourist destinations in Wayanad.

Wayanad Heritage Museum

The Wayanad Heritage Museum has retained displays of Adivasi tribal relics, historical artefacts and works of art from Wayanad. The museum is divided into four sections, which exhibit items ranging from the Neolithic age to the 17th century. Exhibits include artefacts from ordinary

Adivasi life, decorated memorial gravestones once used to adorn the graves of heroes, and terracotta figures. The museum is situated at Ambalavayal, about 12 km south of Sulthan Bathery. It is one of the best archaeological museums in Kerala.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

33

Top and middle: our cooking teams, bottom: preparing home-made food 34

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Unique Features of our Resort Home-made food & beverages

All the dishes we serve are traditional Kerala specialities, freshly cooked by one of our trained farmer’s families from the community of Thrikkaipetta, the Uravu Bamboo Village. The teams cook family recipes from their respective communities (Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Adivasi).

The products used are always fresh and as far as possible locally sourced. We try to use mainly organic vegetables grown in and around Thrikkaipetta. Oil is never reused.

The prices mentioned may vary, depending on your choice (meat or vegetarian or vegan, and on the type of meat or fish).

Breakfast Breakfast is always included in the price of the room.

Kerala breakfast or toast with jam, honey and butter are available. You may choose between chaya (milk tea), black tea or coffee to drink.

Juices are available on request.

Lunch & dinner Vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals: For non-vegetarian meals, you can choose between chicken, beef, goat or fish.

Fruits (on request) Papaya, pineapple, watermelon, orange, apple, guava, and other local fruits.

Vegetarian meal: Rs 225–300 Non-vegetarian meal: Rs 275–400

www.uravubamboogrove.com

35

Hot shower

Your shower is heated with biomass!

In order to minimise the use of fossil fuels in the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort, we heat your shower with biomass (using dried coconut shells collected locally).

How it works Our staff heats your water twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) by lighting a fire under the tank (1). The cold water from the well arrives in the tank through the pipe (2).

The water coming from our well will reach a temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius or 140 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then, thanks to the pressure and the heat generated, it runs through pipe 3 to your tap. Pipe 4 goes higher than the cold water container to regulate the pressure.

Enjoy your hot shower and don’t forget to save water!

36

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Fresh, clean & drinkable water We provide free drinking water at any time for our guests. This water comes from our well and is then filtered using a Katadyn filter, a safe Swiss technology used all around the world. Feel free to help yourself or ask our staff to fill your bottle from our water point located in the dining hall.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

37

Unique Shopping Experience

Most of the furniture in and around the cottages is for sale. You will find the history, the price and who made it on each object. The benefits go to the local artisans.

38

Visit our bamboo handicraft shop. Why not go back home with a special sustainable souvenir made by Uravu’s artisans and artists? Our shop sells a wide variety of objects like traditional paintings, bamboo lights, jewellery, kitchen tools, wood sculptures, and many more.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Do you like the cottage furniture or one of the paintings?

If you would like to make an order, please contact the Uravu Bamboo Grove Manager.

We look forward to seeing you at our Uravu souvenir shop!

www.uravubamboogrove.com

39

Woven bamboo containers by Uravu’s artisans 40

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Meet our Uravu Artisans

Several artisans and artists associated with Uravu have been actively involved in the development of the interiors of the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort. We would like to introduce them to you.

Benny K. A.

Benny is a self-taught artist from southern India with more than twenty years of experience in painting and crafts.

His passion for art began when he was a child growing up in Idukki, Kerala.

He developed his artistic style using charcoal and through drawing tribalinspired murals on the walls and floors of his home. After completing his PreDegree Course he became a full-time artist. For the past eight years, he has been integrating the natural beauty of bamboo into his craftwork. Benny aspires to incorporate multiple emotions into each of his pieces. In the future, he looks forward to experimenting with bamboo paper products.

Biju Babu

Biju is a carpenter’s son who learnt the basics of woodwork as a child working beside his father. He came to Uravu in 2005 to join the bamboo craftworkers’ trainer’s team, after being trained in cane and bamboo furniture making, carving and weaving within the Kerala development training unit known as BCDI. Biju specialises in creating new product designs, bamboo weaving, furniture and craftwork. Thanks to his wide experience, he was able to bring to Uravu new techniques learnt from other states of India. He is inspired by his travels, other artists he meets and his imagination. He was involved in the weaving of lampshades of the Uravu Bamboo Grove cottages.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

41

Kavitha Benny

Kavitha is a full-time self-taught bamboo and clay jeweller, craftworker and weaver.

She started working as a craftswoman directly after leaving school. She learned from the Adivasi (tribal) community living in her village in a South-Indian forest area. Kavitha was creative as a child. She enjoyed painting and collecting seeds in the forest to use as craft items.

After her marriage she followed her husband to Uravu in 2004 and attended workshops on pen-making and bamboo weaving. She is currently running a small shop, where she sells her own products.

Through this small business, she is proud to be living proof that it is possible to be a free woman earning her own income thanks to her creativity.

42

Lenin C. P.

Lenin is a self-taught artist who specialises in bamboo craftsmanship.

When he was fourteen, he started experimenting with art using stone and terracotta. As he began to develop his own artistic style, his hobby transformed into a lifelong passion. He was first introduced to bamboo crafts when he started working for Uravu fourteen years ago. Since then, he has been reimagining the way bamboo is used as a medium. His designs are inspired by his interpretations of natural elements, like water, wind and fire. Lenin has had several exhibitions of his work. He designed and made most of the lamps of the cottages of the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Praseetha Biju

Praseetha is a versatile full-time and self-taught artist with more than ten years of experience in colourful painting on textiles and bamboo, weaving, mask carving, jewellery and crafts. She also uses her artistic skills to create jute and bamboo bags. She joined Uravu directly after her compulsory education when she was 17 years old. She improved her skills through attending workshops and training courses run by Uravu and the Manathavady College, where she was awarded a drawing diploma. Praseetha is inspired by art exhibitions and books, and by travelling, as well as by meetings and discussions with other artists and artisans.

Raju K.V.

Raju is Uravu’s production manager.

He is a bamboo artisan with more than 15 years of experience as a workshop trainer. He discovered Uravu by chance, when the organisation came to his village in Idukki to run a workshop on bamboo craftsmanship. He participated in the workshop and as he was the most promising student, Uravu asked him to join its team, in order to train people on bamboo craftwork in Kerala.

Raju especially likes to design, build and weave bamboo into the Uravu environment. He was involved into the Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort’s construction by training the workers.

Furthermore, he designed an original lampshade, which you can see in one of our cottages.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

43

Rakesh P. K.

Rakesh is a local wood carver who specialises in bamboo craftwork and furniture. As a child, he learnt woodwork beside his father, a wood carver who joined Uravu in 2000. Rakesh followed his father to Uravu and found there a learning environment where he could design and build his craft projects.

Rakesh likes to participate in the students’ workshops run by Uravu, in order to transmit his knowledge on bamboo carving, weaving and furniture construction. He was involved in the building of Uravu Bamboo Grove’s cottages through the construction of the structure, chairs and beds.

44

Sadanandan E. C.

Sadu was born and raised in southern Kerala and lives in Wayanad. His interest in art began in childhood and he taught himself how to paint at a very young age.

Since receiving his B.S. in Statistics, Sadu has dedicated his life to his true passion – creating artwork. Over the past 10 years, he has explored new kinds of canvases – including bamboo. Drawing inspiration from nature and other artists, Sadu’s work incorporates natural beauty with a modern flair. He enjoys getting out of his comfort zone and using new techniques and new media. In the future, Sadu hopes to work more with bamboo sculptures and installations in collaboration with other artists.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

Shailaja K. P.

Shailaja is Uravu’s weaving master in charge of the development of new designs to present to customers. She specialises in weaving bamboo baskets, mats, lampshades and packaging. Shailaja grew up in a bamboo weaver family in Malappuram and came to Uravu after her marriage in 2000. There, she participated in several workshops and training courses with experts from all around the world to improve the skills she had learnt in her childhood. She likes to observe the shape of cooking pots and tools, which gives her inspiration. Designing new products and adapting them to the requirements of customers interests her a lot. During her free time, Shailaja uses weaving as a selfexpression art, discovering new shapes and possibilities.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

45

Indian Social Etiquette

Here is some information for our foreign guests on social etiquette. To help you to fit in and avoid any awkward social situations, please take the following tips into account. At Uravu, we promote mutually beneficial experiences for both the locals and our guests.

Photographs and films It is strongly recommended to ask people for permission before taking their photograph or filming them. Note that within temple areas, taking pictures is often prohibited.

46

Barefoot in private houses & temples Remove your shoes before entering private houses and temples or churches. If there is any doubt, just do what your host does.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

No public demonstrations of affection It is not advisable to kiss or embrace in public. Public displays of affection between men and women (regardless of age or marital status) are inappropriate in Kerala. But don’t be surprised if you see two men holding hands: this is a fraternal gesture in India.

Wearing appropriate clothing shows appropriate respect for Kerala’s cultural traditions For women: Always cover your knees, shoulders and your cleavage, even if it is hot. In certain seaside resorts, it is sometimes possible to undress more.

However, do not go topless in public: it is illegal.

Conversations with local people Conversations between tourists and local people often revolve around private subjects. Don’t be alarmed if a stranger on a bus asks you about your job, your salary or how many siblings you have. In India, these are commonly asked questions.

Right hand for noble deeds and left hand for impure deeds Use of right hand: to eat, to drink, to greet, to wipe your mouth, to pass food or give money to somebody Use of left hand: to wash your feet and your backside, to clean the floor, to remove your shoes

For men: Shorts, trousers and shirts are all acceptable clothing for men in India.

If you are participating in a function, wear shirts with collars. Avoid wearing beach clothes outside the seaside resorts.

www.uravubamboogrove.com

47

Emergencies and Contacts

A member of staff is available in the Bamboo Grove 24/7, to ensure that you are having a good stay. In case of any problem or request, please contact us.

We are happy to help you at any time.

STAFF CONTACT NUMBERS Mrs Saira Manojkumar: +91-9745226945 Mr Elby: +91-8943534167 Mr Manojkumar: +91-9846500437

Uravu Bamboo Grove Resort www.uravubamboogrove.com www.facebook.com/uravubamboogrove

Uravu Indigenous Science and Technology Study Centre www.uravu.net

Uravu Eco Links www.uravuecolinks.com

Follow us on instagram.com/uravuecolinks pinterest.com/uravuecolinks

Uravu Bamboo Village www.facebook.com/uravubamboovillage

48

www.uravubamboogrove.com

www.uravubamboogrove.com

49

50

URAVU BAMBOO GROVE www.uravubamboogrove.com uravuecolinks.india@gmail.com +91-9745226945 www.uravubamboogrove.com