Creativity with cane

One who pass through Lady Hill can see Venkatesh and Anilkumar, who hail from a remote village in Hyderabad, making beautiful showpieces weaving wires made of cane and plastic. They create pots, table lamps, hanging lamps, baskets, flower vases and other decorative showpieces artistically on the footpath of M G Road.

It is a fact that interior design embellish a house even if it was built at a very low cost. However, only those who have the aesthetic sense can design the interiors of a house to make it more appalling. Though there are hundreds of showpieces available in the market to design the interior of a house, handicrafts of cane gives extra glow. Artefacts made by Venkatesh and Anilkumar would certainly be appalling and one, who has enthusiasm in interior designing, cannot ignore but stop there to see how they create wonders using cane and plastic wires.

While Anilkumar engages in weaving, Venkatesh gives final touches and markets it. Speaking to City Herald, Venkatesh says that products made of cane will be comparatively dearer since it is very difficult to get raw materials. He said that they bring cane wires and sticks all the way from Hyderabad. “We store cane and other raw materials in Myosre and later transport it to various places in trucks. We will be in Mangalore City one or two months depending on the sales,” he said and expressed happiness that the response in Mangalore is very good.

“I think Mangaloreans are fond of designing interiors of their houses. Many come with families and buy products of their taste. Even passerby stop to see the products kept for display,” Venkatesh said.

He said that majority of his customers are construction companies and people from elite class. Most of the construction companies, who design interiors, buy products from them. Talking about the making of showpieces, he said that it requires atleast one week to weave a four-feet tall vase. Meanwhile, small vases and other itmes can be finished within two or three days, he added. Price of the products ranges from Rs 300 to Rs 4,000, he said adding, “the cost is high because the cane is not available in abundance. Moreover, labour charge should also be added.”