The Kishkinda Trust Banana Fibre Floor Cushion

Product: Banana Fibre Floor Cushion

Region of Production: Anegundi, District Bellary in Karnataka in the South of India.

Craft Process: Banana Fibre and other natural fibres used to make products are procured by the artisans locally. Process involves segregating dry bark of the banana plant known as shorba into whitish, brown and dark colors. This is followed by soaking it in water to make the bark softer and easier to work with. This shorba is then spliced with hand to extract fibre strips and dyed followed by twining of the fibre stripes. Rope prepared from twinning is then hand crochet and woven to make products. Mirrors are woven into the rope and provide an attractive embellishment to the product.

Producer Organization: The Kishkinda Trust (TKT). Around 200 local women are given training by the Trust to make products out of natural fibres, thus giving sustainable employment and generating income. Emphasis is laid on the utilization of eco friendly materials that are locally available. They aspire to see the local community achieve social and economic empowerment through conservation of their natural and architectural heritage.

Regional Snapshot: Anegundi is on the picturesque banks of the mighty Tungabhadra river, in an area of great enivornmental and cultural heritage. The region also has a place in Hindhuism as it is identified as the capital of the mythical kingdom of Kishkinda mentioned in the Ramayana. Due to its significance, the nearby Hampi town in 1986 was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, for its unique history of the Vijayanagara Empire.
by sharmila wood