Handmade in India

VILAKKU-BRASS LAMPS
THE KUTHUVILAKKu is a brass cast stand lamp which is used
during daily worship in homes and temples,and the heightd of lamps
range from 5 inches to 9 feet.The vilakku is balanced by the wide
and heavyd base plate.The wick plate is separated from the base by a
slendder and curvaceous stem.The wick plate is divided into
four,five,six or nine mukham or faces.Each face has a tiny lip,which
serves as the wick holder.The top is a decorative head made of solid
metal,shaped as various images such as abstraction of a
flame,Ganesha,Lakshmi,and even as a cross for churches.Once the
size and weight are calculated,the template is made in mud and
baked or carved out in wood.This is then cast in brass or
aluminium.The process of box moulding is used for the base,wick
plate and the stem.The ornamental head is usually made by lost wax
method of metal casting.
Production clusters
Thanjavur district:
Nachiarcoil
Products
Kuthuvilakku-oil
lamps
Tools
Wooden frame
Wooden mallet
Crucible
Karandi-ladle
Suthiyal-hammer
1. Brass lamp.
2. Shown here are sectional views of
two different brass lamps.
3. Vilakku seen without the talai,top,to
show the tapping done in the
interior stem.
BRASS REPOUSSE
THE PITHALLAI THATU OR brass plates are unique to Thanjavur and are
referred to as Thanjavur Art Plates and aer sculpted withd reliefs of
deities,floral motifs and of the Brihadeshwara Temple and other such cultural
landmarks.The Maratha king Sarfoji founded the local Kamala or Visvakarma
community of artisans,who were experts in bidri craft and made by hammering
thin sheets of metal on prepared lead dies.The plate is divided into three areas
consisting of concentric circles.The circle in the centre is depressed and
contains the primary relief in silver and is usually an image of a god or
goddess.The second circle is encrusted with reliefs made of copper and
silver.The outermost circle consists of floral motifs and often a single motif is
repeated throughout.The plates are used as mementos or souvenirs.
1. A brass plate with a motif in the centre. Production Clusters
2. Brass mould seen with lead dies of the same
pattern on which sheet metal is beaten. Thanjavur district:
3. Detail of a plate made in threee
Thanjavur
metals:copper,brass and silver.
Products
Art metal plates
Tools
Suthiyal-hammers
Chinnadhu-dividers
Vetriumbum-punches
and chisels
Tracers
Bossing and
cushioning chisels