The most famous bronze craft in India is the ancient statue of Nataraja
(Lord Siva in dancing posture). But in Kerala bronze (bell metal or
gun metal) popularly known as Odu is used for making small and big
vessels, lamps etc. Huge wick lamps in different sizes and shapes
like the Nilavilakku , Thookkuvilakku - hanging lamp, etc are widely
used in each and every house.
The Valkannadi (literally tailed mirror) is representative of Lakshmi
- the goddess of prosperity. Other pooja articles like the Kindi (water
container of a particular shape with a sprouting nozzle), Uruli (wide
shallow cooking vessel), Thattu (plates), etc are exquisitely crafted
in bronze. Most of these are now only available in curio shops as
collectors items. The originals are pretty expensive. The Malayalee
kitchen once almost fully occupied with odu ware are now replaced
by stainless steel, aluminium, ceramic and glass ware.
But even today for rituals and religious occasions 'Odu' wares are
still used. A variety of bronze (Vellodu) is often used for making
the uruli and it has more alloy content of lead.
The odu is cast mostly in northern Kerala. Places like Payyannur
and Kunhimangalam in Kannur, Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, Pallippuram
in Palakkad - are all in the northern regions and towards south Aranmula
and Mannar in Alappuzha district have several bronze casting units.
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