BENGALURU: As we move ahead in life, many cherished moments are left behind along with the hobbies and the personalities associated with them. In the wham-bam pace of life, there is always an endeavour to catch up on those treasured times, and lock it in the vault, which would be opened later when in despai r and debacle. In the green meadows of our memories, we remember our grandparents narrating the tales of our rich heritage, culture and the eclectic traditions. Some of it has been retained, but others were forgone while embarking on a jour ney of ambitions and achievements.
But what could be better than wearing something that would exhibit the connection with things we cherish while also serving as a bridge to our traditions.
A Kochi-based brand called Totem Facts is ushering in a modern twist to the way we can keep our connection with our past alive and kicking. Their range of t-shirts focusses on elements which are close to our hearts like music. It is an artist’s collection that highlights original art inspired by the indigenous cultures worldwide.
The product is a manifestation of an artist’s imagination. Their ideas are sketched down using pencil, and then later printed. “Our brand not just focuses on a particular concept, we give priority to everything that is art-based,” says the co-founder of the brand and business head Dhanesh Balakrishnan.
Every brand requires a stroke of idea which might be ill-shaped but caters to people and can attract others to stir their contributions. So, there was no boardroom meeting, or invitation to experts to share their strategic information. But the idea first came to Midhun Madhav, who then later suggested it to Dhanesh and Manoj Murali.
“I wanted to start something like this when we were in college. Manoj was my classmate. In 2021, we finally developed the idea with Dhanesh, my roommate. Then everything just fell into place,” recalls Midhun.
The trio launched their website on January 13, 2022. “Totem which means spiritual being, sacred objects or symbols which is a reminder of its ancestry, our brand is an exact definition of that,” explains Dhanesh.“The images, art, and other aspects make you think and learn something new,” he said. “Each design is unique in its own way like our most sold-out Nangeli t-shirt which comes with a quote- ‘Ennile, Ninnile Nangeli’ (The Nangeli within you and me),” he added.
Nangeli is a fictional story of an Ezhava (lower caste) women in the early 19th century in Cherthala in the erstwhile state of Travancore, Kerala, and supposedly had their breasts cut off to protest against the breasts tax.
The art is also inspired by Pink Floyd, Srilankan masks and even the famous poet Changampuza. However, the collections do not just end there, and they also create patterns of birds, jungle and the ocean, the elements that are irreversibly tied to nature. The attachment or longing to be there amidst the lap of nature can also be the reason we can go for these t-shirts.
“We have also made merchandise shirts for popular music bands like Thaikkudam Bridge. Each of the art etched on the t-shirt is also explained in detail on our Instagram page as well. We want to keep our culture and tradition alive through our work , ” explains Murali.