This story is from January 26, 2019

Traditional cookware finds more takers in namma Bengaluru

There has been a sudden increase in the demand for traditional cookware in Bengaluru
Traditional cookware finds more takers in namma Bengaluru
While the city has been a pioneer in several green and sustainable initiatives, there has been a sudden increase in the demand for traditional cookware. This was evident at the recently concluded Millets and Organics International Trade Fair 2019, where people made a beeline for traditional and earthen cookware— some had queries about the same and some couldn’t resist purchasing a variety of utensils.
Bangalore Times explores this trend to find out why more city folks are ditching their modern cookware for the traditional ones…
People realise the harmful effects of modern cookware
As people switch to organic food and choose to lead a ‘going back to your roots’ kind of lifestyle, there has been a sudden rise in the production and demand of traditional cookware and utensils, say manufacturers. “People are realising the impacts of teflon-coated and other non-stick utensils have on one’s health. Our ancestors used to be healthy and they never used any sort of cookware that we use now. In fact, they used to use utensils according to seasons, which is why they were healthier than we are today,” says Dileep Reddy K, founder of a city-based company that manufactures handcrafted kitchen appliances.
Varishta MS, founding partner of another city-based company that works with local artisans to manufacture traditional cookware, agrees and says, “Since there has been a lot of awareness on sustainability and healthy living, people have started using traditional vessels in their home and there has been a drastic increase in the sale of our products. People also opt for such cookware because it is cost–effective and in some way, they have many memories attached to such cooking methods.” And it’s not just individuals but restaurants and hotels too, who seemed to have made the switch, says Dileep.
Karthik Subramaniam, regional head of a company promoting copper cookware and organic food, says, “People remember what they used to see in their grandmother’s kitchen and hence buy it. They’ve also noticed how food tastes when cooked in such traditional cookware. And once they use organic food, they realise how such utensils actually compliment the food, in terms of taste.”
Promoting a healthy lifestyle, preserving traditional craft

By manufacturing and selling traditional cookware, companies and groups are not only promoting a healthy lifestyle, but also the traditional crafts, as most of them work with rural and local artisans. “One of the reasons, why we began manufacturing earthen cookware was because I wanted to promote this craft, which is not practiced by many, to every section of the society,” says Shrikrishna Bhat, who along with his wife, Archana, works closely with 4-5 individuals, who make cookware out of pure clay.
But it is not always easy to find artisans who indulge in this craft, says Varishta. “We work with artisans from all across the country, who manufacture cookware from cast iron, bronze, tin, soap stone, black pottery and more. Sometimes, it becomes a challenge for us to find people who do this and sometimes, it becomes a challenge to find the right quality of raw materials,” says Varishta. Shrikrishna says that once the modern cookware took over the traditional market, the demand reduced and not many took this up. “Most of the families couldn’t pass down this art form because there was neither the market for it nor did the younger generation want to learn,” he says.
Need more awareness to increase market
Though this trend is slowly catching up in Bengaluru, manufacturers say that there is still a long way to go. “Most people don’t know how to cook with such utensils and are unaware about the maintenance it needs, which is why we conduct workshops and sessions and tell people about these things,” says Dileep.
In addition to creating awareness, Varishtha says that people need to understand why these products are expensive. “A lot of the times customers don’t buy these utensils after they look at the price tag. They need to understand that these are handcrafted utensils, made with pure ingredients,” she adds. Since most of these utensils are not user-friendly, they don’t find many buyers. “One requires patience to cook with such utensils and given how everyone is in such a hurry today, people don’t normally opt for these cookware,” Shrikrishna says, adding that the switch with happen eventually.
‘People in the West are more interested’
Dileep says that people from other countries are also waking up to this trend and are opting for a healthier life. “People from Australia, New Jersey, Singapore and Malaysia often have many queries and seek more traditional cookware,” says Dileep. Shrikrishna agrees and says that he too has several customers from abroad, who approach him for this earthen cookware. “If foreigners are interested in our traditional cooking methods, why aren’t we taking it up,” questions Dileep, adding he’s hopeful that the change will happen.
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