|
||||||||
Caparisoned elephant miniatures - Kerala Shopping |
|
||||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
|||
|
Caparisoned elephant miniatures
The more you come to know about our festivals the more you become familiar with phrases like 'caparisoned elephants', 'coloured parasols' etc. In Kerala, the elephant is a part of our lives and almost every house has at least one. You can carry one home in your trunk too. Our craftsmen are skilled at carving out little elephants in wood and stone, and decorating them with little mirrors, beads and embroidery to make them look like the actual caparisoned tusker. Kerala is famed for its carvings, cast bell metal work, jewellery, granite idols, pillars, coir, coconut shell and sea-shell products, carvings in wood (especially rosewood or sandalwood), snake boat models and other figurines. Each of these crafts is confined to select regions. Craftsmen in Thiruvananthapuram make rosewood elephants besides conch and sea shell articles like paper weights and lamp shades. The actual caparison and decorations for elephants, and other festival paraphernalia are made in Thiruvankulam in Ernakulam district and the adjoining areas of Thrissur. You can walk into any handicrafts emporium at the tourist destinations
in the State and pick up the article of your choice. The SMSM Institute,
a state owned emporium in Thiruvananthapuram is the most sought out
outlet for such handcrafted items.
|
|
||||||
