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| NEWS REPORT: Get Floored - Business Report on Athangud Tiles Nov 15, 10 |
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Get Floored
November 15, 2010 7:53:13 PM
Swati Das discovers the fine art of traditional tile-making at Athangudi that complements the palatial havelis in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu
They give you an impression of a polished oxide floor when adorned in plain colours and brighten up your house when designed. Like wine, they age wonderfully with time and the more you walk on them, the more they shine. But you’d be fooling yourself if you believe that these are oxide or ceramic floors. These are Athangudi tiles, the jewel of Chettinad village. It is a well-preserved and an authentic art straight from the land that is an epitome of luxurious living. The tiles still complement the palatial homes that the Nattukkottai Chettiyars or Nagarathas built, importing the best of building material from overseas in the beginning of the 20th century. Back then special makers were brought in from Europe and the locals adopted the art.
But what makes these tiles special and unique is the use of the soil and the water of Athangudi village. They are made by mixing soil with cement and chemical paints. The process seems so easy that you may want to jump into making these pieces of art yourself.
At present, there are about 50 units, falling under the Karaikudi block of Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, involved in this small scale industry. It is surprising to see how small units spring up at every nook and corner of this village, producing tiles, one better than the other.
We visit one such place at Vinayagar. Its owner, VR Shanmugam, has been making these tiles for the last 40 years and is now supported by his three sons. “It is the wari mannu (sand from rain-washed mounds) and the use of water from the temple ponds here that make these tiles unique. We used chemical paints from ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries, originally a British company) but it is no longer available in the market so we now use Nerolac instead,” says Shanmugam while he instructs his two workers to carry out a few errands.
Shanmugam takes me on a tour of his workshop and the process of making these colourful tiles. He starts off by describing how the reddish sand and clay are quarried from the mounds surrounding gullies formed by rainwater. He says this gives the tiles a glazed finish. The sand strained into fine powder is used along with the paints, cement and baby jelly. The sweet and clear water of the two temples — Lognayagi Amman (village deity) and Sivan (Shiva) — is used for manufacturing these tiles. The use of white and black in line drawings and designs is traditional. The other earthy colours include red, yellow, blue and green. If you notice, the designs are usually floral.
The artist starts with a glass cast plate around which a square frame of three-four inches is placed. A metal design mould is then put inside the frame and on the glass. Thick paint of different colours is poured into different grooves of the design mould. The frame is then lifted along with the glass and gently shaken to even out the paint. As the thick paint settles into a design, the mould is taken off and a layer of sand is sprinkled on it. Cement jelly is then filled over the sand. More sand is then sprinkled over the cement and levelled with a flat square wood. Using the same wood to hold the moulded tile on the glass plate down, the frame is taken off. The tile with the glass plate on the painted side is left to dry for a day. The next day, the dried tile is submerged in water tubs and left for curing. After four days, the tile, with glass plate still stuck to the paint, is taken out and placed on the racks to dry in the sun for one or two weeks. Once dried, the glass cast plate is peeled off the paint side of the tile. It is now ready for use. At times, the designs are done with hand after placing the blobs of thick paint on the glass plate and without using a mould.
“We make tiles based on orders. For the smaller ones, we charge Rs 30 per sq ft and for the big ones, Rs 32 per sq ft. To make a design, the mould itself costs Rs 3,000,” informs Shanmugam who is assisted by 10 craftsmen to create these tiles. He proudly takes me to the Periya Pillayar Koil Temple at the end of the road where his thatch roofed units are located. A huge grin appears as he tells me that the flooring and lower portion of the front area of this temple is laid with the tiles made in his units.
My next destination is the Azhanmanai village where the owners of a 200-year-old Thyagarajan Chettiyar House laid plain alternating red and black tiles. The owner of the house, A Palaniyappan Chettiyar, shows me a portion of the floor made with cement, and is shining. He points out that the use of sand in the locality gave the tiles that polished effect. “In fact, with use and friction, the cement becomes more polished,” he says.
Similar is the case with Athangudi tiles whose shine increases with use. Initially, the floors were cleaned with husk but now a cotton mop with a few drops of coconut oil in water has been put to use and helps maintain the sheen. Experts believe that curing and subsequent drying in the sun for longer periods make the tiles stronger and textured. “We have innovated because of the demand by people who want modern designs,” says Shanmugam.
After making these tiles, one needs to be cautious about laying them on the floor. This again is a special technique where the cement packing under the tile needs to be thick enough to settle under the uneven base of the tile and to set them together evenly.
Besides being an artist, Shanmugam is a true entrepreneur, too, as his business does not end at just tiles as is the case of other unit owners. He deals with old Japanese tiled Chettinad furniture, intricately designed doors of Chettinad houses and old curios. In his unit stands one main door with heavily worked frame, waiting to be restored to its original grandeur. “Once redone, a door like this can fetch a minimum of Rs 30,000,” he says.
Shanmugam banks on the income the visiting tourists who are ready to shell out the greens to witness of making these extraordinary creations. Along with tile units, timber merchants are abound Athangudi so one can easily term it is an artist’s village.
Since we are already in the land of Chettinad, there is no way I am going to miss the grand houses which were once a sign of prosperity, something they portray with elan. I enter one such house where the decorative floral tiles from Japan adorn the floor — Burma teak beams and pillars, elaborately designed broad framed doors, tiles and mirror set doors, ceilings adorned colourfully with either tile-setting, metal decorative or Kerala woodwork, Italian marble flooring mixed with Spanish or Athangudi tiles, grand courtyards and verandas; hundred odd rooms, banquette halls, hand painted murals and tempera works on the walls, borders and windows; colourful stain-glasses on windows and arches to provide a riot of colours when the sun filters through them, Belgian mirrors, English steel grills and pillars, Swiss chandeliers and European furniture.
As most of these historic mansions are in a dilapidated condition with the paint having peeled off and dust settled on wood engravings due to lack of maintenance, some are inhabited. Only a few, however, have been converted into hotels by their owners so that the visitors, can experience the grandeur of these mansions by booking a room here.
The Athangudi tiles sure add colour to these historic mansions and act as the window to its rich glorious past. The village of Athangudi can easily by addressed as an artisan’s paradise for the sheer beauty it has preserved for years.
Getting There:
Air India has frequent flights from Chennai and Mumbai. Internationally the airline connects Madurai with Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat and Riyadh.
By Rail: Karaikudi is the main railway station, which connects Chettinad with Chennai and other major cities in Tamil Nadu.
By Road: Karaikudi is well-connected by the NH 45 and 210 with Madurai, Trichy, Tanjore and Chennai.
-- Courtesy: Namaskaar, Air India’s inflight magazine. Copyright (C) National Aviation Company of India Limited (Air India) |
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