Toy-making is a widely practised craft and different materials are used in their production. Shell toys, are cheap and easy to make, consist of large individual shells or small ones stuck together to form an animal or a person. A popular variety of homemade toys is made of leaves, fruit skin like pomegranate skin and […]
Extremely delicate, the mats made with kora / sedge grass are highly prized and valued; Kora grass grows abundantly along the banks of the rivers and in marshy areas and the mats are woven both in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The process of creating the mat is complex and painstaking. In its original form the grass […]
The process of batik allows the imagination of the printer to come into play. Wax is used as a resist on those parts of the fabric which will be dyed a shade different from the base colour. The base is dyed a dark colour and the fabric is washed in boiling water and soap after […]
Arani, one of the most important centres for silk in Tamil Nadu, is located in the Thiruvannamalai district. Here both the ladies and gents produce good quality silk sarees and handloom fabric. Arani handlooms are well known for the durability of the colours used in the yarn. The mixture of colour gives the durability. First […]
Bell Metal Casting of Tamil Nadu Kumbakonam and Nachiarkoil in Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, is well known for the practice of Temple Bell craft. The craft is traditionally practiced by migrant gold and silver smiths from Ngercoil in Kanniyakumari district in the 19th century. The settled in the area after having discovered that vandal, […]
The products made with screw pine include table mats, floor mats, cushion covers, coasters, bags, box covers, beach hats, handbags and wall hangings. The mats are often embellished with fine hand embroidery. The two-ply screw pine mats, used for sleeping, consist of a fine upper layer and a coarse bottom one, with stitching at the […]
The kodali karrupur sari derives its name from the village of Kodali Karrupur, on the northern bank of the Kollidam river, in Tiruchy district of Tamil Nadu. Till the beginning of the twentieth century, Kodali Karrupur was famous for its karpur saris (as well as dhotis and furnishings); however, by the early years of the […]