Multiple choices in selecting a lamp are before you, in tune with your taste for the ensuing ‘Karthigai’ festival. The visitors are impressed by the workmanship of the brass vessels of various sizes and designs weighing from 300 grams to 5 kg which are on display.
The Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Corporation in the city makes use of every opportunity to market its products being made by skilled and conventional artisans. With the ‘Karhtigai Deepam’ festival round the corner, the Poompuhar showroom has stocked up a large number of brass lamps.
“There has been a growing demand for low-priced and medium-priced lamps which have the images of gods and goddesses such as Lord Muruga, Lord Ganapathy, and Lord Srinivasan. Lamps with ‘panchamuka’ design and ‘Navagraha’ lamps are also on display. The ‘Navagraha’ lamp has nine faces (spouts) with one of the faces made of iron, signifying the metal for Lord Saturn, says R. Gangadevi, manager of the showroom.
The lamps are made at the Poompuhar’s workshops at Nachiarkovil, Vagaikulam, and Madurai.
At one corner of the showroom are a set of lamps with ‘Nagas’ work which denotes a distinct design in the art of making lamps and the ‘Malabar’ lamps characteristic of culture of Kerala.
“We have stocked the Nagas and Malabar lamps in different weights,” says Ms. Gangadevi.
One of the Malabar lamps weighs about 8 kg and is priced at Rs.14,000. The ‘parrot hanging lamp’ with multiple designs weighs about 10 kg and is priced at Rs.45,000.
The parrot lamps are characteristic of their workmanship and are made in Nachiarkovil. “Weighing 300 grams, the lamp is priced at Rs. 540,” she says.
The exhibition caters to the needs of not only individuals but also religious institutions, particularly temples. “We have brought ‘thooda vilakku’ that costs Rs. 5,900 and the ‘Ashtothra vilakku’ with 108 spouts, weighing about 12 kg. A special discount is available up to 20 per cent.”
A special sales unit for marketing earthern lamps has also been opened. Kamalam, an entrepreneur from Tiruvanaikovil, says that most of the lamps have been designed with Lord Ganapathy at its centre. One of the lamps showing the Lord on a chariot being pulled by a mouse is one of the most attractive ‘agal’ lamps.
The exhibition is open till December 6.
