On the wild side

Nirmal craft Lesser Flamingo showpieces. Pic Courtesy/PashooPakshee

From elegant Nirmal art (an ancient art form of making toys and paintings from a variety of softwood) Lesser Flamingo curios that make great conversation pieces, to trendy Assamese jholas handcrafted by the Hargila Army which is dedicated to protecting the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork, PashooPakshee offers cool, wildlife-themed handicrafts by local artisans and women from marginalised communities living in wildlife conflict areas.

Savini Sonavaria

From Pench to Kanha, the platform trains artisans from various parts of India. On offer are products ranging from door and wall hangings, T-shirts, bags, scarves and stoles, to soft toys, home decor pieces and jewellery, among other items. Initiated by Mumbai-based Savini Sonavaria, the platform was created with the larger goal of having a "win-win for both humans and animals".

Sonavaria, who's worked in corporate jobs for six years, shares that PashooPakshee is a labour of her love for wildlife. "Awareness of wildlife diversity in India has still not reached the masses. Even tourists who visit national parks tend to be only interested in seeing tigers. In doing so, they miss out on appreciating and understanding other aspects of the jungles and the people of the forests," she explains. As our forest cover reduces, wildlife is forced to venture out into adjoining farms, giving rise to human-wildlife conflicts. "If we can provide alternative and sustainable means of livelihood to communities who share their fences with wildlife, it can eventually help them to wean off using forest resources. In the long run, they will also be empowered with the financial capacity to make and exercise informed choices," she elaborates.

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