The koodai sits on a school corridor, a steel tiffin carrier seated snugly inside. Another is filled with vegetables as its owner grips it firmly by its braided handle. Yet another is slung across the shoulder: it is now a sling bag in sprightly colours.
Who would have thought that the humble basket, a school lunch bag staple of the 1980s, would evolve into something so chic? Hand-woven with colourful plastic wire, knot baskets are now tote bags, clutches, laptop bags, beach bags, mobile phone pouches, water bottle holders… why, there are even soap dishes featuring these intricate knots. The past couple of years have seen interesting experiments in knot baskets; partly driven by social media and partly by how versatile and practical the format is.
Coimbatore-based S Bhuvaneswari has been making baskets since she was 14 years old. The 44-year-old started trying out new shapes and designs as a lockdown experiment. “My daughters encouraged me to sell them on social media, and that is how Koodai Kalanjiyam took shape,” she says. Bhuvaneswari’s return gift baskets are among her bestsellers: these are tiny baskets shaped like hearts, squares, and circles. “People buy them for baby showers, weddings, and also for Navaratri,” she says.
