Shradhanjali

Shradhanjali — “an offering of faith” in Sanskrit — was started in 1980 in a quiet corner of Aspiration community in Auroville by two young Indian women. They dreamed of creating beautiful handmade products that would generate some much-needed income for the young township of Auroville. Forty-six years later, the unit still operates on the same principles.

The work begins in their own garden, where flowers are grown using only organic compost and drip irrigation. Flowers are handpicked and pressed every day. Seeds and seedpods are collected seasonally in the Auroville forests and sun-dried.

In the workshop, each step — pressing the floral material, pasting it onto handmade paper, then packaging — is done by hand. The handmade paper itself is made from recycled cotton rags, with natural fibres like straw, wool or gunny added in.

The team is largely composed of women from several villages surrounding Auroville — Thenmozhi, Punitha, Anjelatchi, Kala, Deepa, Jayanthi, and many others whose stories you can find on Shradhanjali’s website and Instagram.

Their sense of self-worth, confidence and dignity matters as much as the products they make. They are the instruments of change in their families and communities.

The building Shradhanjali works from is itself a small example of Auroville’s ecological endeavours — natural ventilation, solar energy, harvested rainwater, recycled greywater. Profits return to Auroville for its growth.

“Nature makes an offering of her beauty.” — The Mother

Shradhanjali helps you receive it.