Eternal India Encyclopedia

HANDICRAFTS

Eternal India encyclopedia

male elephant. The teeth and horns of other animals are also of ivory but they are not very suitable for carving. The tusk of the elephant has a warm, pearly tone and ab- sorbs stains and dyes easily. An ivory craftsman would primarily ac- quire expertise in stone carving and sandal- wood carving before venturing into the field of ivory craft. Steel, chisel, hammer, sand- paper, awl, file, wheat stalk for polishing, fish scales, ivory powder and saw were some of his tools and implements. The thin natural film over the ivory was removed through a chemical reaction or by the “heat and cool” method before the commence- ment of carving. The ivory was cut into a definite size with the help of the saw; the figure would be drawn on ivory with a lead pencil and then chiselled to work out the exact form and proportions. Cuttings and shavings were used for in- lay work. With the international ban on ivory trade through export and import, India has lost the raw material for one of its glorious crafts- manship. In a land considered to be the cradle of ivory art, the industry has totally collapsed. A magnificent heritage is lost. ( V I ) TOYS AND DOLLS The production of toys depends on the raw materials available in each region. In Rajasthan toys are made of cloth and pa- pier-mache. In Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Bengal from clay and in Gwalior there are toys of soft stone and wood. Kondapalli in Andhra Pradesh is fa- mous for its wooden toys which are realistic and known for attention to detail. The themes are drawn from village life and de- pict scenes such as a man climbing a palm tree, a boy tending cows, a figure working on a spinning wheel etc. Among lacquered toys, the products of Chennapatna in Karnataka occupy a high place. Typical Chennapatna items are the snake charmer, musicians playing on vari- ous instruments, etc. Other well-known centres of toy- making are: Toupadana (near Ranchi in Bihar) which specialises in abstract wooden toys, Gokak in Belgaum District of Karnataka which is noted for its artificial fruits and vegetables. 'Kinhal' range of toys including chowki, swings, cradles, animals, lifesize figures, mother and child motif is

inscription at its base and attributable to the Rashtrakutas. * Lion-shaped throne supports — Eastern India — 12 A.D. — Victoria and Albert Museum, London. * Dampattu and Krishna — Orissa — 1300 A.D. and 1700 A.D. respectively. * Panels from a box — Mughal - c.1700 A.D. * Palanquin — Mysore - 19th A.D. — Na- tional Museum, New Delhi. * A relief depicting marriage of Shiva and Parvathi — Madurai Nayakas — Now in the collection of Victoria and Albert Mu- seum, London. * Infant Jesus - c 16th century when Por- tuguese prosperity in India brought in its wake some remarkable pieces of Indo- Portuguese art. * Tirumala Nayaka and his queen — 17th century A.D. — Temple museum, Srirangam. * A Vijayanagara prince — National Mu- seum, New Delhi — A fine example of portrait sculpture in ivory. * Ivory chairs belonging to Tippu Sultan — Victoria and Albert Museum, London. * Ivory palanquin donated by the Mysore Maharaja to Tirupati temple. Inlay work in ivory * Asgar Mahal in Bijapur, Karnataka — with the Quranic verses inscribed in ivory. * Mysore palace doors - 18th century A.D. * Stringed instruments like Tambura, Veena, Sitar, Sarod etc. * Furniture with ivory inlay work from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — One of these exquisite pieces is a dressing table purchased by Lord Clive and his family.

also famous — Koppal Taluk (Raichur district). Gujarat which is famous for its animal toys made of embroidered or appliqued fabrics and Madhya Pradesh which produces leather animal toys.

CANE, BAMBOO, GRASS AND REEDS

Cane, bamboo, grass and reeds as well as the coconut and date palm leaf are used to make baskets and mats, boxes, trays, toys and dolls, wall hangings etc. In Assam, the sieves, and winnowing fans are artistically made. The tray is made in the twill technique in which the weft strands pass over and under two or more warp strands at a time, producing a diaper design. Fishing contraptions are prepared from bamboo and cane each with a distinct shape. Palmyrah grows practically everywhere, and naturally the palm leaf is

Method of manufacture

Ivory, which has created such beauty and charm, essentially is the tusk of the