Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Mannar metal glistens like gold, sometimes, it does not, when it is a huge ‘vaarpu’. To make solid brassware or bronze stuff, with the lost wax method has been an art that Mannar folks have been proud of, for generations. If you go there, the street is lined with brassware shops. They say, to get the best lamps for temples or bells for churches, get Mannar stuff. “There was so much pressure from city people that we decided to set up shop here,” says L.Ramaswamy of Swamy’s shop. The shop called PRM Laksmana Iyer Associates, is at Srinivas Enclave, between Padma and Kavitha.

“You cannot make very small things with bare hands,” he adds. So the smallest Mannar model made ‘kindi’ is Rs 750. Of course you get small machine made ones that come from North India. They come from Aligarh and a few other places.

Everybody knows what a manichitrathazhu is, courtesy the movie. It is that ornate design in brass that is clamped on a door, truly traditional and Keralite. “The manichitra tazhu’ you find here comes from Aligarh. We don’t make them anymore because labour costs are too high. They have studied our traditional design and they do it well,” he says, pointing to them

The bell that chimes at the Edappally church was made by them. It weighs 1500 kilos. The Koothattukulam church ‘deepasthampam’ weighed 6500 and 150 people toiled to make it, costing somewhere in the range of Rs. 30 lakh, says Ramaswamy.

A 100-kg ‘Vaarpu’ at the Pragati Maidan was also cast by them. The famed ‘Aranmula’ mirror is available here, though they don’t make it at Mannar. The conchs occupy a special section.

Apart from huge lamps that are cast and silver look alike candelabras in brass, the gigantic brassware that are on display is a sight to behold.

There are ‘chilankas’ of all kinds for dancers. Showpieces for your house and different kinds of lamps, have been stocked.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail