SRILAKSHMI MOHAN RAO'S HOBBY CRAFT CENTRE

In a quiet neighbourhood in the heart of Chennai, just off T T K Road is De Monte Colony with rows upon rows of identically built houses on either side of a tree lined avenue.  But door number 33, on this street stands out.  It always has a steady stream of visitors, young and old alike.  There being no signboard, we decide to investigate further and find out what is the reason for so many people flocking this house, especially in the mornings.

Srilakshmi Mohan Rao who resides at No. 33, Demonte Colony is no political party's general secretary or propaganda secretary.  She is a simple housewife who more than 27 years ago made a decision that she would not waste a single minute of her time and started to learn various arts and handicrafts.  She started her now famous and in-demand 'Hobby Craft Centre' in the garage next to her house, and started teaching just a few handicrafts to ladies who did not want to waste their time at home. She conducts courses in Crochet, Knitting, Tatting, Macramme, Hand embroidery, Doll Making, Rug Making, Canvas embroidery, loom works, flower making, fevical art, vegetable carving, tailoring, cookery and bakery, smocking, flower arrangements, Tanjore painting, Glass painting, Coaltar painting, Lac painting, embossing, paper art and many other crafts. 

When she first started, she placed an 'ad' for Rs. 40/- in 'The Hindu' offering to teach craft to housewives, "I was always interested in fine arts. After my first child was born, I had a lot of free time on hand. I decided not to waste a single minute of that time and start taking classes for whoever will be interested. I placed an ad in 'The Hindu', and at that time I thought much about that Rs 40/-, whether it was worth putting in that money for an ad.  The Bank of Baroda was also very encouraging, and they quickly sanctioned a loan of Rs 4,000/- for me to buy my materials.  Anyway, I went ahead and in response to that ad, four ladies came to me and I started teaching them whatever I knew.  After these ladies learnt and left they passed the word around and soon I was inundated with requests for teaching more ladies especially housewives and that is how it developed, just by word-of-mouth.  Today, I have taught more than 4,000 women.  I think the inspiration basically stems from my desire to share my knowledge with others.  In fact, I have helped and encouraged my students to teach what they have learnt from me to others", she says.

But mastering so many crafts?  "Well, it was all a kind of coincidence.  Whenever any of my students went abroad they would bring something back and would ask me to teach them how to do it.  I would observe the object for a few days and then start experimenting with locally available materials.  Books however were the main source of my knowledge.  I used to read a lot of books on fine arts and handicrafts and polish my skills.  This helped me to learn newer crafts and teach them to my students."

"After three or four years of teaching I had a small exhibition at Luz.  Afterwards, I had a solo exhibition on a mega scale at the C P Arts Centre.  I am grateful to Nandita Krishna of C P Arts Centre, Seetha Muthiah and Annapoorni Veerapan for encouraging me to hold this exhibition.  In between I had held a lot of exhibitions along with works of my students.  Seeing my potential, from the exhibition that I held, the 'Kothari Academy for Women' offered me the post of Co-ordinator, which I held for a period of 12 years.  At the same time I conducted these classes.  At no point of time did I stop taking classes and I did not differentiate between rich and poor or young and old.  People from different backgrounds and all ages would come to me.  After I resigned from the 'Kothari Academy for Women' I started my own institute 'Alankrutha', which means 'to beautify' at Anna Nagar.  'Alankrutha' was started in 1989 and I started conducting classes both from my house and at Alankrutha. I started taking marriage orders for making traditional gifts that are given for weddings."

"I have only one thing to say to people who think that hobbies like these are expensive.  It depends only on what they are going to get into.  One can make crafts for as low as Rs 5/- to as high as even Rs 5,000/-.  Another important thing is encouragement for ladies to develop their skills in these crafts should come from their near and dear ones - husbands, children and in-laws. Will power and hardwork are enough to bear fruit", she says with a proud sense of achievement.

Srilakshmi Mohan Rao is also an active member in various organisations. She is the District Chairman of the Lion's Club, National Secretary of Indian Vegetarian Congress, Vice-Chairman of Arya Vysya Mahila Sabha and Secretary of the Women's Wing of World Telugu Federation.

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