Things to Do in Dakshinachitra

Weaving workshop in the Tamil street house

Inside the 120-year-old weaver's home the shuttle flies so fast you barely see it. You will feel the cotton dust tickle your nose and hear the rhythmic thump of the pedal against the beaten earth floor. The craftsman lets visitors try a simple border pattern. The loom creaks like an old wooden ship. The finished strip smells of starch and indigo.

Kerala tile-making demo

The laterite tiles are still sun-warmed when the artisan flips them. A faint whiff of baked earth rises and mixes with the coconut husk smoke curling from the adjoining kitchen. Press your palm against the imprint of the palm-leaf stencil. Feel the grainy laterite scratch lightly against your skin.

Evening shadow-puppet show

As dusk settles the oil-lamp flickers behind the white cloth screen. The leather puppets clack softly as their joints move. The storyteller's voice drops to a low sing-song. The smell of kerosene drifts overhead. For half an hour the Ramayana plays out in flickering silhouettes that stretch three metres tall.

Granary loft climb in the Andhra house

The wooden ladder feels smooth and slippery from decades of bare feet. Hoist yourself into the grain loft and catch the musky scent of stored jowar. Cooler air lingers under terracotta tiles. Through the tiny latticed window you look straight onto the central courtyard where women are drawing kolam in white rice paste.

Try block-printing at the crafts arcade

The table is spread with indigo and turmeric-colored blocks. Slam the wooden handle down and hear a satisfying thud. Feel the fabric give slightly beneath. Lift the block too early and the print bleeds into a pale halo. Get it right and the sharp kalamkari outline leaves your fingertips smelling of raw dye for the rest of the day.

ECR beach cottages at Muttukadu. Small guesthouses where you fall asleep to waves ten metres away.

VGP Golden Beach Resort. Family-friendly, loud in season but the pool overlooks the sea.

Injambakkam homestays. Quieter lanes behind the main road, roosters instead of traffic.

Thiruvanmiyur serviced apartments. 25 min back towards Chennai, metro link for city jaunts.

Mahabalipuram heritage lodges. 45 min south, good if you are temple-hopping next day.

Chennai city hotels - unlimited choice, easy day-return by cab or bus