Chennai: Are you having a tough time listing your monthly groceries? How about preparing your own soap, tooth and detergent powders, that too in an organic way?
Magizhvanam, a community of naturalists in Kundrathur in the city does just that. It conducted a workshop on how to prepare the above mentioned items organically recently. Many women enthusiasts took part in the event actively and benefitted from it too.
Speaking to News Today, Vetrimaaran, one of the members, said, “We divided the workshop into four categories. We targeted working women and children mainly.”
DO IT BY YOURSELF
“People go for chemical soaps and cooking powders. This may affect their health in the longer run. We focused on teaching them how to make organic soaps, detergent powders, health mix powders and healthy tea powder,’ Vetrimaaran said, adding that women also noted down healthy recipes that can be cooked with just the Anjarai Petti (masala box). Experts were hired for this purpose.”
HEALTHY DISHES
“In this fast world, it has become essential to make people aware of the importance of healthy diet. In that line, we taught the participants how to choose ‘boil’ over ‘oil.’ Special recipes like curd rice made of coconut milk, beetroot pickle, aval payasam, curry leaves kheer, peerkangai chutney, mulaithaaniya sundal and many more were taught,” he added.
FIGHTING DEPRESSION
“Working women have double pressure. So therapists who have expertise in this field were hired to give them special counselling on how to battle depression. Women health issues were also focused upon,” said the environmentalist.
ORGANIC FARMING
As part of the workshop, the participants were also taught on how to set up a farm in their houses. As part of their future plans, the members are planning to take people to agri-tourism, an awareness programme that emphasises the need for agriculture and farming. As an added bonus, organic food was served for lunch. The participants were sent off with vegetables and seeds.
For details contact Vetrimaaran at 95666 67708.
HOUSEWIVES BENEFIT BETTER
Magizhvanam’s focus was mainly on housewives present at the event. “The counseling session which focused on depression was of major help to most of us. I had a great time at the workshop. It was so refreshing to be away from home for a day and to focus on my interests. The cooking sessions were also really helpful,’ said a participant, adding, ‘I will surely try preparing my own organic soaps at home.”