Thanjai artisans rue poor govt patronage

TIRUCHY: Thanjavur, the town famous for handicrafts, gives unique characteristics from the ancient era and also attracting international audience. But lately there appears to be a downward trend due to various factors.

The busy streets of Thanjavur where handicrafts are made, appear to sport a lazy look these days. The number of artisans involved in making these crafts has witnessed a steady decline due to less support from the government. Even obtaining a loan for developing their business has become a herculean task.

However, handpicked families stay determined to go ahead with the work that they had inherited from their forefathers. All they appeal to the government is to give them financial support, business advice, and a platform to make permanent stalls in the major tourist destinations just for their livelihood as these families know no trade other than these.

Thalayatti Bommai losing old charm

Thanjavur and Thalayatti Bommai (rocking doll or dancing doll) are synonymous and the history of Thanjavur Thalayatti Bommai dates back to 19th-century Maratha King Saraboji.

The craftsmen of these dolls have kept their art form alive, passing their skills and knowledge from one generation to another.

The uniqueness of these dolls lies in the ubiquitous phenomenon of gravity.

The centre of gravity and the total weight is concentrated at the bottommost part of the doll and therefore, upon slightly tapping them, their bodies appear to be in a continuous oscillating movement.

Thanjavur dolls mainly come in two variants; Uruttu Bommai or the Raja-Rani dolls and Thalaiaati Bommai or dancing girl dolls. The shapes and sizes vary. Sometimes they are made in the forms of deities, figures from mythology, literature, and dynasties that once homed Thanjavur.

Unfortunately, the number of families that were making the dolls has been dwindling progressively over the years.

S Boopathy, a third-generation maker of Thalayatti Bommai from the nearby Punnainallur Mariammankoil village says there used to be around 100 families making the traditional handmade toys a few decades ago. “Now only three, four families make the toys in the whole of the district,” he said.

“The other significant reason is the process of making the doll is labour oriented and the return on investment is very low,” says Bhoopathy, who along with members of his family still makes the toys.

“On average, we make 400 toys per month. During the peak tourist season this may go up to 500-600 toys per month,” says Bhoopathy.

He is the sole supplier of the Thalayatti Bommai for the State-owned Poompuhar showroom in Thanjavur. For the Thanjavur Thalayatti Bommai makers, the rainy seasons are the lean period as they could not dry the dolls.

There have also been technological changes in making the doll over the years. During the ancient period, the doll was made up of only clay.

“Nowadays we make the bottom portion of the doll with clay and the upper part figuring king or queen with the paper mache or plaster of paris,” says Bhoopathy.

The organic dye had given way to synthetic paints. Officials from the Poompuhar showroom in Thanjavur say there is good sales of Thanjavur Thalayatti Bommai.

“We sell around 200 pieces per month. During the month of December-January, which is the peak season for tourist inflow, the sales even reach up to 500 pieces per month,” the official said and added that sometimes, a few art enthusiasts give a huge order to some social gathering.

As the next generation of families which makes Thanjavur Thalayatti Bommai is not keen on the trade, Poompuhar is planning training of youths from various communities in the trade by engaging the traditional doll makers as instructors.

Bhoopathy said that they do not get a loan for the manufacturing of these dolls. “We adamantly keep ourselves focussed in making the dolls which we had inherited from our ancestors but I am doubtful whether anyone in my family will take up this profession after me. So the government should give training to youngsters to ensure the art stays alive,” Bhoopathy added.

Keeping alive hopes on traditional pith work

One of the most skilful works of art that comes out of Thanjavur handicrafts world is the pith work.

The artisans of this particular craft become experts traditionally as the expertise is transferred to them from their forefathers.

The Thanjavur Netti (pith) works are fragile and therefore are kept in a glass box. The pith works are not attacked by ants and also, they look like they are made up of ivory so it is one of the most sought-after handicrafts worldwide.

The pith is obtained from Netti which is a hydrophyte plant called Aeschynomene Aspera and the soil of Thanjavur is favourable for the growth of this plant.

The Thanjavur Netti Works are fragile and therefore are kept in a glass box and these works include the models of the Brihadeeshwara Temple, Hindu idols, garlands, door hangings and so on.

According to R Ezhil Vizhi, a state awardee for her handicraft works with pith (‘Netti’) who has been keeping alive the tradition of three generations of the family of R Radha whom she had been married, the raw material pith (‘Netti’) has been derived from a hydrophyte plant which used to grow on the banks of ponds in Kumbakonam, Mannargudi area.

Of late as the water bodies no longer hold water for a long period now the pith is being brought from areas like Ponneri in Tamil Nadu, Rajamundhry in Andhra Pradesh, and from Calcutta.

After drying it and taking off the outer layer the ivory-coloured ‘Netti’ is obtained and is made into pieces. They are later joined together to make various artifacts.

“Big temple, Taj Mahal, Rockfort temple are most sought after art produce,” says Ezhil Vizhi. She uses the simple tools of a knife to carve out exquisite miniatures like Nandhi in a few seconds.

Her ‘Manu Needhi Chozhan’ model, which symbolises the fair administration of justice, has been a permanent fixture in most of the minister’s office, she recounts.

“Not only the traditional models like Big temple, Rockfort temple, we have been supplying models to the architects who give their plans”, says Ezhil Vizhi.

She has also been making models of the temples to be built all over Tamil Nadu. At present, she is working on the model for the Sorna Kamatchiamman temple in Kannanthankal in Kancheepuram district. She has also supplied the pith model of Raja Rajeswari Temple in Malaysia.

Though there are a few other pith work makers in Thanjavur district, Ezhil Vizhi says her speciality is making figures like various Gods, Goddesses like Meenakshi, Venkatachapathy, and leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Kamarajar, Indira Gandhi, MGR. In fact, her work of Venkatachalapathy won her the State awardee title way back in 1992.

Her works have been exported to Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, USA and she also participated in exhibitions in places like Chandigarh.

A few of the artisans nowadays create look-alike pith models with thermocol. “However, thermocol works used to be destroyed by ants. The pith works are not attacked by ants and also they look like they are made up of ivory,” Ezhil Vizhi says.

“Thanjavur pith work received GI tag in 2020. Since then, it has had a good response worldwide and thus, the orders have been increasing,” Ezhil Vizhi adds.

Practice of age-old cut glass craft on decline

Gone are the days when exclusive shops in Thanjavur selling specialised cut glass works, like ‘cut glass plates’, and ‘Poorna Kumbam’ were busy supplying the artifacts unique to the ancient Chola era.

Now the number of artisans specialising in the cut glass works has dwindled.

Though the history of the cut glass work handicrafts of Thanjavur could not be ascertained, the consensus among art historians is the work predates the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom (AD 1674 to 1799).

L Selvaraj, of Thanjavur South Veedhi, has been making the Thanjavur cut glass works for the last 45 years. He has become one of the major suppliers of the unique artifacts of Thanjavur. The ornamental cut glass plate is made with an aluminium plate as the base and coloured cut glass were fixed over it to form patterns. Natural adhesives like ‘Kungilium’ are used for fixing the cut glasses on the plates.

“Earlier natural colours were used to make the glasses into various colours. Plain glasses are made into colour glasses by using special techniques by the artisans,” Selvaraj said. “Aishwarya Thattu” features Goddesses in the middle of the plate. The glasses were cut in the required shape using a diamond cutter and plain glasses were given colour using unique methods and gold aluminium foil papers were used to outline the Cut glass plates.

Apart from cut glass plates, artifacts like ‘Poorna Kumbham’, a motif of the pot with coconut on top, ‘Kunguma Chimizh’ , the vermillion container, ‘The Mandapam’, a small enclosure containing housing other artifacts are being made by Selvaraj and a few others like Geetha, Selvam, Asokh in Thanjavur.

According to the manager of Poompuhar Showroom in Thanjavur, ‘Ishwarya Thattu’, ‘Paruppu Koodu’, ‘Sombu Kalasam’ are in demand as some communities prefer these items to be placed in their marriage ceremonies.

Only the cut glass plates are made with the aluminium plate as the base. The Mandapam is made with wood as the base. The Kalasams are made with copper bottoms and the ‘coconut of the Poornakumbam’ is made with coconut shells. There is a need to train youth in the craft and also to improve the income for the artisans, added Selvaraj.