Coppersmith Craft ~ ...
Palpora, Sonwar Bagh, Srinagar...
The Manamedu sarees have earned their reputation for being durable and gorgeous cotton-zari sarees that imbibe the culture of South India. These sarees have a tremendous amount of cultural significance attached to them. Moreover, the design of these sarees can be seen as simplistic, yet contemporary which makes them the perfect fit for everyone. The elegant stripes done on them, make them stand out and also make the wearer feel graceful and beautiful.
Manamedu is a picturesque village in Trichy, Tamil Nadu that is of historical significance as the capital city of the Chola kingdom. Once a thriving weaving center, it is still popular for producing cotton sarees known as Manamedu saree.
Coming from different regions of Tamil Nadu, Manamedu produces the simpler and everyday wear cotton sarees while Kanchipuram is known for flamboyant colours and considered occasion wear. The Manamedu and Kanchipuram are also distinct in the weaving styles that produce them - the latter is produced through korvai and petni techniques.
Weaver tags or Geographical Indicator tags popularly referred to as GI tags are recognition given by the Union Government to denote the unique area of origin where the tagged crafts are made. These are signifiers of the uniqueness of makers of the said crafts but rather are also provided so that consumers are being provided authentic goods. The Weaver tag associated with Manamedu provides the assurance that the saree has been woven in the mills of Manamedu by the local artisans.
The lightly woven cotton zari Manamedu saree from TN is known for its minimal thread work coupled with high contrast border and pallu. Often portrayed with geometric motifs,(peacock eye,mango etc) straight lines with motifs woven with silk and mercerized cotton
Saliyar weavers:
Devanga weavers:
Saliyar weavers:
Devanga weavers:
There are a large number of challenges that are faced by the weavers of Manamedu sarees as well as the overall handloom industry.
Weavers from Manamedu of Trichy district are exceptional in incorporating smart and unusual designs in their Sarees. They are woven in soft 80s cotton with minimal thread work but high contrast in the borders and pallu. These sarees are made out of soft cotton yarn which are dyed in a variety of colors.
When we look at the waste generated from the saree weaving and production, we come across two noteworthy points, these are- cotton waste from pre and post customer usage and water after dyeing.
Cotton can be recycled from pre-consumer (post-industrial) and post-consumer cotton waste. Pre-consumer waste comes from any excess material produced during the production of yarn, fabrics and textile products. For example, selvedge from weaving and fabric remnants from factory cutting rooms. On the other hand, post-consumer waste comes from discarded textile products. For example, used apparel and home textiles.
During the recycling process, the cotton waste is first sorted by type and colour and then processed through stripping machines that break the yarns and fabric into smaller pieces before pulling them apart into the fibre. The mix is carded several times in order to clean and mix the fibers before they are spun into new yarns. The resulting staple fibre is shorter than the original fiber length, meaning, it is more difficult to spin. Recycled cotton is, therefore, often blended with virgin cotton fibers to improve the yarn strengths. Commonly, not more than 30% recycled cotton content is used in the finished yarn or fabric. Since waste cotton is often already dyed, re-dyeing may not be necessary. Cotton is an extremely resource intense crop in terms of water, pesticides and insecticides. This means that using recycled cotton can lead to significant savings of natural resources and reduce pollution from agriculture. In fact, recycling one tonne of cotton can save 765 cubic metres of water. This ensures that the wastage is curbed and environment-friendly methods are adopted.
Another form of wastage that takes place during the production of cotton sarees is that of the water left after the dyeing of the yarn. Most of the time, chemical dyes are used for dyeing the yarn, the water then left is polluted and harmful since it contains chemicals A lack of proper waste disposal techniques makes it worst and contributes to environmental pollution and water wastage.
Archaeological evidences and ancient literature support that Tiruchirappalli, a city of historic significance, was the capital city of Cholas in 300 B.C. The city is shortly known as Trichy now.
There are several literary sources that tell you how Woraiyur continued to be under the control of Cholas even during the days of Kalabhrainterregnum (A.D. 300 - 575). Later, Woraiyur along with the present day Tiruchirappalli and its neighboring areas came under the control of Mahendra Varma Pallava I, who ascended the throne in A.D. 590.
Till A.D. 880, according to the inscriptions, this region was under the hegemony of either the Pallavas or thePandyas. It was in 880 AD that Aditya Chola brought a downfall to the Pallava dynasty. From then on, Trichy and its adjoining regions became a part of the Great Cholas. In 1225 A.D, the area was occupied by the Hoysulas. Afterwards, it came under the rule of later Pandyas till the advent of Mughal Rule. Mughal rule was put to an end by the Vijayanagar rulers. The Nayaks,the Governors of Vijayanagar Empire, ruled this area till A.D. 1736. It was Viswanatha Nayaka who built the present day Teppakulam and the Fort. The Nayak dynasty came to an end during the days of Meenakshi. The Muslims ruled this region again with the aid of either the French or the English armies. For some years, Tiruchirappalli was under the rule of Chanda Sahib and Mohamed Ali.
Finally, English brought Trichy and other areas under their control. The district was then under the hegemony of British for about 150 years till the independence of India.
Trichy lies at 10.8050°N 78.6856°E and Manamedu covers an area of 313.21 hectares.
The city is situated at the head of the Cauvery Delta. During the summer months of March-May, Manamedu is extremely hot and dry during daytime. However, evenings are rendered cooler by cold winds that blow from south-east. According to a popular saying, the climate of Tiruchirappalli is "eight months hot and four hotter”.
Trichy is a tier two city, well connected with the rest of the country by bus, taxi, railways and flights. It has many medium to low to high budget hotels for comfortable stay around the city. The city has many educational institutes, bringing in people from other parts of the country.There are several public and private healthcare centres in this region to provide care for the citizens. Moreover, basic facilities such as water and electricity are also in place.
All the settlements in this region are compact in size and is surrounded by agricultural fields and woody groves. In villages, such as Manamedu, every house has useful trees like drumstick, curry leaves, mango and herbal plants like Tulsi that are used for various purposes.
Vernacular houses in this region have their origins in humble single spaced rural huts, built by locals with the available knowledge of materials and techniques. The most primitive form of rural dwelling which forms the origin of the vernacular architecture of Tamil Nadu is a single space multifunctional unit. These essentially simplistic plans however have also led to elaborately embellished houses built over a period of time by the more affluent segments of the society. Trade played an important role in history to fuel the imagination and combined with local craftsmanship, marvels of Chettinad houses were created.
The space has essentially a tripartite division, viz., Tinnai (the raised verandah), Koodam (the inner living hall) and the Samayal (Kitchen). The outside verandah is the male zone and inside, the female zone. A woven Durry or mat to sit on, chit chat for hours, lie down or make strings of flowers, receive guests and perform other recreational activities like playing board games, is the only piece of furniture required here. A study box for the house accountant and an array of kitchen accessories to prepare Vethalai-pakku (digestive made of betel leaves, lime and areca nut) are also found here. Wooden pillars are an integral part of these houses. They may be heavy and intricately carved. The middle part, which includes the inner verandah is where most of the weaver community has installed their looms today.
The doors are small and usually have photo frames of Goddess Laxmi or family members hung on top. Rear of the house remains the female zone, thus segregating the public, semiprivate and private activities in a dwelling. These structures were constructed using locally available permanent materials such as stone, Laterite stone, mud mortar, country wood, bamboo and tiles. The roof is pitched with a two sided slope
Today, most of the houses are constructed with cement, but in village area roofs are still made using clay tiles. A single large water body or number of water ponds form an essential part of the settlement and were perhaps the reason for its growth and have a great impact on its micro climatic conditions. In towns a strict row housing pattern is adopted, narrow lanes connect neighbourhoods. As we speed across towns towards villages, the roads get narrower but also lighter and greener. We breathe air that nourishes our senses. Sparsely sprinkled over the red soil on fields ready for harvest, lush green draped are thatched roof hutments, some replaced by mud roof tiles and many by concrete buildings.
Temple architecture of South, based on laws of Vastushastra is the seat of high craftsmanship of ancient value. The style of architecture is known as Dravidian architecture and is marked by highly sculptural pyramidal structures, grandeur of which has a humbling effect on people. Every temple is surrounded by beautiful streets, where even now, we can find Sthapathis, the metal and stone sculptors of Chola style living. These marvels of mankind are apart from being places of religious importance, great repositories of scriptures and rare manuscripts, sculptures based on perfected knowledge of human anatomy known as Shilpa Shastra, motifs and patterns textile has taken lead from and remarkable line of forms life can exist in, and still be worthy of worship. Among many Gods, Goddesses, Demigods and creatures, these temple premises also house Rakshashas. The order within a temple is much like that of a world in harmony with its good and evil forces together.
Women generally wear a fabric drape around them, 6 to 8 yards of length. First tied round the waist with pleats gathered in front and then brought over the right shoulder, covering their breasts. A part of the drape is either let free hanging from the shoulder or brought in front along the waist. This part is called the Pallu and is commonly the most elaborately designed and embellished part of this drape called the Sari. Tucking the Pallu on your left waist in front is a very common style of wearing a sari in this region. This provides the women the required freedom of movement while at work. A sari in today’s time is worn on top of a skirt tightly fixed on the waist and a snug fit blouse covering the top. These stitched blouses cover the chest, leaving the midriff unto the navel exposed. However, we see many other ways a sari is draped on Goddesses in old temples of the region. A few other identified ways are; the lower portion draped like a Sari with front pleats alone, and the other end not covering the breasts or shoulders. Apart from sari, younger and unmarried women can also be seen wearing stitched salwars and Kurtas and skirts and blouses. There is also a considerable variety of gold jewelry women like to adorn themselves with. Ornaments like nose pins, anklets, ear rings, bangles and waist belts or a waist dangler carrying bunch of keys are common to this place. Some common designs of nose pins may have a circular metal ring around the nostril, a large metal disc sitting, and spiral like metal ring etc, nose pins are also very popularly worn on both sides of the nostril. They can be embedded with precious stones and pearls and are considered auspicious. Women wearing Jasmine flower garlands (Veini) in their hair are an age-old tradition in Tamil Nadu. While the choice of flower may vary from Jasmine to Hibiscus to Roses to Lilies, depending upon the season, wearing a Veini on oiled and pleated hair is a must. Many flower sellers can be spotted during morning and evening along the road. Flowers are also bought as a tribute to Gods by people who love visiting temples ritualistically. Hindu Gods and Goddesses are depicted wearing garlands & flower ornaments, which indicates that ancient fashion sustainably drew from rich tropical flora in India.
Traditionally, Veshti (White fabric with simple line border) is the most common bottom-wear for men in Tamil Nadu. It is wrapped around the waist and legs. It is the traditional dress worn by men in marriages too… however, the material may be silk for special occasions. This rectangular shaped cloth is generally made with cotton for daily usage. It is mostly worn with a shirt or Angavastram. Angavastram is another significant part of Tamil dressing. It is a piece of fabric wrapped around the shoulders. Men also wear Kumkum or Sandlewood tilaks on their forehead in various formations. The most preferred formation being that of a horizontal trident across their forehead, with a dot in the centre, just as the one seen on Shiva’s forehead. around the nostril, a large metal disc sitting, and spiral like metal ring etc, nose pins are also very popularly worn on both sides of the nostril. They can be embedded with precious stones and pearls and are considered auspicious. With time more and more people are switching to cotton Lungi as their daily outdoor wear, for its less formalness. Lungis are available in different colors and check patterns very easily. They are made of lesser fabric and mostly cotton, which makes them cost effective and are worn above the knees, giving the wearer more flexibility to move around. While most of the native crowd can still be seen in traditional wear only, the younger ones and the office going men have also taken up denims and pants quite popularly.
Sentimentally black is avoided, being considered a colour of death by Hindus.
Growing paddy, banana, coconut, sugarcane, cultivating fish in tributaries of Cauvery and along the coast line of Bay of Bengal is the main occupation of the people here. Tamarind, Neem, Palm, Banyan and Gulmohar trees form a vault way for people to walk through. Amidst such proximity to mother earth one finds nourishment for all senses merely by being. Blessed with bounty, the land supplies food and supplements to its children living in towns and cities. A typical Tamil fully laid meal comprises of all the six Rasas of Ayurveda, namely; Sweet, sour, bitter, salty, astringent and pungent. A balance of these in diet ensures not just a tasty meal but also the essence of one’s being eventually. Spread on a banana leaf, freshly cut and cleaned are vegetables, rice, lentils, pickles and Chutnis(spices, fruits, vegetable pureed) in various proportions. While a poppadum made out of lentil, Coconut Chutni, onion tamatoChutni, Sambar dal, rasam, buttermilk and rice flavored with lemon or tamarind are a must, vegetables like ladyfinger, bottle gourd, peas, cabbage, potato, fish etc cooked in coconut oil, with or without gravy may vary. Pudding made of sweetened rice and milk, Ravasheera, Badam halwa and many more options for desserts are made depending on season and choice. This elaborate meal gets even grander during weddings and can be brought down to only a few dishes on everyday basis. The green leafy plate with all these colorful and multi textural elements placed on it in an array is called Sapad and is quite a visual delight. With their practices still rooted in their strong traditional values, people eat with their hands and mixing the food well on the thali itself before taking the morsel to mouth is a common practice. This is believed to be important to break down the elements of the food to a level, where all the Rasas mix well, the food tastes better and is light on digestive system. Sapad is usually the midday meal. Incontrast to this, dinner before sunset, usually withfruits or freshly made wheat bread with lentils ormilk is the lightest meal of the day.
As the black plum vendor in the midst of a bustling road of this freshly woken city shouts at the pitch of her voice, we realize that the muscular armed, strong built, spiked haired vendor on the bicycle is a woman. Riding with a grass basket mound with fresh black plums, bright vermilion drape and yellow gold jewellery sparkling boldly on her black berry skin. With roots strongly embedded in ancient Tamilian culture, the society here today cradles many local casts- Kallar, VellalaGounder, Reddiyar, Saurashtrians, Mudiliyar, Nadar, andNaidus living in harmony with each other.
Prominently majestic temples and a lifestyle woven around them even today shows a very strong Brahmin influence in the region. People from all communities have been living here in unity frommany centuries. During the Karikala times, Yavanas (Greeks) lived here, and then Kalbras, Telugu, Muslims and at last European churches found establishment here. Examples of co-existence of religious practices can be found with Christians celebrating Pongal as Anthoniyaar Pongal and Muslims celebrating SanthanaKoodu (Sandal) festival
Tamil is the widely spoken language, the standard dialect being Central Tamil dialect. Telugu, Thanjavur Marathi, English and Saurashtrian are other languages spoken here. Lord Murugan and Shiva are the most widely prayed deities. Pongal, Dipawali and Mariamman are festivals celebrated with great pomp and show. People gather wearing bright clothes as against the regularly preferred whites, decorate their houses and celebrate together with sweetmeats; Myorepak, Payasom, Adirasom (rice sweet) being a few favorites. Men wear Dhoti and shirts and women their six yard saris, with their hair neatly tied behind in a bun or pleat, decorated with strings of jasmine, rose, lily(as per the season).
The people in this region is are employed in agriculture and industry. People are well educated, however, their primary occupation is agriculture. Though with changing times and a great emphasis in this region on education, we see more and more people drifting towards cities-some to take up jobs in big/small companies, while others to sell their fresh harvest of bananas. Many different communities here are also employed in making handicrafts including beautiful cotton and silk sarees that are sold all over the country.
Apart from the Manamedu sarees, the state of Tamil Nadu is also famous for paintings, musical instruments, jewelry, metalware, pottery, woodcraft, stone carving and other textiles including cotton and silk sarees from different districts.
List of craftsmen.
“Please let us know if you found this informational or inspirational or hopefully, both!! The information presented here was obtained through the research conducted by the Gaatha research team in the YEAR. Please attribute the information found here to “syntax”.