Handmade in India

The folk deity Nallathangal and her seven children at an
Ayyanar shrin.
Close up of a terracotta horse.
Terracotta horses at Muppiliyan Kovil,temple.Two to three
potters work on building these monumental figures,which are
made with very simple tools.
TERRACOTTA AND POTTERY
Production Clusters
Pudukottai district:
Pudukottai:
Virachalai village
Products
Mann paanai-clay pot
Kolambu chattycooking
vessels
Aduppu-stoves
Katthi sootti-lamos
Undial-money boxes
Agni chatti-fire pot
Kolli paanaicremation
pot
Votive offereings to
Ayyanar:
Thottilum pillaiyumcradle
and child
Veeran-soldiers of
Ayyanar
Koothukudhirai or
Gramathu Kuttiraihorses
for the veeran
Ambari yannaielephants
in
procession
Painted pots
Chicken coops
Tools
Throwing wheel
Wooden paddle
Stone anvil
Carving tools
Coir rope for slings
Inset Image of Ayyanar`s warrior.
IN TAMIL NADU,terracotta
figures of horses and elephants
are votive offerings made to
village deities.Ayyanar,the sone
of Goddess Mohin and Lord
Shiva,believed to be the deity
who grants boons and guards the
boundaries of the village,
is the primary recipient of these offerings.In the souther
districts,one may see numerous gramathu kuttirai,terracotta
horses,installed in shrines of Ayyanar that are located on the
banks of a pond or lake or in the fields.The potter are from the
Velar and Kulalard communities.The votive figures are made
by a combination of throwing and coiling techniques.Clay is a
mixed with local sand and paddy husk.The horse is made in
three sections-lower leg and upper thigh,neck and head.A ledge
is formed around the edge of this first section to fit into the next
thigh portion.Some liquid clay slip is smoothed over the surface
to cover up the coarse rice husks.The products are dried,fired in
a furnace and painted with enamel colours.Smaller offerings of
horses,bulls and elephants require a coating of lime and
ochre.August and September is the golu,dolls,season during
Navaratri festival when dolls are displayed and much of the
sales take place then.Large terracotta imagesd of Lord Ganesha
are also produced prior to the festival celebratingd his birth.The
market for terracotta pots and stoves has
declined.However,during Pongal,the harvest festival,the pots
are in demand.The market for votive offerings has remained
constant.
1. Terracotta figure of Ayyanar,the popular folk deity
worshipped as a guardian and protector.Deopicted with
large eyes and a prominent moustache,he carries a sword
adn his horse is always at his side indicating his readiness
to ride after trouble makers in the dark,Karaikudi.
2. Terracotta chicken coop used by potter families at
Virachalai.
Terracotta pot and stoves.