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Woodcraft

About:

Tamil Nadu's artistically created basketry and fiber products is in demand both in India and abroad. While palm has become a major source of raw material for basketry and related products, bamboo, cane, grasses, reeds and fibres are also used in making baskets, ropes, mats and many other items.

Vellore in north Arcot district is famous for black and red earthenwares. Usilampatti in madurai district has black pottery painted over with a special yellow substance which has an old tradition. Panruti in south Arcot is famous for a large variety of clay work that include small and large figures of deities, toys, etc. Karigiri in south Arcot is most famous for its unique style of pottery. The base of this pottery is made with a local semi-vitreous white low fusing china clay with high plasticity known as namakatte -- as it has been used for nama -- cast mark. The distinctiveness of this type of pottery lies in its highly artistic shapes, original colours in glazes and excellent ornamentation. Every article of this type of earthenware is distinctive. Even the very common clay pipe chillum is made into a noteworthy item both through its elegant shape and its deep blue or green glaze. Other noteworthy items are water jugs, tableware items including tea and dinner sets, ashtrays, beautifully decorated flower vases and decorative animal figures made as paperweights.

Pottery from Karukurichi in Tirunelveli district is popular for its technical superiority and novel and attractive shapes. Red, black and grey clay are used for the base. This clay body looks brighter after a coating of red ochre. This is done for all common items of use.

Location:

The main centers of these crafts are to be found in Dharampuri, Salem, Coimbatore, South Arcot and Tiruchirapalli districts

History:

In South India, wood has been a much-liked traditional medium for preparing architectural buildings to articles of utility and beauty. South India`s main centre of sandalwood carving is Mysore. Earlier, sandalwood was the only material used for carving deities. Various things are made of wood in South India. These include solid pieces of furniture to key rings and delicate fans. Rosewood is used for making furniture and carving animals. The elephants and other products prepared by this wood is a specialty of Kerala. Kerala and coastal Karnataka, are centres for marquetry, which uses wood of various hues (including rosewood) and in Mysore, ivory is substituted.