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Opening up a new world

Fix huge embellished doors as in temples, grab attention from customers for an art that is completely hand made, create ‘space’ illusions by fitting glazed/glass doors, preserve a heritage as in traditional homes in Kerala, or simply hint at the status of the owner with exquisite Chettinad handcraft... doors mean different things to different people. But given the present-day lifestyle, it brings us to the topic of matching your door design with the overall theme of the interior.

Consider the dizzy choices: Wood, plastic and steel doors with swinging, sliding, side-hinged, revolving, and folding types; louver doors; flush door; French doors; Dutch doors; and the Kerala speciality ones. This is where Arya Bhangy on Residency Road in Bangalore comes in. The door company from Kochi, with nearly five decades behind it, specialises in custom-made embellished wooden doors for entrance and pooja rooms.

Says George Thomas, MD, “We cater to all sections of customers who can spot ‘traditional beauty,’ which is what “Arya Bhangy” means in Malayalam. It is a myth that only the rich go in for flamboyant, grandiose entrances. If your purse is not heavy, we will provide you with a quality substitute with minimum designs that has the same elegance.”

Radha International, the Indian dealer for Mexin Steel Doors of China, has a novel eco-friendly concept, for, it could help spare the green cover and see the metal being put to re-use. This recyclable feature, if not biodegradable, is what gives the whole affair an edge over natural timber, as far as the environmental depletion concerns go.

Says K. Balaji of Radha International, “Our doors are fire and burglar proof. The Sino-U.S. joint venture Mexin Group thought of the 18-gauge galvanised steel for doors which has received a good response in several countries.” But why steel for doors? “Heavy duty steel provides immense body strength. They aren’t loosely held sheets, they are multi-level strength enhancers that resist abuse. The top and bottom plates are sandwiched with a layer of polyurethane or honeycomb foam core, and one more layer of reinforced steel mesh,” says Balaji.

And for the anti-burglary feature, it wraps in a 12-lever lock with a single key operation. A special shutter could be custom-made to help you see your visitor before opening the door, that is if you don’t like the minuscule magic eyes available in the market. Calling bells are pre-fixed and special hinges with gas-bag magnetic seal would enable noiseless movements.

Variations in the quality are available with Arya Bhangy, with the cost factor dependent on the type of carving and inlay chosen: All teak (Rs. 1,000-Rs. 2,500 per sq.ft); Outer Teak with body in High Density Fibre (HDF) (Rs. 1,000- Rs. 1,500 per sq. ft); Outer border with advanced Kerala country wood Pincoda with HDF body (Rs. 700-Rs. 1,000 per sq. ft). A standard 7 x 3 decked up extravaganza in solid teak will cost about Rs. 50,000, while Pincoda with HDF can be just one-fourth the cost.

“Jet-set, early office-going lifestyle has forced people to go slow on deep carvings like the Sarangpur intricate detailing or the walnut wood delicate types of Srinagar and North-East regions that demand too much of dust-maintenance,” says George.

About 500 designs are available in Arya Bhangy. Aryan, Dravidian, Islamic and Georgian cultures find artistic expression in its huge factory in Kochi with each design named as grandly as its looks — the arch-shaped ‘Sulthan’ with brass inlay has extended panelling for side windows, while the ‘Maharaja’ module has majestic squares with brass inlay.

(Arya Bhangy, B1, Devatha Plaza, 131, Residency Road. Call 080-22273362)

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