Handicraft in kerala is a hereditary occupation. But some places people who have great interest in arts practices it. It is another golden feather on Kerala heritage and culture. The artisans of kerala have traditional expertise in carving in wood, jewellery design, both gold and silver and beautiful handicrafts with palm leaves, seashells, wood, coconut shells, clay, cloth, and also in other mediums, making idols and figures in metal etc. The idols of Lord Krishna, Goddess Saraswathi, Nataraja all in their fantastic dancing position and art forms like kathakali, theyyam etc and the models of famous boat races are all examples of craftsmanship of people of kerala.

Our artisans offer a range of products from ayurvedic soaps and balms to wood carvings, woven fibre baskets, bags, and mat and coir products. All these products are painfully hand worked by several women and men with much concentration and dedication. Natural materials, dyes and their simplicity add an exquisite beauty and charm to all these products. Its distinct pattern, designs and hues combined to make it all unique in all respect.

We have experts in making flower vases, ash trays, ornamental plates, jewel boxes, miniature boats, elephants, idols, kathakali masks, embroidery works, the ornaments, head gears and costumes for classical arts and ritual arts. They use the locally available turmeric, powdered rice, powdered leaves of Acacia etc for making excellent colours and combination of colours for painting faces of performers, which is also a very good example of handicrafts of Kerala.

Brass and Bell Metal

Metal crafts have the pride of place among the traditional arts. Bell-metal casting is an old time industrial art. It has involved mainly two kinds of activities. Images or idols of deities made out of copper, bronze and brass are used for consecration in temples and other religious purposes. Huge Vaarpu(shallow basins of hemispherical shape), and household utensils are all made of these metals. These products are noted for their high degree of perfection. Kerala handicraft is also famous for its wide variety of Vilakku (lamps) which are essential for every ceremony of keralities. Changalavattam, The Archana Lamp, The Arati Dipa etc.are few examples.

The Aranmula Valkannadi (Aranmula Metal Mirror) is the world famous product of kerala. It is an accidental product during metal casting. It is made of an alloy of copper and tin and resembles the glass mirror in every respect in point of utility. The Koftagari work, one of the popular metal crafts of India, is also being practiced by a few artisans in Trivandrum. Figures of deities, landscapes, floral designs and fancy articles of a wide variety are produced in Koftagari.

Wood Craft

Wood craft is one of the ancient arts of Kerala as it is testified to by the temples and churches of the State which abound in wood carvings. Items of furniture like chairs, tables, settees, sofas, almirahs, cots, radio castings etc., and models of animals and deities, toys and Kathakali accessories produced by Kerala craftsmen are very much in demand. The models of caparisoned elephants and the carvings of Kathakali dance-dolls are items of popular demand.

Ivory Works

Ivory carving is another traditional art of Kerala. Now the craftsmen engaged in this art produce a variety of models of mythological characters, animals, birds, cigarette cases etc., to cater to different tastes. A wide variety of Ivory carved showpieces especially models of snake boat (Chundan Vallam) are also cherished by the tourists to the state as mementoes. Buffalo born is also used by the artisans of this field for practicing their art.

Rosewood

Various temples that scattered throughout the state, doors, windows and ceilings of most of the ancient houses are pieces of admiration to the craftsmanship and tradition of rosewood industry. The Hindu mythology was the main theme of this industry in the earlier time. This ancient industry took a new turn with the cessation of the temple building activities and by the provoking modern society. Thus they made elephants, tigers etc in different poses to use as paper weight, lamp stand, etc and a variety of furniture, with rosewood.

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