The tile is taken out of mould
A hands-on
workshoprevealed the practical magic of Athangudi tiles
In Chokkalingampudur,
the owner of Athangudi Palace Tiles, Mr. G.Subramanian has been making
Athangudi tiles for over 3 decades.
De Artisan a team of
three conservation architects,
1. Saritha Varadan,
2. Divya Chakravarti and 3. Arva Firoz invited his artisans over to Chennai.
Hosted by DakshinasChitra, this wonderful tile workshop brought an age-old
process alive in a shaded arbour of trees to twelve participants.
A traditional process..
The handmade
Athangudi tiles of Chettinad are a unique and sophisticated expression of
culture and trade. The smooth-edged stencil, which produces the final floral or
/ geometric pattern, is made of
pithalai.
In earlier times, the
welding of parts for the stencil was done in silver, the metal being lighter
and giving fine concise welds. Crafting the precise stencil is highly
specialised and restricted to about three artisans in the area, as revered as
goldsmiths.
The stencil, which
can cost anywhere from eight to ten thousand, lasts a lifetime. G.Subramaniam
brought his father’s stencil made in 1950 for the workshop.
There is no single
formula to this traditional craft passed over generations from older to younger
hands. Making tiles can be a ten-step process or a twenty step one. Sand, white
cement, fine clay and oxides are premixed and churned for 20 minutes for a fine
dry mix. Water is added to achieve a smooth consistency.
Each tile is
individually cast on glass to ensure silky smoothness. While the traditional
tile-maker swears by the local clay, ultimately it is the artisan’s hands that
seal the pact.
The stencil of a
floral or geometric pattern is placed on a glass plate of the same size as the
tile, within a metal frame with handles. We watch Alagan from Athangudi deftly
pour coloured mixes into each receptacle of the stencil like a baker pouring
batter into a tray.
The artisan makes it look as simple as making an upside
down cake, but it takes skilled expertise, a tactile understanding of materials
and quick response at every step.
After a few minutes
of setting, the mould is whisked out, leaving the colourful pattern on the
glass. Onto this layer, which will eventually be the tile top, a dry mix of sand
and cement is applied and kept aside.
Next, wet sand and cement mixture of a
thick consistency is filled in and compacted. After setting, the tile is
removed for drying with the glass plate for about 24 hours.
Finally, tiles are
stacked and kept in a bath of water. Just as good cheese sits in a cellar and
ripens, the tiles cure in water for 8 to 12 days. When they are ready, the
tiles should slip away from the glass naturally.
Finished tiles are dried out
with husk laid over them to soak the excess moisture. The innate oils from the
husk impart a lovely sheen.
Athangudi tiles are
durable, cheaper than regular tiles and can be made in exotic patterns or
plain.
Standard colours used are red, mustard, green and grey. These tiles are
not fired or baked and therefore do not require any powering or fuel. Coconut
oil can be use for polishing over the years.
Vitalising the
industry..
We have a readymade
ecologically friendly solution making tiles. The challenges today are to find
ways to aid research and market this unique handmade production. The De Artisan
team is enthusiastic about encouraging new start-ups and sustaining the local
industry in Chettinad.
Conservation architect Divya Chakravarti notes, “The
majority of families involved with making Athangudi tiles depend on this
activity for their livelihood.
A tile artisan
typically makes 65 to 70 tiles a day.
Subramaniam’s factory can produce about
1,500 sq. ft of tiles a day.” As the tiles are heavy, with design of proper
packaging, breakage can be reduced during transport. While the cost of
transportation from Athangudi seems prohibitive, the tile costs inclusive of
laying is lesser than quality vitrified or ceramic tiles.
These tiles offer a
burst of the exotic in a corridor, puja room or main living area, a piece of
cultural heritage that can be easily brought home.
For enquiries contact
Src: Hindu
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