From timeless khadi to artisanal décor, the Chenetha Santha offers a treasure trove of handcrafted goods, ensuring that with each purchase, you not only bring home a piece of heritage but also support rural artisans and their livelihoods.
Published Mar 09, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 09, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Chenetha Santha
Synopsis: The Chenetha Santha, a handloom market in Hyderabad, showcases traditional crafts, offering handwoven sarees, fabrics, and artisanal goods. Running from 7-9 March, the event highlights the work of artisans, promoting empowerment and sustainability. Founded in 2015 by Saraswathi Kavula, the market supports rural weavers, preserving traditions while fostering economic independence.
The Chenetha Santha (Handloom Market) is back in Hyderabad, bringing with it a vibrant display of tradition, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Held from 7 March to 9 March, between 11 AM and 9 PM, this edition takes place at Ramananda Theertha Committee Hall in Begumpet, right in the heart of the twin cities.
As visitors step into the marketplace, they are greeted by a faint aroma of vanilla and sandalwood from incense stalls, blending seamlessly with the earthy scent of freshly woven cotton. The hall is a spectacle of colour—richly woven sarees in deep indigos and fiery reds, delicate stoles embroidered with intricate motifs, and stacks of soft, handwoven fabrics waiting to be draped into elegant attire.
From timeless khadi to artisanal décor, the Chenetha Santha offers a treasure trove of handcrafted goods, ensuring that with each purchase, you not only bring home a piece of heritage but also support rural artisans and their livelihoods.
Srikalahasthi Sarees
At the handloom market hall, 26-year-old Yavanika Motturu stands proudly at her stall, selling sarees from Sri Kalahasthi in Andhra Pradesh. Coming from a family deeply rooted in the handloom business, she is continuing a generational tradition. Her parents, Chandra and Sri Lakshmi Motturu, like many others in the region, have dedicated their lives to the craft.
“It’s been a generational occupation for most of the people there. However, this profession has been dying down among my generation,” Yavanika explains. Despite completing her B.Tech and having an opportunity to enter the IT sector, she chose to follow in her parents’ footsteps.
“The income is not the best, but there is a different kind of satisfaction in learning the craft that’s been in the family for ages,” she shares. The family not only sustains their livelihood but also employs 10 others—eight women and two men—who are involved in the intricate weaving process. “It takes about 25 days to produce one saree, and around 18 processes go into it,” Yavanika says, highlighting the dedication required in handloom weaving.
Today, their business offers a variety of handwoven products, including fabrics, sarees, stoles, and tapestries. Through her commitment, Yavanika hopes to preserve the legacy of handloom weaving and inspire others in her generation to reconnect with their traditional roots.
Oils and incenses
Dhanraj Antony, a 50-year-old, has been running a small stall selling essential oils, incense sticks, diffusers, and body oils for the past six years. His venture is more than just a business—it is a mission to promote natural products while empowering local communities.
Antony has been working closely with tribal villagers from Deverakonda in the Nalgonda district, training them to produce high-quality incense sticks. “We use what knowledge they already have in medicinal remedies and fragrances and help them develop it into a product,” he shared.
With growing concerns about the impact of modern lifestyles on health, Antony believes in returning to nature. “The body is full of chemicals thanks to modern lifestyles. We are looking to return to the basics, providing natural products with the least amount of chemicals,” he explained. He hopes to offer people a healthier alternative while supporting indigenous craftsmanship through his initiative.
The Palmyra leaves crafts of Mudvin
In another corner of the handloom market hall, 72-year-old KBT Sundari sits surrounded by her handcrafted toys, baskets, and decorative pieces made from Palmyrah leaves. Weaving has been a part of her life since 1972, and for her, it is more than just a craft—it is a means of independence.
“I’m 72 and depend on my son for basic needs. However, I don’t have to ask him for money when I want something,” she explains. Her work allows her to maintain a sense of financial freedom, giving her the ability to meet her personal expenses without relying entirely on her family.
Sundari hails from Mudvin village in Kadthal Mandal of Rangareddy district, a place abundant with Palmyrah trees. Over the years, she has not only mastered the art of weaving but has also taken on the role of a mentor. Today, she trains other women in her village, helping them learn the craft and supplement their income, keeping the tradition alive for future generations.
Chenetha Santha
In 2015, Saraswathi Kavula took it upon herself to organise the Chenetha Santha following distress among handloom weavers. “Being an activist, the weavers came to me to look for a solution. That was when we conceptualised a self-run marketplace for the weavers,” she explained.
Following the first Chenetha Santha in 2015, it has become a recurring event in the city for the last decade. It takes place about three to four times a year. “Gandhi wanted everyone to be self-reliant. He promoted the use of Khadi. While we can’t practice such self-reliance today with the mass-produced goods everywhere, this is one place we can,” she noted.
She added that handlooms use 100 percent pure cotton, unlike mass-produced fabrics which have a mix of Rayon. “Mass-produced clothes often mean the presence of microplastics in your lives,” she warned.
“Over the decade, we have shifted our venue from Ameerpet to Secunderabad to Begumpet, whatever was more feasible for us. The initial idea was that the weavers take all the profits. However, due to the operational costs, we ask for 5 percent of sales to keep the show running,” she explained. “When you shop at the Chenetha Santha, you aren’t just moving into a better lifestyle, you’re also supporting rural weavers, giving them a livelihood,” she stated.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
