AN ODE TO THE DOERS
The monolithic Vimana of the Thanjavur Big Temple or the sculptural marvel that Ajanta and Ellora are, the majestic Pyramids of Giza, the Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and countless other buildings stand as the manifestation of man’s desire to build beyond his best possible means.
All architectural accomplishments have one thing in common. Often forgotten in the legends of architecture are artists, sculptors, engineers, masons and a bevy of skilled workers who excel in the art of construction and their contributions. They are the lesser celebrated heroes that make it possible to translate a design from paper to stone, brick and mortar. The realization of all architecture heavily relies upon those who can build it. To design, it takes knowledge and creativity. But to produce the design into its physical form and bring it into existence is an unparalleled art. The likes of historians, architects, archaeologists, and engineers have, for long, speculated upon how the manmade wonders of our world were built even before the advent of a fraction of the technology exists today.
But is it not just the artistry and craftsmanship of these well-known monuments that need to be celebrated. India is home to several indigenous and vernacular practices that have evolved over several centuries with traditional knowledge passed down from one generation to another by family line or informal schools of the masters of the craft.
With globalization blurring the lines of culture and tradition into a monotonous world of similar buildings, these vernacular craftsmen have been rendered redundant. With the artist, dies the art. While several attempts have been made to revive these crafts with government and institutional intervention, the death of these crafts is largely attributed to the indifference of people towards their indigenous crafts.
This article talks about some crafts that have been gaining attention due to the interest generated by conservation enthusiasts in the design sector.
The Madras Terrace Roof
A traditional roof building technique made using achikal brick, a brick that’s half the thickness of the standard brick, wood and lime plaster was commonly used for constructing small spans of roof. The wooden beams are laid at intervals of 45cm or lesser with a lining of the achikal bricks tightly packed diagonally to the edges of the walls with lime mortar. These roofs were ideally suited for hot and humid weather conditions since they provided excellent thermal insulation keeping the house cool during harsh summers of Madras.
Today, as a marriage of two crafts, this has been experimented upon by combining this technique with jack arch roofs and other techniques in order to optimize on the material needs of today.
Athangudi Tiles
Athangudi tiles have been more widely celebrated for its intricate details and colourful patterns. The tradition, once at a huge risk of extinction due to the more commercially viable mosaic and vitrified tile options has regained its momentum, thanks to the community of art, architecture and heritage enthusiasts. These handmade tiles are individually crafted by skilled artists and are cared for, for days before they can be used for flooring.
Athangudi tiles have been extensively used by designers to create themed or rustic interiors, by people making their homes to create a sense of place, in restaurants, hotels and even offices.
Jaisalmer stone carvers
Jaisalmer is renowned for its sandstone architecture, for its narrow lanes lined with stunning havelis and its insta-worthy views. But what makes its plain geometry truly exquisite is in the skilled sculptural ornamentation by stone carvers. While several conservation attempts have been made to preserve the art, the craft still remains vulnerable.
While a lot of these crafts might seem redundant in an era of post-modernist architecture, the designer community has to make a conscious effort in pushing the cause for these heritage crafts wherever possible.