Rajin, Kumar, and Satish are the brothers who started the HLWDS (NOT HPWDS)

The raw dyeing materials, all organic, ayurvedic medicinal products. Here they are in bulk waiting to be pulverized and then put into vats of water to dye the handwoven fabrics

This is the machine used to do the initial dyeing

Everything is done 100% naturally and organically, so in order to bleach some of the fabrics they do not want to use chlorine or chemicals. This is their method which has been used for 1,000s of years. This rock is always exposed to the sun and so by late afternoon it is very hot. They lay the fabric on it and turn on the shower head to sprinkle it with water and the fabric will steam and it becomes bleached from the sun. Cool, huh? No chemicals.

HandLoom Weavers' Development Society

This is an organization which is based 20 minutes from Kovalam where we are staying and which my professor has advised for 11 years. They have organized the traditional handloom weavers of cotton clothes here in Kerala and have revived the ayurvedic use of medicinal dyes to dye the fabrics for use in medical clinics, massage clinics etc. Two years ago they were given grants to build a large ayurvedic dyeing compound that is open for use to all of their weavers that are organized to recieve micro-loans and training and marketing help. We toured the compound and learned about the different dyes and some of the ayurvedic beliefs. I am in the process of learning more about the method and will write when I figure out a basic understanding of ayurvedic medicine. It is 5,000 years old and stems from a Hindu understanding of the world and is somewhat akin to Chinese acupuncture, but is even less invasive and relies on natural herbal rememdies and treatments. By using natural herbs and barks to dye clothes, they take on medicinal qualities and can be sold as such. It's a pretty neat thing and really represents the ancient craft and traditions of this region.