Mahal Arts

You can find us right near the boat jetty in Mattancherry. Mahal Arts is a small place, and you can usually hear the sound of the ferries coming and going all day long. We’ve been in this spot for years, surrounded by the old buildings and the smell of the sea. The shop is full of things we’ve collected and made. There are wood carvings, some old brass items, and various bits of art scattered around. It’s a bit of a jumble, to be honest. We don’t have things organized like a museum. My brother does a lot of the work in the back, and I stay out front to talk to the people who wander in. Since we are so close to the water, everything gets a bit salty and damp, so we spend a lot of time wiping things down. We don't do any advertising. We just rely on the tourists and locals who walk past after getting off the boats. It’s a nice way to meet people from different places. The floor is old stone and it gets cold in the winter. We have a small radio that plays the news while we work. It’s not a big business by any means. We just enjoy the crafts and the location. It’s a steady life here by the jetty. Sometimes the roof leaks, but we manage.