These candles are shining the light on a sustainable road to financial wellness for tribalpeople living within the forest dwellers
These candles are shining the light on a sustainable road to financial wellness for tribal forest dwellers
Healthy living also means healthy gifting. Keeping up with this spirit and to make Deepavali meaningful, Apollo Foundation launched Arrjava, a series of beeswax candles named Dance of the Bumblebee. Meaning ‘pure at heart’, Arrjava is a green-skilling initiative that works with indigenous tribal communities to create locally-sourced products and provide livelihood. to the community.
Made by the Chenchu tribal folk, Arrjava is supported by the Foundation at its Total Health Green Skilling Centre in Macharam village, Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana. The Foundation’s livelihood initiative is a safe, sustainable way of contributing to the financial wellness of people living within the forest.
The Chenchus have traditionally been honey-gatherers from rocks and have now learnt to extract beeswax from the honeycomb, to make these candles. They are known to be experts on know how to locate beehives and sustainably forage for honey according to the season. Since the tribe is already adept at working with bees, Total Health decided to introduce beeswax candle-making at its skill centre.
Started in 2020, the initiative helps tribals fashion their craft to urban design needs and provides them with market linkages to keep their traditional skills alive, while continuing to live and work in the spaces that nurtured them. Proceeds from the candle line will go towards empowering the Chenchu tribe living inside and on the outskirts of Amrabad and Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve forests. The funds will also go towards carrying out sanitation drives and campaigns to preserve the ecology of the forest and its denizens.
beeswax candle making
The beeswax candles come in notes of wild jasmine, moist wood, and fresh honey, with hints of citrus from the forest. Product packaging and labelling are designed by designer Pavitra Rajaram.
Product info: 1 container candle; weight 300 grams; burn time: over 40 hours; ₹1,799. Six hand-rolled taper beeswax candles, burn time of each candle over 10 hours ₹2,299. They are available to buy online @shop.ur.life
