KOZHIKODE: It is nothing but a travesty that Ravindran Nambiyeri has to look beyond Keralam – known as the land of coconuts – for the very material that keeps his unusual craft alive. The 59-year-old artisan from Payyoli, Maniyur, creates elaborate gates, selfie corners, bouquets, caps and other decorations entirely from coconut leaves, but much of the tender and fresh foliage he needs now comes from different parts of Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru.
While coconut trees are an inseparable part of Keralam’s landscape, finding the specific leaves required for Ravindran’s craft in his home state has become increasingly difficult. The problem is not a lack of coconut trees, but a lack of people willing or able to provide the right leaves in the condition he needs.
“We don’t get the leaves we need here. Nobody gives them to us. So we have to source them from Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, and other places,” says Ravindran. For a man who spent much of his working life as an electrician and plumber, this unusual dependence on a supply chain outside Kerala is part of a journey that began with nothing more than curiosity.
Ravindran had no formal background in traditional handicrafts when he first became interested in coconut-leaf work around 20 years ago. His entry into the craft was almost accidental.
“I wanted to make a cap. I saw someone making one and watched carefully. I came home and tried making it myself,” he recalls.
That first attempt sparked an interest that gradually turned into a passion and eventually became his specialised craft.
He began experimenting with different ways of cutting, folding, weaving and shaping coconut leaves, moving from small objects to increasingly elaborate decorations.
“I was working as an electrician and plumber. But I developed a passion for making decorations with coconut leaves,” he says. Two decades later, the craft has taken him far beyond the small experiment that started it all.
Keralam fails to meet needs
The leaves Ravindran uses are not simply ordinary fronds picked up from beneath a coconut tree. He mainly works with kuruthola, the tender coconut leaf, and pachaola, the fresh green leaf. Their freshness and flexibility make them suitable for weaving, folding and shaping into intricate designs.
“People may have coconut trees, but getting the kind of leaves I need is difficult. Nobody is ready to give them regularly. That is why I have to depend on Karnataka,” he explains.
Ravindran’s coconut-leaf decorations have travelled to several parts of Kerala and beyond. Orders have come from Palakkad, Malappuram, Chennai and Bengaluru, besides assignments from North India. He has also received orders from abroad, though distance and travel constraints have forced him to turn some down.
One of his memorable assignments came unexpectedly from Bengaluru for an Onam celebration organised by a Malayali association. Ravindran created a decorative entrance gate and a selfie corner using coconut leaves.
Closer to home, his work has also been commissioned for public and community programmes. At a CITU event in Kunnamangalam, he created a decorative gate, selfie corner and bouquets – all using coconut leaves.
“Once you crack the art, it is very easy to make. The difficult part is learning the technique. “For larger orders, Ravindran relies on assistance. He generally needs two people to assist him, particularly when the work involves larger structures or has to be completed within a tight deadline.
“There is great demand for this, but very few people are coming into this sector,” he says. The shortage of artisans makes his work particularly valuable for events looking for alternatives to plastic, thermocol and other synthetic decorative materials.
Ravindran has conducted camps and classes in several schools, allowing children to learn the basics of coconut-leaf craftsmanship.
He has also been conducting specialised classes, with one scheduled in Palakkad on September 23 and 24. “If more children learn it, there is a chance that the art will continue. Otherwise, even if there is demand, there may be nobody left to do it,” he says.
He has a wife and two sons, and continues to take on assignments despite the practical challenges of sourcing raw materials and travelling for distant orders.