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Handicrafts Of Kerala
By Jayachandran.R, Fri Dec 9th
Handicrafts of Kerala Kerala, the Gods own country Situated in India has a richtradition of Handicrafts. Kerala's traditional handicrafts are aclass of its own. The artisans of kerala have traditionalexpertise in carving in wood, jewellery design, both gold andsilver and also in other mediums. Making idos and figures inmetaletc. The gifted artisans makes beautiful idols of LordKrishna, Ganesh, Goddess Saraswathi, Lakshmi etc. in sandal wood,elephants in rose wood and other art works in varieties ofother woods.These items are showcased inhttp://www.aayurmart.com Life size models of Kathakali, and models depiciting snake boatrace of kerala are exclusive masterpieces of kerala aritisans.The idols of Lord Nataraja in dancing posture and the variouslamps (vilakku) which are essential for every ceremonies ofkeralities are also created by artisans. Industrial arts and handicrafts form an invaluable part of theCultural heritage of Kerala. Metal crafts have the pride ofplace among the traditional arts. Bell-metal casting is an oldtime industrial art. It has involved mainly two kinds ofactivities. Images or idols of deities made out of copper,bronze and brass are used for consecration in temples and otherreligious purposes. Huge Varpus (shallow basins of hemisphericalshape), multi-layered lamps and household utensils are all madeof these metals. These products are noted for their high degreeof perfection. Lamps of the most artistic beauty are also made by Keralacraftsmen. The Greek lamp (Changalavatta), the Archana lamp, theArati Dipa etc., deserve mention in this context. The Aranmulametal mirror has attained fame among the products of the bellmetal industry. A product of an accident in metal casting, it ismade of an alloy of copper and tin and resembles the glassmirror in every respect in point of utility. The Koftagari work,one of the popular metal crafts of India, is also beingpracticed by a few artisans in Trivandrum. Figures of deities,landscapes, floral designs and fancy articles of a wide varietyare produced in Koftagari. Wood craft is one of the ancient arts of Kerala as is testifiedto by the temples and churches of the State which abound in woodcarvings. Items of furniture like chairs, tables settees, sofas,almirahs, cots, radio castings etc., and models of animals anddeities, toys and Kathakali accessories produced by Keralacraftsmen are very much in demand. The models of caparisonedelephants and the carvings of Kathakali dance-dolls are items ofpopular demand.http://www.aayurmart.com showcases some of theitems. The craftsmen of Kerala have also developed a variety ofhandicrafts using the rich wealth of flora in the State.Screwpine mat weaving is one of such handicrafts. Such articlesas pillow covers, cushions, vanity bags, purses, hats etc., arealso made of screw pine. The art of weaving bamboo-reed mats,baskets and fancy articles is also one of the simplest of Keralahandicrafts. Kora grass is similarly used for making mats ofdifferent sizes and colours. Rattan is used in the manufactureof articles of daily use like chairs, settees, teapoys, cradles,trays, shopping bags and a variety of other utility-cum-fancyarticles. The
coconut shell is used for the manufacture of sucharticles of utility and beauty as lamp stands, flower vases,ashtrays etc. Coir carpets and mattings produced in manyattractive designs and colours find a ready market in India andabroad. Lace and embroidery work of high quality is being done by womenin several parts of Kerala. The Talangara village of Kasaragodtaluk is famous for the textile cap making industry. The cottoncaps manufactured here find a ready market in the African andGulf countries. Ivory carving is another traditional art of Kerala. The art wasgiven an impetus by Swati Tirunal Maharaja. An ivory throne madeby Swati Tirunal is still preserved as a show piece. Thecraftsmen engaged in this art at present produce a variety ofmodels of mythological characters, animals, birds, cigarettecases etc., to cater to different tastes. A typical specimen ofivory carving produced in Kerala is that of the snake boat(Chundan vallam) and it is cherished by tourists to the State asa memento. The craftsmen engaged in ivory carving also use othermaterials like the buffalo born for practicing their art. The jewelry of Kerala is noted for its artistic perfection.Each caste or community had its typical ornament. An ornament ofthe Nair women was Nagapadam or serpent hood, so called afterthe shape of the pendant. An ear ornament called Toda, a doubleconvex disc, was worn after dilating the earlobes. Mukkuthi wasan ornament for nose and Kappu for the wrist. The most importantornaments for the neck were Addyal, Yantram, Avil Mala and PuliNakham. Cherutali was a kind of necklace worn loose over thebreast by Namboodiri women while Kasu Mala and Oddyanam wereused by Tamil Brahmin. A kind of heavy guilt brass ring calledMekka Motiram was worn by Christian women after boring theirears in several places. Ottezhapathakkam, Kombu, Tala etc., werealso typical Christian ornaments. Though most of the traditionalornaments mentioned above have become defunct now, the Keralawomen are still found of ornaments, and jewelry items likenecklaces, bangles, chains, earrings, studs etc., are now madeby Kerala goldsmiths in a variety of attractive designs. Apart from the main crafts described above, there are also afew others which deserve mention. Granite carving is one suchart, which is mainly centred in Chengannur. The granite workersmanufacture a variety of articles like idols, householdequipment, pillars, survey stones etc., which are in greatdemand. The manufacture of musical instruments like Chenda,Maddalam, Mridangam, Edakka etc., is done in some places. Thecostumes and accessories required in Kathakali and Teyyam arebeing manufactured by some craftsmen. In Tellicherry, the homeof Indian circus, the peculiar kinds of umbrella required bycircus companies are manufactured. Being a maritime State,Kerala has its own handicrafts based on marine materials.Conch-shell articles like paper weight, pin cushions, ashtrayas,studs etc., are made by craftsmen in the Trivandrum area. InKasaragod area articles like bangles, vanity bags and nameboards are made of glass beads. Thus the legacy of Kerala in thefield of arts and crafts is a rich and varied one. About the author:Jayachandran.R. Author is a freelance content writer who alsoowns http://www.aayurmart.com. For more detailsmailto:ayurmart@gmail.com
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