The thought behind this collection goes back to July 2019, long before Handmade Tales came into existence. In a small corner of our then office room, I had hung two Tholu puppets - Rama and Sita against a bright yellow wall. They were suspended from the ceiling with threads and cello tape (yes, I’m not very good at DIY), and each had a small motion-activated puck light behind it, lighting up every time we walked past. It turned into a beautiful installation, one that always caught attention during home visits with friends. And yet, it took several years for it to find its way into our collection. From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want to simply showcase the puppets.I wanted to bring the theatre of the puppet show into a frame, not just the form, but the experience. The design, prototyping, and execution went through countless iterations. But more than that, this collection felt different from anything we had worked on before. Perhaps it’s the depth of the stories it carries, or the weight of the tradition it comes from but as I worked on it, I found myself approaching it with a different kind of care. Being a curator comes with a responsibility.It feels like being a custodian of a fragment of history. And while my vision has always been to reinterpret traditional artforms for modern homes, it was important to me that in doing so, we did not strip away its meaning but allowed it to remain what it has always been. The selection The selection of pieces became the most important part of this process. We intentionally chose to include both Tholu Bommalata and Togalu Gombayata forms, centering the collection around key characters from the Ramayana - Sita, Rama, Hanuman, and Ravana. But rather than presenting them in their simplest forms, we wanted each piece to hold its own narrative even as a standalone object. That’s how these came to be: KapidhvajaSita - JanakanandiniHanuman in LankadhahanaRavana - Dasamukha As I spent time researching the characters and their poses, some stayed with me in unexpected ways.One that I keep returning to is the Kapidhvaja form of Hanuman. Hanuman could have fought alone, he who burned Lanka single-handed chooses instead to become a foundation.The most powerful being in the Ramayana becomes, in that moment, a pedestal for his lord.It is perhaps one of the most complete expressions of bhakti, the strength placed entirely in service of something beyond oneself.There’s something quietly profound about that.Not just in mythology, but in how we think about strength even todaythat it is not always about standing above, but in choosing to support, to hold, to stand beside. The framing The framing is what makes this a "Handmade Tales exclusive". The intent was always to bring the entire theatre home.   After countless attempts and conversations with multiple framers, we finally found someone who understood the vision. Every element was carefully considered. The teak wood frame as the shell.The stretched khadhi cloth as a reference to the traditional performance screen.The concealed lighting, echoing the flames of oil lamps.The puppet itself suspended from above, allowing it to move gently, almost like it’s still part of a performance. The first time I saw the prototype in person, it felt surreal. Watching it emerge from the dim corners of the workshop and come into light & seeing it not as an idea anymore, but as something tangible was a moment I won’t forget. And now, as I walk past the Kapidhvaja piece in my home, I find myself returning to it often. Not just for the theatre or the craft but for the meaning it holds. What began as an attempt to recreate a form of storytelling has, in many ways, become something more personal. And I couldn’t be more proud of that. Read more about the craft & our prodtcs here - Shadow Puppet Collection                                         - Saranya Padmanabhan - Founder & Creative Director

Handmade Tales is naturally an extension of this space. In many ways it is a curated collection of objects I live with every day. Recently, I introduced a Dokra art sculptures collection - “Forms of US”. And almost unintentionally, it began to find its way into every corner of my home. What surprised me most was not how beautiful the pieces were but how effortlessly they belonged. We have those showstoppers & accent pieces that just grab your eyeballs. But these small black metal forms seemed to settle into the space without asking for attention. They didn’t compete with colour or pattern.They didn’t feel ornamental. They grounded the room.

Growing up in India, I have had only two types of soups. 1. The famous tomato soup which was had only in restaurants on special occasions such as birthdays & anniversaries and 2. The humble chicken soup which was made at home the minute someone comes down with cold in the household no matter the season.  It could be a sweltering 100F, my grandma would be making the chicken soup with ginger, garlic & pepper that the instant it went down your throat, I would have literal steam coming out of my ears & nose!  Year later, I am make it for my daughter on the very first signs of cold and I must say it is very effective. Even otherwise, it is comforting, filling and can be eaten with rice, dosa & chapati. What you need to make the chicken soup: 1lb Chicken with Bones - this is very important. There is absolutely no point in making the soup with boneless chicken. Usually, I use all the bonier pieces from a whole chicken for the soup. Half a medium red onion - roughly chopped 1 medium ripe tomato - roughly chopped 5 cloves of garlic - crushed 1 inch ginger, roughly crushed  1 spring of mint 1 sprig of curry leaves (optional) salt to taste 2 tbsp coriander powder 2 tbsp pepper powder Tips for cooking in a clay cookware Cooking in a clay cookware is like cooking in any other cookware plus the great earthy flavor it imparts to the dish plus the heath benefits minus the harmful effects from some types of cookware.  Increase the heat steadily, do not directly crank the heat to higher levels. Once heated up, terracotta cookware can hold the heat inside very well. Maintain the heat at medium high in most cases. Do not use abrasive spoons or cleaning scrubs. Let's make the soup -    Heat about 2 tbsp of oil and add  Sauté onions till they turn golden brown. Add ginger & garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add in the diced tomatoes and let it    Years later, here am I making this soup whenever my daughter comes home with the "sniffles" It is warm & hearty and instantly makes your feel better     this was the only soup that was made at home at the    How many time have you heard of the phrase "Food is medicine". 

An innocent dinner table conversation with my husband planted an idea. But unlike most ideas that effervesce brightly and fade quickly, grand in their ambition but fickle in their fortitude, this one was unrelenting and stuck around.  What if we could create a space for global art to thrive while catering to the needs of the modern conscientious consumer? Thus was born Terracotta Tales - a small Etsy store. An answer to satisfy this rather obstinate idea that would not go away.  Starting with a carefully curated collection of handmade wheel thrown earthen cookware and functional home decor, marrying the needs of a modern kitchen while keeping the tradition of cooking in clay cookware alive… we set off on this journey in 2016. With increasing support from the community and reception we received from our patrons we are now The Handmade Tales. Focussing on our network of artisans and pouring our creative energy into building functional art that caters to your home-good needs.  We aspire to grow into a brand that brings handmade items to the forefront, a place to honor local artisans and bring local art from every corner of the world into conscientious homes. Through this journey we hope to share a small space in your life to tell of the people who create and the tales of the crafts they have mastered.    Thank you for stopping by!  - Saranya Padmanabhan, Designer & Founder