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Fig 4. Banana Fibre Craft Fig 5. Water Hyacinth Craft
Thesis Report V-SPARC VIT

Hampi, due to its rich heritage, has been receiving lakhs of tourists in very recent years. Beyond
that, Anegundi, a settlement older than Hampi is located on the north eastern adjacency of

Hampi and the northern banks of Tungabhadra River, surrounded and known for its serene
landscapes and mythological evidence [Fig. 1]. Nestled within the historic ruins of the first

capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, the village of Anegundi is the cradle of several unique, and

sustainable crafts, which makes it potential to be a centre for promoting crafts and heritage
through tourism. Banana Fiber Craft [Fig. 4] is a signature craft and the first of several

contemporary crafts developed by the Kishkinda Trust- Anegundi. The village is surrounded
by banana plantations, and the growth of Banana Fibre Craft appears to be a logical

consequence. So is the Water Hyacinth Craft [Fig. 5] that makes use of the invasive species

present abundantly in the Tungabhadra River. [1] Additionally, pottery and painting are the
most common crafts of any rural livelihood.

The recognition and growth of these crafts in recent years, which make use of the generated
cultivation waste and the help of local expertise, has enhanced women empowerment and

financial growth of the village to an extent that Anegundi is envisioned in a proposal by the
Karnataka government as the state's first crafts tourism village. The Managing Director Of

KSHDC, IGP, D Roopa states that “This gives tourists an opportunity to explore craft tourism

along with historical tourism.” [2]

What is a Crafts and Tourism Development Hub?
A Crafts and Tourism Development Hub in this context is an infrastructural facility that

provides opportunities and a platform for the local artist and artisanal communities to come

together to practice, learn, share and display their forms of local crafts i.e., Banana Fibre Craft,
Water Hyacinth Craft, Pottery and Painting specifically. This hub includes workshops and

social spaces for the communities to train and practice.

2