Ivory Craft Of Kerala
Ivory carving is another traditional art of Kerala. The art was given an impetus by Swati Tirunal Maharaja. An ivory throne made by Swati Tirunal is still preserved as a show piece. The craftsmen engaged in this art at present produce a variety of models of mythological characters, animals, birds, cigarette cases etc., to cater to different tastes. A typical specimen of ivory carving produced in Kerala is that of the snake boat (Chundan vallam) and it is cherished by tourists to the State as a memento. The craftsmen engaged in ivory carving also use other materials like the buffalo born for practicing their art. Ivory carving handicraft has been an integral part of Kerala's indigenous handicraft scenario for almost 200 years. The artifacts mostly include mythological figures and natural objects. Recently, ivory and wood have been skillfully blended together to create beautiful handicrafts. Perhaps the crowning glory of the Kerala ivory carver is the small seed shell (with a diameter of 0.5 cm) housing a 'menagerie' of a hundred or more miniature ivory elephants. |