Victoria Technical Institute

A Unique Gift.

The Victoria Technical Institute

Victoria Technical Institute has a 124 year old history behind it. It was opened in Victoria Memorial Hall, Pantheon Road, Egmore, in the year 1889 in commemoration of the silver jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria. The Victoria Technical Institute was moved to Mount Road in 1956. What began as an Institute which was mainly concentrated on creating a social impact and upliftment of the rurally-based artisans, continues even till today its legacy of patronizing thousands of them.

 Handicrafts

Handicraft opens the doors to ethnic India, with its attractiveness and utility. Different types of clothes ranging from baby frocks to Bed Spreads, Indian Paintings, Wall Hangings, Indian Jewelry, Sculptures, Pottery, Handcrafted Furniture, Home Decoration etc can be found here at Victoria Technical Institute.

Handicrafts at VTI

The vision of VTI is to showcase true colors of Indian culture that is embraced by people of all ages, religion and regions. VTI with its legacy lasting more than a century, even today is dedicated to provide with high quality genuine handcrafted products directly from its base and in the process provide fair wages to the artisans.

An Artisan and the VTI

Art is the nectar of human life. An artisan has a capacity to reproduce what he has seen his ancestor passing down to him, and this is what a new generation artisan gives to VTI even today – says Mr P. Vijay, CEO at the Institute.  People enter the Institute and see different techniques, handicrafts and a huge variety of art which elevates them to a different plane. The quest of art and culture of India for a foreigner comes to an end when he enters into this building. And most importantly, he can also take along with him a culturally rich experience of India. This collection has come from different villages across the country right from Hoshiarpur to Mysore. An aritsit in Hoshairpur shows their talent in making a detachable dressing table of enamel inlay work, whereas an artisan in Mysore specializes in making bronze idols of Lord Vishnu and Ganesha.  When I enter the Institute, what catches my attention is this arresting piece of handicraft of a decorated elephant which one witnesses while watching a royal parade in Mysore. I am left astounded as I discover that it is worth a huge sum of Rupees Sixty Lacs.

VTI as a Charitable Institute

 This VTI is also a charitable institute which seeks to encourage differently abled children and  refugees of Srilankan Women’s Organization. A vast variety ranging from embroidery work on different types of clothes ranging from small baby frocks to Bed Spreads, ornaments and stone and pearl-studded ornaments are just some of the creative expression of  people from the organizations.  I got engrossed and went to third floor, I saw items made out of rosewood such as dressing tables and dining tables as well as pooja ghar, jhoolas, and idols of gods such as Vishnu and Shiva and laughing Buddha,, Tanjore Paintings of Lord Krishna all of these created by the indigenous artisans in the remote villages of India. The foldable dressing table my personal favourite is from Hoshiarpur, Punjab and Mr P.Vijay tells me that it  furniture work that they have been procuring from the district for years. Rosewood furniture here is so elegant and has made its way into the homes of  an informed buyer in such a way that the turnover this section alone made last year of over a crore itself.

I ask Mr P.Vijay if they find many visitors attracted to the Institute, “You will be amazed when I tell you that many customers keep coming back here. Apart from repeat customers, we also have people coming from other numerous walks of life often giving us orders from abroad to ship these furniture items.   

    

“We have training centers wherein the artisans are trained to hone their skills in training centers located at Mahabalipuram and another at Kumbakonam. Apart from this the Institute also organizes a competititon in October every year on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi.       

     

Insights from the Modern Buyer.

Surguna, Operational Manager at Tata Consultancy Services, Chennai tells me that he is drawn to a second time visit to VTI because he can walk out with a purchase of value topped up with feeling of total satisfaction. He in fact brought along with him a friend who wanted to take home with him a slice of Indian culture to gift someone.     

Handicraft items can be the best gift for occasions says Tasneem, who was a regular customer, and when she visited this year the Institute almost after ten years, still feels connected to the Institute in the way of the items that it offers.

A visit to Victoria Technical Institute will allow you to connect yourself to our rich heritage which we can proudly carry with us into the future.  

- Alifia M.B.V

       

Shopping In Parry's

TRAVEL SERIES IN PARRY'S

Parry’s Corner 

 Shopping In the by-lanes of Parry’s

If you have the time, knack and patience to navigate through the honking of scooters, amidst the rickshaw-pullers, to keep in sync with the haphazard way in which share-autos maze their way through, while the rickshaw-puller tries to catch up with the pace, then welcome yourself to Parry’s for an unforgettable shopping time, and having saved enough money, as a bonus.

With the Khadi-Kraft Bus Depot, a hop and jump away from the main shopping area, you will find lined-up shops that sell apparel catering to different tastes and ages –T shirts sometimes with amusing lines, or delightful children’s clothes, all vying for attention even as they welcome you at the bus depot.

Khadi-Kraft, which has occupied a pride of place at this juncture for years and years – beckons one to quickly check out the handicrafts and buy Indian goods – while it once or more stages Navratri dolls exhibitions or seasonal Sale periods, all of these catching up well with the audience as their staff makes an effort to help the visitor feel at ease and make an informed choice.

Diagonally opposite, on the NSC Bose Road, you will find men/women vendors who line this busy stretch with human activity buzzing about them. Perfumes, apparel –both new and second-hand, home needs, stationery, fancy items, CD-stalls, or vada and tea stall, fresh-juice carts, all find a place here.

The showcase at this busy N.S.C bose road will now invariably prepare you for what lies inside – really an Alladin’s cave for every one who loves shopping. As you set out to discover more points to shop at, you cannot miss the Olympic’s multi-storeyed building at the Anderson street – a one-stop that offers dedication solution for your wedding preparation.  

Wholesome Prices at Whole Sale Shops

Roopam Fancy Store’s owner Vimlesh says that many people come to shop in Parry’s. Culture, socio-economic and geographical aspects, none of these factors stop the crowd that constitutes the customers I get here, he says. As individual streets specialize in one particular product, it is an important factor that helps the bulk buying process, he adds.  

The Anderson street and Malayaperumal street specialize in paper and plastic wares,  you can find shops dedicated to different aspects of the product - gift wrappers, diaries and school notebooks, fancy and expensive hand made paper. You can buy at wholesale prices stationery goods from shops at closer vicinity such as the Office Equipment stationery shop. It is wise to navigate through the perennial rush in the busy interiors on Tuesdays as the church crowd is at its peak,  incase you want to finish a quick shopping.

Arshad who runs a shop - Popular Plastic Pack says business is at its peak during the wedding season in town and there is otherwise a great demand from hotels and caterers for everyday items such as plastic cups, spoons and plates. At Kasi Chetty street, on the other hand, is where you can see the latest in everything –from  key chains, toys, cosmetics and gifts to leather products.

On the other side of these narrow lanes, is the optical paradise. Shops, big and small such as Mahaveer Optical,  Amar  or Sri Karni Mata line Broadway most of these are open well beyond 7.30 pm. Broadway occupies monopoly status in the business of optical wear. And in order to stay in the game, some of the big brands such as Vijay’s Optical have sought to open their shops here in order to b e a part of the game.

 Rattan Bazaar, at the other side of the N.S.C bose road, has an enclave of textile shops lining at the main road itself. Some of the well-known of them for so many years being the T.Mangharam’s, whereas a recently opened showroom, Vijay’s Tex is as popular for women’s dress materials and ready-made wear.  But even today, if you want to indulge in the sheer texture and color of textile, once in a lifetime visit to the Elephant Gate Street and the Godown Street is a must!

It is here that you find established names such as Ethirajulu Naidu, M.A Jacob’s and Vishweshwara. If you are adventurous, then you will go exploring the small shops in the interior of the busy Rattan Bazaar area, where you can pick imported version of all your home needs at a bargain price.  

The business of life that is in Parry’s

Perfumes, apparel – new and second-hand, home needs, stationery, fancy items, Cd-vendors, mosambi and cut-mango sellers, all find a place in the busy by-lanes of Parry’s. With so much human activity buzzing about, you wonder what makes it special for all these men and women to go about their business of life day after day here.

I speak to a second-hand clothes seller at the N.S.C bose road, and this is what he tells me. “Of the more than ten lac footfalls that the road sees everyday, about a few would definitely show some interest in my wares. To see what best the day would bring to me, is what keeps me coming here everyday,” he says.  

Even as I have a great fascination for fragrances, I have my skepticism about the long-lastingness of them even as you can see so many of them having stacked up in every major by-lane here. I anyway did check out the fragrance that was in the fancy green POISON bottle – that the shopkeeper was ready to give me a bargain price.

And even though the perfume on my wrist, did not linger for a long while, I took home with me the smile of the perfume-vendor, which has been the best experience of shopping in the by-lanes of Parry’s.

- Alifia M.B.V

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Walking In Madras

THE MADRAS DAY SERIES

Walking in Madras.

Most of the time riding in your car, or whizzing by in your motor-bike, have you thought how it would be if you were given a choice to Walk your way through the same by-lanes, streets and roads – sans all the noise, traffic and pollution, only taking in the quietude of the morning-time?  

Meet the photo-walkers in Chennai, led by Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan- an enthusiast, city lover and historian to take you through the nooks and corners of city-life, enthralling you with knowledge and an experience you will find memorable for entire of your lifetime.

Yes, the photo-walking expedition which started off in 2007, celebrated the Madras Day, between the 21 and 28 August last, in a grand way. Then, a group of enthusiasts bunched up together on a Sunday morning starting from 21^st and walked stretches of historic miles to discover for themselves and relive a part of that Madras.

Anantha Subramaniam, who has been accompanying Chandrachoodan through the photo-walking for sometime, says that – “a walk down my school road helps me to enliven my memories, rediscover many forgotten facts as well as unhide many nooks and corners that I may have missed back then.”

Srinath, another enthusiast feels that – “a photo-walk helps me to walk my city, for me it is a great me-time, as well as a time to connect with my friends.”

The 41^st photo-walk which coincided with the Madras Day Celebration was an interesting choice of walk – starting at the Royapettah Clock Tower opposite the E.A.; leading us to a rendezvous with Royalty at the Amir Mahal (even though we were denied access into the Mahal, of course,) moving on to Zam Bazaar to sip down the very famous Lassi here.

A teacher I had met at one of the photo-walks – Melissa Enderle shares a perspective or two. “I have lived in different cities across the world. Photo-walking through the Chennai city is exploring a new way of doing something and for me walking it down with a group of enthusiastic bunch, makes it exciting and memorable experience.

While the number of walks already done triggers a shocked response from me, Chandrachoodan and his bandwagon regularly keep walking; in December last I had spotted them from my third-floor home balcony, walking down in the by-lane of Parry’s!