Creative Connections

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Second to None Flea Market, Bangalore.

I have long nurtured a child-like dream, to save the world.
...but how? The answer remained ambiguous.

Strong emotions surged in my throat when I heard casual remarks like, "Look at that road so dirty! There is garbage everywhere, why isn't someone doing something about it."

Last summer those emotions got channelized into a tiny endeavor when a friend gently nudged me towards the idea of composting at home. Composting one's own kitchen waste and converting it into a soil enricher for one's own garden and thereby reducing the garbage that goes out of house completely appealed to me.
I wanted to be that someone doing something about it.

Composting gradually changed my perspective on waste management specifically and life in general. It made me alive to simple facts of living. Living a more meaningful life by going natural, going organic, evaluating eco-friendly options, reducing what goes out of the house, recycling and reusing.

When I first heard about Second to None {220} in June last year, it completely echoed with the ideals I believed in.
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Second to None {220} is an initiative started in the form of a Facebook group by Anu Gummaraju, Reena Chengappa and Shilpa Kamath Prabhu. A platform to promote the idea of recycling, a space for like-minded people to interact, share recycling ideas, buy and sell used goods.

The online initiative soon took the form of Second to None Flea Markets at Jaaga (a space which lends itself perfectly to the cause.)

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A green wall at Jaaga.

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(L) Reena Chengappa, (C) Shilpa Kamath Prabhu and (R) Anu Gummaraju.

Last Sunday I visited the 3rd Second to None Flea Market to meet the inspiring trio and experience the market that buzzed with innovative recycling ideas, fresh organic produces, delicious treats from home kitchens and products that remind us to reduce and reuse.
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Old computer keyboards converted into finger accessories! By the creative guys at Pink Nation.

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Upcycled eco-friendly earring by Sejals Handcrafted Jewellery.

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Deepika Rathnakar's jewellery made from couch cover material.

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Tanushree Nair of Karaashilp with her upcycled home decor products. The old CDs get a new lease of life as coasters.

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Madhavi Rongala-Pavuluri of Yellow Button with Sanchali range of products.
These are handcrafted earrings made using silk scraps by rural women as part of Sanchali Women Empowerment project.

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Up-cycled Linen Pin-up boards from Enthucutlets.

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From Hema Mahesh's kitchen comes Nature In A Bottle range of gourmet jams. A wide range of jams using fresh ingredients and spices with no artificial preservatives.

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Handcrafted flowers made using old wedding invitation cards, plastic bags, cartons etc.

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Upcycled wine bottles converted into 'Message on a bottle' and frames by Anokhi Planet

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I picked up one of those bottles indulging in my love for messages on mini chalkboard:-) On our kitchen counter.
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Super delicious home-baked cinnamon rolls and cupcakes from Sin-a-Mon.

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Monika Manchanda of Sin-a-Mon with her old books and delicious baked goodies.

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Mouth-watering cupcakes by Cup-a-cake.

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The ladies behind Cup-a-Cake, delightful cupcakes.

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Paper Mache lamps made from newspaper and the lampshade using plastic take-away containers by Refresh Studio's Rabindranath Rathnakar

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Bombaat Items, a range of up cycled wine bottles by Athreya Cidambi.

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Pramila Balachandran with her upcycled, self-watering containers and decoupaged products.

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Jaaga with it's green plants in reused plastic water tank containers.

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Bum Bags, old denim jeans converted into bags by A Hundred Hands in collaboration with NIMHANS Psychiatric Rehab Centre.

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There was something to enjoy for everyone who came...

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.....and something to learn.

I picked up few lovely things from the Flea Market for my home but most of all I came back energized by the fact that there were so many individuals who believed in recycling and reusing and were doing their bit for the world.

Let's all become that someone doing something about our world in our own unique way!

You can see a slideshow of rest of the photographs from the Second to None Flea Market here.


(images by Arch)

27 comments:

  1. Very inspiring post Archana !!!

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  2. Such wonderful ideas on this post! Inspiration :)

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  3. Wow!! This is truly very inspirational! I wish the trio all the best in all their future endeavours!

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  4. Loved this post. So many inspiring creations and so much to learn.

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  5. Hey!
    I had been waiting for the Flea Market. And I missed it :(
    Thanks for sharing the information :D

    Shaki

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  6. Archana - such lovely lovely captures of the Flea Market, I am a big fan too and this was my second visit to one of their events :).

    And you have put it so wonderfully - how the small beginning of composting takes you through this wonderful eye-opening journey! I had a similar experience with composting and kitchen gardening and meeting Vani Murthy was a big highlight for me, don't know if you came across her at the event.

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  7. In the USA and in European countries flea markets and second hand stores are treasure troves for second hand stuff that are so cheap that you only pay pittance of what would cost to buy at a fancy store! I find upcycled stores which is a fancier name for little bit filtered stuff with high price cap. Same things I would get with much cheaper price in a regular second hand charity/thrift store. I hope this upcycle movement in India means that it is within reach of most people not just confined to upscale neighborhoods!

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  8. Thanks everyone:-)

    Aparna~I went in the afternoon and I gather she was there in the morning. Maybe someday I might get lucky and meet her:-)

    Anonymous~ Thanks for your PoV. I hope so too.

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  9. Thank you for the post Archana and thanks everyone, who have written in :).

    Anonymous: Flea markets are not common here the way they are in the US or Europe and we wanted to make just such a space where used goods are available at low prices :). I so hope it picks up here and folk find it a place for great bargains. Very valid note on upcycled product prices.

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  10. Shaki, do watch our Facebook page for flea market dates!

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  11. I am in awe of these ladies...:)...loved ur take on their work archana :)

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  12. Recycling is such an exciting world! This was very inspiring. Thank you :-)

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  13. A very good post and lovely pictures to go with it! I couldn't make it to the flea market so this post was the next best thing to experiencing it in person. Thank you! :)

    Anu, Shilpa, and Reena truly are enterprising and inspiring women!

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  14. wow so inspiring to see so many creative minds getting to-gether...

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  15. hi, may i know where is the fle market? would love to pic up recycled stuff for home.

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  16. Thanks everyone:-)
    Debi~ You can check out their FB page for updates on next flea market.

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondnone/?ref=ts

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  17. Beautiful words and pihotographs! Captures the mood and ethos of the flea market so well. Thanks for featuring our Message on a Bottle ....... Now we have new Message IN a Bottle as well:)

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  18. Hi Archana,

    Really enjoyed reading your post. It was really nice meeting you! Look forward to seeing you at the store.

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  19. I have been following your blog on and off now for the past few months and I find it so inspirational, I will definitely be using many of these ideas within my own work.
    Thank you,
    Roseanna.

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  20. Truly inspirational! Love the captures...and the products... I am waiting for the flea market here. Thanks for sharing:)

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  21. Lovely! Thanks, this was a really cool blog post!

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  22. Truly inspiring.... And lovely pictures...

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  23. Great blog! i follow your blog regularly and liked every post of this blog...
    very inspiring...thanks

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  24. Seriously amazing!!! i what i felt looking at the photos of the products in the event....

    each one is amazing in it own way and the concept holds the value...

    Can I get the information of the next Flea market " Second to none" scheduled...

    How can we keep a stall in the same event...???

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