Thinai is a type of poetical mode or theme. Since 2 CE, each Thinai was closely associated with a particular landscape such as Kurinji (hilly backwoods), Palai (parched zones), Mullai (pastoral tract), Marutam (wetlands) and Neital (littoral land), along with imagery associated with the respective landscape such as God, flowers, trees, wildlife, people, climate and geography. These collectively provided imagery for extended poetic metaphors, which set the mood of this collection, as in the case of Sangam poem.
These limited edition collections are made from 100% cotton fabric, by weavers in Jaffna, which have been embroidered/ hand-painted/dyed with plant and mineral dyes. No two pieces are exactly alike, as each one is individually hand-made with skill and care. Color variations and markings are unique to each item, and are characteristic of the hand-made processes used. Each of our work pays homage to this age-old technique, using contemporary designs and ideas that preserve this long-standing craft from Jaffna. All Kolam products are unique because they are crafted by hand, with the emotion and expression of each artist highlighted in each piece.
Kolam’s Thinai Collection launch took place in November 2019, and now the website is live with the product portfolio. We thank our donors for the support given to such projects, and we request all our donors to show your support visiting www.kolamjaffna.com & https://www.facebook.com/kolamjaffna/