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Photos: K. Ananthan

Go Thai And, eco-friendly

The leitmotif is ‘eco-friendly’. It is there in everything — from the paper bags to the elegant books made from hand-made paper and bamboo holders for flowers made from palm leaf and seeds picked off the shola forest floor.

And, the best part is that they are not all that expensive. The Thais know how to tempt you. They come up with offers instantly.

And, are obviously successful in what they are doing, going by the number of people walking back with stalks of flowers.

Take the refrigerator magnets made of Luna clay. Each one, shaped like a sprightly bouquet, costs Rs. 100. But, buy two, and you save Rs. 50. And, those manning the stalls take the trouble to tell you what it is that they are selling you, provided they see a buyer in you.

And, why wouldn’t you buy something?

For just Rs. 50, you can take home a realistic looking fruit, made of thermacol. “Not the one used to pack; this one’s different,” explains Irene, one of the stall owners.

Choose from bananas, the smoky, grainy look of their skins intact, star fruit (carambola), apples and gooseberries.

Or, pick the flowers painstakingly shaped out of palm fronds, and dried sheaths. Some of them are then dyed to create purple, red, green and yellow flowers.

Floating flowers, wooden Buddhas, scented flowers ensconced in cute bamboo baskets (Rs. 50 each, and the fragrance lasts for three months), teak book marks with embossing, fancy hand-made paper gift bags, they have them all.

And, also a small write-up that explains the whole process and work that goes into creating hand-made paper from the bark of the local Sa tree.

A huge folding fan unfurls to reveal a myriad designs and seems just perfect for your den.

A corner shop stocks beautiful lampshades in a riot of colours, made of vinyl. Just perfect to create that romantic mood at dinner.

And, then, there are the earrings, small delicate ones and the slightly chunkier ones in red, blue, green, and every other colour you can think of.

If you like to add a dash of colour to your mane, indulge! The pink orchid clips, in small, medium and overwhelming sizes, and the scrunchies with orchids and colourful green and yellow balls can make for great hair accessories.

Tickets to the fair cost Rs. 20, and come with a free gift.

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