Stella Mary

Stellamary, an earnest palm leaf basket weaver belongs to Kidaripatti, a large village located in Melur Taluka of Madurai district. She makes baskets out of Palmyra leaf along with other women in her community. The Palmyra leaves are tender, they're removed out from the tied branches and braided to the required size and design to a basket or container before its dyed in bright colors. Stellamary says she had learnt the craft after her marriage like most of the women in her community. The palm leaf basket weaving is one of the prime showcases of how pre modern crafts and practices upheld sustainability and art. Stellamary along with the women in her community are passionately growing in practicing the craft, not just as a livelihood but as their willful contribution to the craft heritage.