TRADITIONAL ARTISANS

The Vishwakarma community or caste of this Island includes well known artisans like Achari and Kuruppammar (carpenters,) sculptors, blacksmiths, bell metalworkers, goldsmiths, granite stone masons. They were brought by my ancestors from Trichy-Tanjavur belt for temple and building construction. They believe that they are the descendants of Vishwakarma. Vishwakarma is supposed to be the divine architect or engineer of the universe. They believe that the trades which they traditionally follow are superior to the work of a manual labour because they require artistic and scientific skills as well as those of the hand.

The Achari or Asari or Kuruppammar excelled in the traditional ‘Thachusastra’, the indigenous architecture for construction of building. The measurements were based on ‘Kole’, (a measurement reaper, the length of which is equivalent to 38 inches or about one Meter). They always carry a ‘Kole’, a chisel and a pencil was normally seen tucked behind the upper ear. They used to work on ‘Thatch Kooli’, daily wages. They would also carry a number of chisels of varied width, a wooden mallet, awls, saws, planes, files, screw driver, drill and hammers in a cloth bag. Doors, windows and roofs were made with so much of precision. Narayanan, Velappan, Balan Kuruppan Sivan Achari and Narayanankutty were one of the best among Viswakarmas at Kumbalam.

I have heard Balan Kuruppan reciting the mathematical measurements in verse form, which was handed down to him by his ancestors.  They also refer to a lot of books on ‘Thatchusastra’ to find suitable location to build a house, availability of water and for other calculation tables. 

I knew Unni Achari and Dinesan Achari, children of late Sivan Achari of Thundaparambil, are noted carpenters especially in carving industry.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

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