The same bird, along with seven other species, then featured in her company Muuyee’s maiden collection of toys and textiles for kids.
Bengaluru :
About two years back, Shweta Pai took a trip to the jungles of Kerala and Karnataka. At dawn, while soothing her crying infant, she heard a distinct whistling sound. That was her first introduction to the whistling thrush bird. Her curiosity about indigenous species of the Indian jungles was further aroused when she learned more about the unique characteristics of the bird and the other animals in the area.
“I was instantly drawn to their stories and felt a need to document it. Moreover, many of these species may not even be there in the near future, and I wanted their stories to reach out to more adults and kids, through a new medium,” says Shweta.
The same bird, along with seven other species, then featured in her company Muuyee’s maiden collection of toys and textiles for kids. The collection, My Darling Earth, was launched in October this year and focuses on clothes and toys that feature some of the lesser known creatures of the Indian jungles, such as: The Malabar Whistling Thrush, Stone Sucker Fish, The Lion Tailed Macaque, The Cane Turtle, and The Draco Lizard.
“Before jumping into the actual making process, I had to research the animals first. I got in touch with ecologists who helped me understand the animals’ characteristics and habitats,” says Shweta. Each toy comes with a tag that explains who the animal is, where he comes from and what his characteristics are. “We got ecologists to vet this information as well,” she adds.
Each product also comes with a fun ‘surprise’ element: For example, the kurta has a pocket at the back, the cane turtle has a detachable shell, the thrush has a colourful plume of feathers that is unique to each piece.
These clothes and toys, Shweta says, are also free from gender stereotypes. “Most toys for girls seem helpless. The ones for boys seem too violent or aggressive. So, we particularly strayed away from making toys with specific male/female angles to it,” explains Shweta. The clothes too, incorporate more neutral silhouettes and colours, so as to not restrict kids within predefined boxes.
The name Muuyee comes from the Konkani word for ‘ant’. Shweta explains that though small, ants can be powerful in what they can achieve. “There’s strength when you create in a community, which is what we do here at Muuyee. There’s care for everyone involved: from our makers and artisans across India to our users,” she says.
Since its launch, Muuyee has received about eight orders a month The products retail between `300 and `3,000. For Pallavi Kini, a city-based lawyer, the uniqueness of the animals was an instant winning factor. She says, “My child is three and is inquisitive of everything. With the help of Muuyee, I can introduce her to more Indian species and hope that she will take a greater interest in Indian wildlife because of this,” she says.
To buy, log onto muuyee.com.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Simran Ahuja / Express News Service / November 14th, 2018