KOZHIKODE: Polio infection took away Layajamani KK’s ability to walk when she was a child. Her family had to shell out a fortune for her treatments, but nothing yielded any results. She claims to have even crawled on her knees. As the chances of recovery seemed bleak, when she turned 18, she took up a wheelchair as her last resort. Refusing to lose hope, Layaja prepped the artist in her.
From making umbrellas and seed pens to stitching clothes, Kozhikode resident did all of those within her limits and never cited her disability as a hindrance to becoming self-sufficient. Layaja never went to school, it was her father who gave her basic education. If any opportunity that could help her earn piqued her interest, Layaja would go for it. Of all the craftwork she has tried over the past four years, making nettipattam (elephant caparison) for a living has been more frequent.
“I’d pick nettipattam as my forte. I also do the craft with reverence. But I don’t know what keeps me going in this particular way,” she says. Though Layaja knew she could do art and craft, her situations never gave her the chance to exhibit her skills. It was only ten years ago when she started doing craft.
“I don’t want to lose in life. My mother paid off the debts after my dad passed away. She used to do several jobs to run the family. Now, through craft, I want to take up the responsibility, and give my mother a break,” says the 43-year-old.
A self-taught artist in all the realms, Layaja learnt the basics of nettipattam online. To get the measurements right, she even contacts professionals. So far, she has sold her nettipattams as home decor, and has also sent a few to the temples. To her, each golden pearl embedded on the nettipattam signifies god. “Every work starts by placing ‘moolaganapathi’. Thereafter, it’s up to the artists’ imagination to place Bhagavathi, Lakshmi Devi, Saraswathi, and navagrahangal (planets),’’ she adds.
The intricate small pearls spread over the sheet represent stars. On to a rubber-like sheet, a velvet cover is placed and pearls are then pasted directly. The colourful tassels on the sides finish her work. Though Layaja started making nettipattams four years ago, she did more of umbrellas, stitched clothes, and made seed pens before Covid struck.
Placing one hand on the motor and the other on the clothes, Layaja stitches kids’ wear, nightgowns, and churidars. The Alivu Charitable Trust taught her how to make umbrellas. “Instead of depending on the food kits provided by the trust, I wanted to earn an income. But when schools shut due to Covid, sales dropped considerably for umbrellas and seed pens. I restarted nettipattam, and realised the demand,” says Layaja. Layaja’s handmade nettipattam starts from 1.5 ft onwards, the largest being five feet.