The villages of Tamil Nadu are full of Palm trees, coconut, date and Palmyra. Palm is the major source of raw material for preparing baskets and related products. Other raw materials like bamboo, cane, grasses, fibers and reeds are also used in making baskets, thatch, ropes, mats and many other things.
The baskets are prepared throughout the state of Tamil Nadu. But only a few centres like Dharmapuri, Salem, Coimbatore, erstwhile South Arcot and Thiruchirapalli districts are engaged in mass production and trading. The bamboo baskets are used to store and carry food grains by the farmers of Tamil Nadu. These baskets are covered with cow dung both in the inner and outer surfaces. The sturdier cane is used for making furniture, bowls and other items of household use. These items are prepared in Chennai, erstwhile North Arcot and Tanjavur districts.
The forest plant called `Azhingi` is another sturdier product and the stem of it are used to prepared baskets. These baskets are generallu used for carrying bricks, mortar and mud in construction business. The palmyra fibres and leaves are tressed in various patterns to prepare baskets of different sizes and shapes. The baskets prepared out of the date palm are very similar to bamboo products used at homes.
The fibre craft of Tamil Nadu has been developed mainly by the women of Kanyakumari district. These women prepare tablemats and many kinds of bags from the banana, sisal, aloe, screw pine and pineapple fibers. The pith is a kind of reed or fiber, which is used for making models of temples and toys. As these toys can be coloured and painted, these pith toys can be seen mostly during festivals. A grain-oriented craft of Tamil Nadu villages is that of paddy to defend against evil eyes. These baskets and fiber products prepared here have a high demand all over India and even in foreign countries. But the most important role played by these craft art is it has provided employment to many million people of the rural and tribal community living in the countryside.
