Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a major form of classical South Indian Painting from the town of Thanjavur, a period when the "Nayakas" of Thanjavur encouraged art, classical dance and music as well as literature, both in Telugu and Tamil. Tanjore Paintings are known for their surface richness, vivid colours, compact composition and especially the Glittering Gold foils used to give the paintings their rich look. Essentially serving as devotional icons, the subjects of most paintings are Hindu gods,goddesses and saints. episodes from Hindu tradition are drawn upon as elaborations of main figures placed in the central section of the picture. Tanjore paintings panel paintings done on solid wood planks, and hence referred to as palagai padam ( palagai = "wooden plank" ; padam = "picture") in local parlance.

Techniques Behind Tanjore Paintings:

Making a Tanjore painting involves many stages. First the artist makes a preliminary sketch of the image on the base, which is a piece of cloth pasted onto wood. Then Chalk powder or zinc oxide is mixed with water-soluble adhesive and applied on the base. Sometimes a mild abrasive is used to make the base smoother. After the drawing is made, the jewellery and apparel in the image are decorated with semi-precious stones. Thread is also used to decorate the jewellery. A Mixture called "muk" is prepared using chalk powder and African gum in the ration of 2:1. The muk is applied in places around the stones and other areas to give an  embossed look. Gold foil is pasted on top of this. Finally, dyes are used to add colour to the figures in the paintings.

High quality gold foil is used to ensure that the paintings last generations. Paintings come in three finishes: classic, antique style and embossed. In the classic finish, bold colors and striking backgrounds are combined with high glitter gold foil, while in the antique style, with more subtle colors and plain backgrounds. The embossed paintings are similar to the classic style but are embossed to give greater depth.

The figure in Tanjore paintings are static and located in the center inside beautifully decorated arches or curtains. Eyes are broad, the outer lines are either brown or red, for Krishna they are blue. Originally only Krishna figures were painted but now a variety of figures are depicted.

Dasavatara - The Incarnations of Vishnu :

Dashavatara refers to the ten major incarnations of Vishnu, the Hindu God of universal preservation. Here, dasa means 'ten' and avatar means 'descent'. Predominantly, according to Hindu tradition, it is believed that God Vishnu incarnates on Earth from time to time to eradicate the evil forces and restore the Dharma.

The avatars in this list are also described as the lila-avatars.

Matsya Avatar- the fish. Lord Vishnu takes the form of a fish to save Manu (Earth) from a flood, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone.

Kurma Avatar - The tortoise. This appeared in the Satya Yuga. The devas and asuras were at war to gain the nectar of immortality. Mount Mandara started to sink and Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain.

Varaha Avatar - The boar. This occurred in the Satya Yuga. Hiranyashika, a demon controlled the earth (Prithivi) and stored it between the oceans.  To restore the earth to its original position, Varaha engaged in a war that lasted over thousand years, in which he was victorious in the end.

Narasimha Avatar - The half-man/half-lion. This took place in the Satya Yuga. The demon Hiranyakashipu was granted a powerful boon by Brahma, making him immortal to all weapons and at all levels of the universe (sky, earth and stars). Lord Vishnu appeared as a half lion and half man to kill him with his claws, while he lay on his thighs.

Vamana Avatar - The dwarf. This appeared in the Treta Yuga. The fourth descendant of Hiranyakashyap, Bali defeated Lord Indra, which made all deities afraid of him and made them seek refuge with Lord Vishnu. Abiding by, Lord Vishnu appeared as Vamana between Brahmins and made Bali promise him three paces of land. Then Vamana stomped Bali’s head as third pace of land to defeat him. 

Parashurama Avatar - Rama with the axe. This appeared in the Treta Yuga. Parashurama is son of Jamadagni and Renuka who received an axe after a penance to Shiva. King Kartavirya Arjuna and his army visited Jamadagni at his ashram. Jamadagni was able to feed them with the divine cow Kamadhenu. The king demanded the animal but Jamadagni refused. Outraged king took it by force and destroyed the ashram. Parashurama then killed the king at his palace and destroyed his army. In revenge, the sons of Kartavirya killed Jamadagni. Parashurama took a vow to kill every Kshatriya on earth twenty-one times over, and filled five lakes with their blood. Ultimately, his grandfather, the great rishi Rucheeka, appeared and made him halt. 

Rama Avatar - The king of Ayodhya. This appeared in the Treta Yuga. This cult is explained in detail in the Major Indian scripture Ramayana. Rama’s wife Sita was kidnapped by a demon king Ravanan to Lanka. Rama along with his brother Lakshman and his trusted follower Hanuman waged a war and defeated Ravanan.

Balarama Avatar / Adhishesha – Brother of Krishna. This took place in the Dwarapa Yuga. Kamsa brother of his mother, Devaki was intending in killing her children as he was afraid of death to be caused by them. In order to save the children, Lord Vishnu transferred the souls from the womb of Devaki to Rohini and twined it with a black and white hair. As a result, Krishna was born black and Balarama was born fair. Subsequently, Balarama grew up with his brother Krishna and also played a major role in the Battle of Kurukshetra where he remained neutral between his disciples Duryodhana and Bhima.

Krishna Avatar - Eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev. He appeared in the Dwapara Yuga alongside his brother Balarama. He was the central character of the Bhagavad Gita. He is mentor to Arjuna, delivering him the Gita at the Battle of Kurukshetra. The appearance of Krishna coincided with the beginning of Kali Yuga.

Kalki Avatar - White horse with his sword blazing like a comet. This is the final incarnation of Vishnu, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, our present epoch. He is the harbinger of end time in Hindu eschatology, and will destroy all unrighteousness and evil at the end of Kali Yuga.

Cultured Marble :

Cultured marble is a mixture of marble dust with crushed limestone and fiberglass resin. Limestone does not undergo the metamorphic treatment of burial and heat and hence this material can be used like a real marble but can be processed in much quicker time.

Casting cultured marble depends on the amount of additive used that varies depending on the purpose. In case of finer products, the additive usage is reduced and for solid structure, the additives are used in excess so as to provide a shiny appearance.

The step by step procedure in preparing a structure of Powdered Marble involves the following steps.

Mix limestone and marble powder of equal mixtures thoroughly for two minutes. Scrape down the sides and stir contents up from the bottom with the stirring stick.

Stir continuously until you reach the desired color and consistency. Mixtures for highly detailed molds should be liquid; mixtures for simple shapes can be much thicker.

Pour the resin mix into the mold and lightly heat the exterior of the mold with a hair drier to prompt bubbles to rise to the surface.

Remove the casting from the mold. If the mold is rigid, twist the casting slightly to free it. If the mold is flexible, carefully peel it away from the casting.

The final product is fine grained, polished and then the minor details if any that needs to be added are carved over the outer surface.

Cultured Marble is expected to last a longer time. Also it values much lesser than the real marble which is an added advantage. 

Poly Resin Handicrafts

Polyresin is a compound used for making statues, figurines, and decorative furniture. It is sturdy and can be molded intricately. As a result, it allows a great level of detail with consistent texture. It is of two types in general namely, Polyester resin and Synthetic resin.

Polyester resins are unsaturated resins used in molding a compound. These fiber glass compounds are used in restaurants, kitchens, restrooms and other areas that require washable walls but serve the display purpose.

Synthetic resins are hard and comprises of viscous liquids which can be categorized into several classes. These are copolymers or thermosetting plastics, prepared by the process of esterification.

Epoxy resin is the basic class of synthetic resins which is stronger than concrete, seamless and waterproof. Another similar class is acetal resin and it is not as complex as epoxy resin. 

Another class of synthetic resins is Ion exchange resins which is widely used in water purification and catalytic process of organic substances.

Unsaturated polyester resins is the most commonly used class of resins with composition of more than 75% of resins.

The procedure followed in casting resin is summarized below. Resin casting is a method of plastic casting. First a mold is created that is filled with liquid synthetic resin, which then hardens. These are used in the production of collectible toys, models and figures, as well as small-scale jewelry production.

The process involves the transformation of the liquid monomer into a polymer which occurs on hardening of the solid.

Acrylic glass which is commonly used for framing photos and other display purpose is not a glass but rather a plastic polymer that is transparent, and very hard. 

But the simplest method in resin casting is gravity casting method. Here the resin is poured into the mold and pulled down into all the parts by gravity. The action of vacuum is essential here are it helps to expel bubbles and any air gaps between them. These kind of compounds are highly priced due to the amount of hands-on labor involved in the final stage.

Polyresins are used in the production of customized toys and figures as well as scale models. They are generally produced in small quantities, from the tens to a few hundred copies, compared to injection-molded plastic figures which are produced in many thousands. Resin casting is more labor intensive than injection molding. 

The traditional sculpting process is first employed in the creation of mold. After the mold has been made, a synthetic resin mixed with a curing agent, is poured into it. Within minutes the material hardens, yielding castings or copies in the shape of the mold into which it has been poured. The hardened resin casting is removed from the flexible mold and allowed to cool.

Due to aggressive nature of most compounds used for casting and the high temperature of the reaction the mold gradually degrades and loses small details. The sprues and seams are then sanded or cut by free hand and the small details are craved and polished.

Mother of Pearl Inlay

Mother of Pearl (MoP) is an attractive material which as used as a decorative item inlaid over furnitures, jewellery, musical instruments and much more. The iridescent nature of MoP makes it attractive and makes it’s a valuable substitute for marble and tile inlays.

By property, iridescence refers to the attribute of changing its color as viewed from different angles and orientations. The same property may also be found with soap bubbles, butterflies and sea shells.

MoP’s iridescent value adds to its beauty as well as market price. This is because not all forms of Shells available have this property which makes MoP (or nacre) more special.

The existence of MoP is towards the inner wall of the shell oyster or over the outer layer of the pearl. Sometimes nacre acts as a protective shield that carries the pearl within it but does not have any physical contact with it.

The main function of MoP is to protect the pearls from the attack of any parasites and it stays active as for as the mollusc is alive. 

The separation of the MoP from shells is a cheaper process as they are available in plenty, but its price may vary from one and another depending on the shine of the layer.

The inlay of MoP may involve removal of the selected mortise in the wooden layer and then inlaying the MoP onto the wooden surface. A layer of glue is applies on top of this to seal it. The same procedure is followed in enhancing Mop inlay work over all surfaces to make it look decorative.

Mother of pearl is sometimes used to make spoon-like utensils for caviar (salted roe of large fish), so as to not spoil its taste with metallic spoons.

MoP is also used as a decorative layer over wine glasses, serving trays, bowls and so on to make it look decorative.

Uruli - A Traditional cookware :

Uruli is a traditional cookware used predominantly in South India. It is circular in shape ranging from smaller sizes that can fit into your palm to giant sized Uruli that are used in restaurants and temples for cooking. The name Uruli literally means “cooking vessel with ears”. 

A proper Uruli will have a ringing sound (similar to a bell dong) when struck. In general, food prepared in Uruli is said to have a special taste of its own. 

As the ages past, the cooking practice and the vessels used have been replaced to the modern day utensils. But even today, there exists the practice of preparing payasams or food in certain rural areas of Kerala.

In recent times, Urulis are used as a decorative item rather than cooking. This golden-coloured vessel is now a popular souvenir and a charming gift.

This elegant, beautiful vessel is filled with water and flowers are placed over the top layer to make it look decorative. This kind of arrangement is commonly seen in many traditional restaurants, spas, temples and even in some homes at their entrance. 

Culturally, Urulis provide a traditional look and also stands as a symbol of ancient artistic creativity. 

Terracotta

Terracotta is clay-based earthenware made from ceramic. They are fine materials used in building constructions and making sculptures.

In general, they are brownish orange in color, which may vary depending on the constitution. 

But it is essential to understand that, although terracotta is similar to pottery, it’s not made from a potter’s wheel.

The making of a terracotta material involves the following sequence of steps.

Clay material is first refined and then molded into the desirable shape for production.

The clay is allowed to dry for sometime and then burnt on a kiln.

The transition of the color from brown to brownish orange takes place at this stage.

The material is generally porous and can be made water tight by surface burnishing the composition before burning in a kiln.

They find applications in garden ware, building decoration, tableware, and so on.

The efficiency of the final product can be checked by striking which will result in a ringing sound. Terracotta can also be recycled from older items of terracotta.

Terracotta occupies a central position in Indian life and culture. 

Terracotta art bears testimony to the varied and traditional practices of ancient India.

Hookah

Hookah is a stemmed instrument used for smoking flavored Tobacco. Here, the smoke is passed through a water basin before inhalation. There are some essential components in a Hookah which are mentioned below along with their description.

Bowl is a container which stands as the head of the Hookah and it holds the coal and tobacco during the smoking session. A perforated aluminum foil or screen typically glass or metal covers the bowl. 

A Windscreen covers the bowl area, with some form of air holes. This prevents wind from increasing the burn rate and temperature of the coal. It also prevents ash from being blown onto the surrounding environment. 

Hose refers to a slender flexible tube that allows the smoke to be drawn for a distance, cooling down before inhalation. The end is typically fitted with a metal, wooden, or plastic mouthpiece of different shapes, size, color or material type. 

A Purge valve is connected to the airspace in the water jar to purge stale smoke which has been sitting unused in the jar for too long. The cover should be opened and cleaned of residue and corrosion regularly to ensure proper sealing.

Water jar lies at the bottom of the Hookah. Smoke from the bowl passes through the body and it bubbles through the water. This cools and humidifies the smoke. Liquids such as fruit juice may be added to the water or used in substitution for adding a fruit flavour. 

Plate or ashtray sits just below the bowl to catch ashes falling off the Hookah.

Grommets are usually placed between the body and the water jar. They help to seal the joints between the parts, therefore decreasing the amount of air coming in and maximizing the smoke breathed in.

Diffuser is a piece attached to the bottom of the stem, usually made of plastic, to make a smoother smoke and a subdued noise. This also cools the smoke down more efficiently. It is used as a luxury item for a premium smoking experience and is not a required component.

The bottom jar of the hookah is filled with water. Tobacco is placed inside the bowl at the top of the hookah. Often the bowl is covered with perforated tin foil or a metal screen and coal placed on top. Charcoal used for hookah smoking must be hard, high density, easy to ignite, and burn longer with persistent heat.

When one inhales through the hose, air is pulled through the charcoal and into the bowl holding the tobacco. The hot air, heated by the charcoal vaporizes the tobacco, thus producing smoke, which is passed down through the body tube that extends into the water in the jar. It bubbles up through the water, losing heat, and fills the top part of the jar, to which the hose is attached for inhaling. Stale smoke, if any has to be exhausted through the purge valve before inhaling. 

Smoking the hookah has gained popularity outside of its native Indian region, in Iran, Pakistan and the Middle East, and is gaining popularity in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Tanzania and South Africa.

Filigree - A Delicate Metal Art

Filigree is a kind of delicate metalwork, usually comprising of gold and silver, embodied with beads and threads. The elements are soldered over a metal surface, arranged with several artistic motifs. 

A motif is a design or composition in the iconography of a particular subject. The same motif maybe repeated throughout the filigree structure or different designs can be employed. This kind of artwork is popular in Indian and other Asian civilizations. 

Fine threads of metal are united at their points of contact with the ground surface using flux. A blowpipe is generally used to connect the fine threads onto the metal surface. 

At first, Granulated motifs are cut into small pieces so that it can be easily placed onto the metal surface. These cut pieces are then mixed with flux to make it apt for melting purpose. The compound is then placed in the holes provided with pitted charcoal.

After this, melting is carried out with a blowpipe that reaches the charcoal layer first and slowly gets down to the motifs which are placed beneath. 

On melting, the bits of wire which are present in the flux get curled up and take a natural spherical shape. The beauty of this artwork is that, each motif on melting ends up slightly different from one another. 

Small grains or beads are placed in these wire junctions.  A stouter wire is placed as a protective layer, as this metal surface is very delicate.

The final step involves decorating the filigree surface with minute beads and globules of gold or other ornamental materials which are soldered to form patterns on a metal surface. 

Sandstone

Sandstone is a form of sedimentary rock comprising silicate minerals and rock fragments that were transported by moving fluids. The major composition of Sandstone involves quartz, feldspar, mica, clay minerals and essentially lithic or rock fragments.

The formation of sandstone takes place under two primary stages. At first, the sedimentation process takes place where the several minerals from different parts of the surface are carried over by river, fluids, lava or so on.

Next, these sedimented minerals compact under high pressure and precipitate to form Sandstone, which is nothing but a composed form of hardened sand.

The environment where the minerals are deposited also plays a major role in determining the characteristics of the resulting sandstone. Essential features of the Sandstone, to quote, grain size, sorting, geometrical shape, composition and so on are based on the surroundings where it originates. 

Some common environments are terrestrial like rivers, lakes, deserts and marine like deltas, beach, turbidites.

The color of the sandstone may vary from region to region depending on the topographical features of the Earth’s crust. But they are generally found in tan, brown, yellow, gray, pink, white and black colors.

Sandstone has huge pores that render to the percolation of large amount of water or other liquid storage within them. This feature attributes to the grained surface and solid shape of the Sandstone.

Sandstone is familiar with the coastal sea areas and especially, the deserts where rock surfaces are fine grained and fractured by the seismic activity of the bottom layer of sedimentary rocks.

Sandstone is mined by quarrying. A very pure form of quartz silicate called Quartzite is also obtained from Sandstone by allowing to heavy pressure and heat along with tectonic compression.

Sandstones are relatively soft which makes it easy to carve. It is primarily used for domestic construction and house wares. It has been widely used around the world in constructing temples, cathedrals, homes, and other buildings. It is also used for artistic purposes to create ornamental fountains and statues.

Ganesh and Balaji Rosewood Statue for Rituals

An ideal stature for carrying out your rituals. Hand carved Rosewood statue that can add beauty to your Home and for your Poojas. The Idol and the stage can be moved separately for convenience.

Thirupathi Balaji statue made of Rose Wood with fine Handmade Carvings. The statue is placed over a stage (peedam) which is 20 inches tall ( 1 ft 2" approx). 

The Dimensions are 66" x 48" x 20" (in inches approx) (height x Width x depth). 

Exclusive Rosewood made Ganesh with fine handmade carvings. A much gigantic structure measuring 96" x 48" x 24" (approx in inches height x width x depth). The peedam(base) alone is 20" tall which provides the ideal projection for the statue.

Rosewood made Ganesh with handmade carvings and Inlay work. 

Ganesh is placed over a peedam(base) of 15" tall which makes it suitable for Pooja. Dimensions of this structure are 50" x 30" x 15" (approx in inches height x width x depth).

Custom sized Statures are also made against orders.

For more details, visit our Online Store or follow us on Facebook.

Crewel Embroidery

Crewel work is a type of surface embroidery over fabric that involves several embroidery stitches and primarily made up of wool. The technique is predominantly found over thousand years.

The technique involves free style, unlike several classical thread works. For the past three centuries, fabric like linen or cotton is used for making this work. But recently, crewel work is being made on silk, velvet or even jute.

A typical needle with wide body and a sharp pointed eye is made use of in this style. The scheme employed in making a crewel artwork is explained below.

At first, the design that needed to be threaded is “screen printed” over the fabric. But classically, they were making use of chalks or other marking objects to solve this purpose. With the outline as the base, the embroidery is carried over it.

Either traditional or modern contemporary patterns can be used as a design. The traditional designs are highly stylized floral and animal designs with flowing vines and leaves. And the modern patterns on the other hand, may display wildlife, or individual portraits.

Crewel embroidery is special when compared to other forms of embroidery as threading over wool may require a raised dimensional work. Also, specifically, the same stitching styles cannot be adopted here.

Some improvised stitching patterns such as Outlining stitches, Satin stitches, Couched stitches, Seed stitches and French knots are followed while carrying out a crewel work.

Crewel embroidery is used to create elaborate and expensive bed hangings, curtains, clothing and wall hangings. Recently other attractive items such as Lamp Shades, Handbags, have been added to the ever growing list of crewel home furnishings. 

This link displays a list of Crewel works, handbags and so on.

Singing Bowls

Singing bowls are similar to bells, but doesn't hang and rather sits with its bottom resting. The outer surface of the singing bowl vibrates to produce sound characterized by a fundamental frequency and two audible harmonic overtones.

Bronze bells from Asia have been discovered as early as the 8th–10th century BC and singing bowls are thought to go back in the Himalayas to the 10th-12th century AD.

In general, Singing bowls are played by striking the rim of the bowl with a padded mallet. They can also be played by rubbing a wood, plastic, or leather wrapped mallet around its rim to emphasize the harmonic overtones and a continuous 'singing' sound.

Singing bowls produce a unique sound and also physical vibration that can be felt. They stimulate better blood circulation and are an aid to the central nervous system.

As a result, they are used to treat cancer patients and also for post traumatic stress disorder. They are predominantly used in Buddhist monasteries for meditation.

Singing bowls are used worldwide for meditation, music, relaxation, and personal well-being. They are used by a wide range of professionals, including health professionals, school teachers, musicians and spiritual teachers.

Both antique and new bowls are widely used as an aid to meditation. They are also used in yoga, music therapy, sound healing and religious services.

The art of making singing bowls in the traditional way is often called a lost art, but traditional craftsmen still make singing bowls in the traditional manner. They are one of the longest made traditional objects still being.

Singing bowls were historically made throughout Asia, especially Nepal, China, India and Japan.