Art and crafts in tamil nadu
The graceful arts and crafts of Tamil Nadu have found generous mention in the archives of Kautilya, Pliny and a number of other scholars who were in awe of the soft muslin, fine silk, elaborate ivory work and precious gems like tortoise shells, diamonds, pearls and rubies produced by the state. Lying on the zenith of ancient culture and customs of the erstwhile Pallava, Pandya and Vijayanagar dynasties, Tamil Nadu houses abundant remnants that are a proof of architectural magnificence and cultural blossoming that belonged to that period.
The Paintings of Tanjore are famous and one of the most significant art and crafts of Tamil Nadu. The unique thing about these paintings is that they are done on wood, glass, mica, ivory as well as on walls. Moreover, a thin sheet of gold is used to color the painting along with primary colors. These tanjore paintings on ivory, mica and glass were introduced in the 18th century.
The Craft of Making Musical Instruments is another popular craft of Tamil Nadu as music is like life and soul of Tamil Nadu. The art of making musical instruments is regarded as a major craft of the state. Thanjavur, which is the hometown of many famous musicians, is the major hub of this craft in Tamil Nadu. This town is famous for families that are involved in the trade of manufacturing Veenas for generations now. Other musical instruments made here are Thamburas with wooden base, the flute, and so on.
The Art of Creating Jewelery is another craft of Tamil Nadu. The traditional jewellery of the state is the stone-encrusted jewelery and the most famous ornaments are the gold waist belt, armlet, eardrop and so on.
Metalware is another craft of Tamil Nadu made with brass and copper. This craft is again an ancient craft of the state. The various objects made of metal craft are mostly used for religious and utility purposes. Some such objects include lamp, trays, dishes, designs of deities, birds, flowers, and geometric patterns, toys, and so on.
Clay figures are made all over Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Traditionally each village is guarded at its entrance by an enormous terracotta horse, which is the horse of Ayyanaar, a religious figure, the gramdevta of the village and its protector against all evils. Aiyyanar has an enormous moustache, big teeth and wide open eyes that keep constant vigil. Ayyanaar stands at the entrance surrounded by his horses and commanders or veerans. Ayyanaar figures, which include the horses in the army, range in height from less than a metre to over 6 metres. They are some of the largest terracotta figures to be sculpted and are painstakingly made by mixing the moist clay with straw and sand for a proper consistency. For the horse, four clay cylinders are rolled out with a piece of wood, for the legs, after which the body is built up gradually. The accessories, such as bells, mirrors, grotesque faces (kirthimukha) and crocodiles (makaras), are made separately as is the head. The parts are joined together on the auspicious tenth day, when the figure of Ayyanaar seated on the horse is given its features. This is then baked in a rustic kiln of straw and verati or dried cow-dung which is then covered with mud. Parts of the larger figures have to be fired separately, joined together and fired again. The faces are sometimes painted red to denote anger and the neck blue to denote calm. The rest of the body and decorations are also painted in bright colours.
Another important terracotta shrine is the naaga or serpent shrine, situated under a pipal tree near an anthill. It is made of clay with an intertwined body and is worshipped for its power of protection and rejuvenation. On Vinayaka Chathurthi clay Ganeshas are made and sold everywhere. These range in height from a few centimetres to a metre and they are glazed, painted, baked or often unbaked. The models are immersed in wells after the festival, and the unbaked form is preferred as it crumbles easily.
Granite is easily available in Tamil Nadu and a large number of temples are carved of this stone. Pallava stone carvings which show a high degree of skill and craftsmanship evolved in the 6th century and the rock-cut caves of Mamallapuram, stone rathas/chariots and the stone shore temples are part of this expression.
Great stone temples and carvings also date from the Chola period: examples of these are the Brihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur with its numerous carvings, the temple at Gangaikondacholapuram, the Airavathesvara temple at Darasuram and the Kampahareshvara temple at Thribhuvanam.
Other examples include the Chidambaram temple with its 108 karanas of the Natya Shaastra/the canon of dance. the Ekambareshwara and Varadaraaja temples of Kanchipuram, the Meenakshi temple at Madurai, with its numerous sculptures, magnificent proportions, thousand-pillared mandapas, pillars of stone, towering gopurams/towers, larger than life sized reliefs and the long corridor of the Rameshwaram temple.
Granite images have been essential for the construction of the fixed consecrated icons. The artisans around Mamallapuram chisel great blocks of granite to produce massive pillars as well as small icons. Stone carving is also practised in other parts of Tamil Nadu like Thirunelveli, Ramnad, Madurai and North Arcot districts. The sculptors belong to the Vishwakarma or Kammaalar community.
The Shilpa Shaastras or the treatise on crafts detail the measurements and techniques of sculpting, the quality of stone, its maturity, texture, colour and so on. The stone used by the sculptor is hard so that it does not lose its shape easily or chip unexpectedly. The stone should have no flaws or kalanga (stain), rekha(patch) or bindu(spot). The tools used by the sculptors are made of mild steel in various sizes. To prevent the stone from cracking from the vibration of the instrument, the image is always carved with the stone laid flat on the ground whether the posture is seated or standing.
Tamil Nadu is also famous for its artistic basketry and fiber products which is exported from Tamilnadu to other parts of India and abroad. The materials used for this woodcrafts are palm, bamboo, cane, grasses, reeds and fibres and they are mainly used for making baskets, ropes, mats, bags, etc. There is a good demang for this handicrafts all over the world. Dharampuri, Salem, Coimbatore, South Arcot and Tiruchirapalli districts are the main manufacturing centers of these woodcrafts of Tamilnadu.
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