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Featured: Good, green fun!Mar 26, 2012 - 06:18 PM

Manisha and Vaishali Gadekar of KEC Green Games who make traditional games forchildren ensure that every toy and game they conceptualise and design has a green soul.They talk to Neha Mathrani about the inspiration behind their eco-friendly toys range andtheir obsession with introducing the younger generation to traditional games likehopscotch, gilli danda and lagori.

A green conceptWhether it's their hand-painted strategy board games made fromsustainable wood or cloth toys made with cloth scraps, they are all meant tosave the environment and get the children off that couch. Elaborating on thephilosophies behind their green toys and games line, Mumbai basedManisha and Vaishali Gadekar explain why they favour going green. "Greenhas become synonymous with all things ecological and planet friendly. Wego ahead and make all our toys and games 'green' by not using any plastics,synthetics or any material that is harmful. Even the wood we use is eitherfriendly MDF or sustainable wood. Inks used for a lot of products are soy

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based, thereby rendering the paper less harmful when it is deinked forrecycling."

The people behind theideasWith a background as socialcommunication teachers the two ladies describe themselves as, "Educationists whoenjoy working with kids and borrow most of our spirit, joie de vivre and outlooktowards life from them. Looking at things with wonderment and learning from eachthing in life keeps us going." Now that's a mantra to follow!

Steeped intraditionTheir line of toys andgames is designed withan underlying thoughtof reviving traditionalhandicrafts andindigenous games.While doing so, theyalso aim to provideemployment to ruralartisans.

"Traditional games need to regain their rightful place in society.These games like hopscotch or lagori are inventive, experiential andunique. Kids today are exposed either to gizmos or to cheap plastictoys. To bring back the element of correct play in the world today, wedecided to begin this initiative which soon grew into an enterprisethat has amazed even us," maintain Manisha and Vaishali.

Vision

ofhope"Getting people to understand our ethos is our motto so we cantake our movement forward into their homes. We do not aspire tobe direct competitors to today's gaming world of gizmos andplastic, but would rather like the committed, eco-sensible citizen tochoose and move with our vision," say Manisha and Vaishali. Forthem, it is about trying to persuade people to make the rightchoice for their children and support both the dying tradition of

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Indian games and the craftsmen that make them.

The realrewardsTalk about thereaction to theirinitiative andManisha exclaimswith pride, "It has

been fantastic. We have a strong base of loyalists and fans on our Facebook pagewho offer us encouragement and feedback. A major push comes from the KalaGhoda festival where we've been exhibiting for the last 3 years."

Reasonably priced, exquisitely crafted and handmade by rural artisans, KEC GreenGames is a philosophy that is worthy buying into. Choose from their many gemssuch as jigsaws with rustic artwork, marbles, beautifully painted jump ropes, toysmade of cloth scraps, wooden toys and board games, string games and the like.Buy online at www.shopo.in or contact Manisha and Vaishali at +91-9820488736 formore information.

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