The Phoenix Who Raised Above The Disaster - Tale Of Chekkutty Doll

Chendamangalam is a village located in Eranakulam, in the state of Kerala. This village is popular for its traditional weaving communities, which produce cotton dhotis, Kerala sarees, and 'set mundu'( traditional outfit of Kerala). In 2018, Kerala was affected by severe floods. Many people died and went missing. During the flood, the weaving community of Chendamangalam faced a massive loss as their stocks and weaving units were destroyed by the heavy rains. The story describes the birth of 'Chekkutty,' the fabric doll who became the ray of hope in their lives.

Chekkutty doll Image source -https://afewhandpickedthings.com/

She doesn't have rosy lips, dimple cheeks, blue eyes, and curly hair, yet she won millions of hearts!

This is the tale of Chekkutty, the cute, tiny doll who emerged from dirt and disaster to show what is actual survival to the world. Chekkutty, the daughter of Kerala, turned four this year. The tale of Chekkutty is inspiring, fascinating, and a bit emotional.

When we talk about Chekkutty, we should understand the tradition and history of weavers from Kerala, God's own country, the place which is well known for its cultural heritage.

Chendamangalam, a small, unassuming village in Kerala, is famous for its tradition of handloom weaving. The weaver communities hailed from different parts of the state and started their livelihood by weaving beautiful cotton dhotis ( ‘Mundu’ in Malayalam). Among other weaver clusters in Kerala, the Chendamangalam handloom is one of a kind because of its unique designs, incredible craftsmanship, and vibrant texture. Usually, these famous handlooms are mainly aimed at festivals and functions.

August 2018 was the time when all the pride and prejudices of humankind were buried inside the dirt. The flood devastated the state without any mercy and stole several lives. A Lot of people lost their houses, loved ones, and whatnot? The state witnessed nature's dreaded face helplessly.

But it was a sad reality that everyone had to accept without inhibitions.

The story of Chendamangalam was no different. The weavers lost their hamlets. Flood waters that entered the units ravaged the looms, furniture, and even products worth lakhs of rupees. Dhotis and dresses were drenched and soiled, including the stocked items, which were left unusable.

The weavers had lost not only their money and materials, but it was also the loss of their livelihood. Many people supported the weaving community on social media platforms and in public.

The sight of damaged looms and soiled clothes drew the attention of two business entrepreneurs and social workers, Lakshmi Menon and Gopinath Parayil, who were admirers of handloom materials. The sight was immensely upsetting, and they thought about the most affordable but practical remedy of reusing those soiled waste.

Lakshmi Menon, the designer who always stands for a social cause, finally came forward with the idea of a fabric doll made of dirtied, damaged clothes.

It marked the history of empowerment, hope, and survival - the birth of 'Chekkutty.'

Chekkutty is an abbreviation of the Malayalam phrase, 'Cherine athijeevicha Kutty,' which means 'The child who survived dirt.'

They created thousands of Chekkutty dolls from soiled clothes without considering them a waste. Each doll was made with immense hope and love. The dolls with ‘scars and stains’ on their bodies were adorned with cute, beautiful smiles and ethereal eyes.

The arrival of Chekkutty created a therapeutic impact on many who were sinking into traumatic situations and mental agonies. It was quite an emotional moment when people around the world embraced this cute tiny bundle of hope with their hearts and soul. Even 90-year-old grannies were there who designed and painted Chekkutty's clothes.

Within months they could compensate for the loss with a huge profit. If the loss was 21 lakhs, the profit that Chekkutty brought to them was more than 34 lakhs!

Very soon, Chekkutty captured the attention of the UN Reconstruction Conference in Geneva, where the delegates were gifted with this cute fabric doll by the World Bank. There were workshops conducted to teach the crafting techniques of Chekkutty. Today, there are volunteers from 9 countries who operate such seminars and workshops globally. People from 65 countries proudly own Chekkutty dolls.

Chekkutty, the eco-friendly doll, weaves the tale of the most powerful lessons of sacrifice, survival, love, and support. The one who emerged from damage grew to the height of ultimate compassion without causing harm to anything and anyone, and her story never ends here…