Terracotta-1

Terracotta is derived from Latin word "Terra Cocta" meaning cooked earth or baked earth.. It is made from clay and is plain unglazed ceramic. Terracotta usually refers to those items which are made with hand or rather not made on potter's wheel.

Terracotta colour is a brownish orange colour. But the exact shade may vary depending on the properties of the clay used locally.

Terracotta in India has been used since ancient times since Indus valley civilization. Its used for pottery, bricks, shingles, votive figures of animal, gods and goddesses. Figures of horses, camels, elephants, tigers, monkeys, bears, bullocks, serpents, birds etc are made in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarath, Jhabua and Bastar regions of Madhya Pradesh and Darbhanga of Bihar. In Darbhanga of Bihar the figures are painted in bright colours. Similarly in Tamil Nadu too horses and other figures are made of clay. These are then offered to the local deities.

In rural India, roof tops have always been covered with natural materials, one of them being the tiles or shingles made from clay or terracota. You can find these even today. Its easy to make, cheap and effective. But it requires replacement due to wear and tear with the passgae of time. Its also natural and easy to dispose off as it becomes dust and quite Eco friendly.

Terracota pots have also been in use in India. Either plain or decorated are used for cooking, cooling water and for decorative purpose. In the recent years, we Indians have again started using terracota products for decorating homes and gardens.

Here are some of the products- quite artistic and beautifully made:


See the bells. Two of them have been painted silver colour. these are hung in the gardens or in the front of the houses. The big one can also be used for covering an earthen ware lamp (Diya) to protect it from wind. The holes on it would allow the light.

Here you can see some more including the lanterns and bells which can be hung from trees in the garden.

This is a wind chime made of terracotta. I wanted to paint it. But did not have time yet. Its hung in my garden. I doubt whether even a hurricane would make it chime. LOL! :) :) . But it produces a beautiful sound, though not as much as a metal one.

You can see a terracotta parrot perched on one of the bells.

Here you can see some figurines of artisans at work. A lady and two men. These are used as decarators in the gardens, or in homes.

Here you can see two candle holders, one with the handle, and the other black one shaped like a tabla. There is a swan lamp, and a conch shell shaped plant holder.

The swan lamps, and a pot with a wine round it and boat shaped candle holders.

You can see some simple lamps. They are called diyas, which are lighted by using wick and oil in our prayer rooms, or for decoration or any religious/festive occasions.

 

These are a few of the beautiful items our craftsmen make. Especially the ones from Bengal are very skilled ones. They make some of the most beautiful ones. Hope you like them. Please leave your comments if any.

 

Keep an eye on my blog for more.....

Diamond Stitch

Here is at last, my version of Diamond Stitch. I am afraid I could not practice much. But I am happy that I have attempted it at all. With working continuously 10-12 hrs a day and away from home, it was difficult for me at the end of the day to sit in the night and do this. But I am happy.

My doodling of the stitch are here directly on the cloth as you can see above. So I have made some mistakes, since I had to get the hang of it. The first ones are the two rows of the aquamarine green floss. Then I thought of adding the beads with the pink thread. Then came the purple one and the yellow. Actually I just wanted to do some more rows of the yellow floss and decorate it with beads. But just dint have the time or energy. it took me a while to grasp the stitch and establish the rhythm.

Here is a closer look.

Here I used it for couching the silk ribbon. The stitches can be put on the ribbon to attach it to the base cloth. I put the stitches out side the ribbon, so that the ribbon is not attached to the base cloth and can be changed. It would look new each time. 

How about using this as a border to a sari, blouse/tunic (at the sleeves and neck) or for a skirt or for a bag or a purse? I have left the edges of the ribbon with out stitching. But the edges can be zigzagged with out touching the ground cloth, so that they don't fray. It would look good if the centers of the diamonds are decorated with beads or sequin.

I may doodle  this stitch again when I feel like. then I will again upload my pictures.

Please do leave your comments and suggestions.

Indian Villages-1

I never observed that I had completed hundred posts on my blog. It was quite difficult and I had to struggle initially with paucity of time. But all you appreciation and encouragement has spurred me on.  I just dont want my blog to have posts on one or two subjects alone. It should reflect my culture, my life and my country with bits of everything a I see as I comprehend and as I feel I want all of you to share with me...

Well, in celebration of my century and of coarse my life......here is what is dear to me most...India;

India was and perhaps still is basically a country of villages. People are dependent on agriculture and related industries. With a climatic and geographical zones so different at various places, it is really a boon to India that various crops can be harvested. Kashmir has a cold climate like the Western countries. Here all the fruits like, apples, cherries, spices like cardamom, dry fruits, saffron can be grown. Punjab and other areas are fertile with water from the river sources. Hence various crops like the wheat, maize, sugarcane etc are grown in bounty.Rajasthan and Gujrath regions, are hot and covered by desserts. So we get some of the products like the dates and the dessert ber (its a kind of berry). Down South, its highly fertile and also has a very long coast line. We grow, rice, spices, coconuts, sugarcane, groundnuts and other oil seeds, tamarind, grapes, pomegranates etc are cultivated.

Well, I love our villages and village folk. Simple and frugal living, struggling lives., lots of problems like poverty,  debts, lack of even basic amenities, ...yet, there is a contentment, satisfaction, living near to nature in pollution free atmospheres which is not available in city life. Only if we can help them even in a small way....

Here are some of the scenes I tried to capture. But since I was doing so from a moving vehicle  some of them lack clarity and will be fuzzy. Sorry for that. I am a novice with a camera; even digital at that...lol!

These are the typical scenes of villages one gets along the roads, we travel.. See the rolling hills in the distance, a blue sky, various shades of greens and yellows, dotted with huge trees and tall palms every now and then and then of coarse the water and reflections of nature in the water. Oh so beautiful!

Here you can see the green fields, with the tall palms and other trees as boundaries. Some poets describe  this as Mother Nature wearing a sari in various shades of green...isnt the thought beautiful?

As my vehicle was moving with speed, I was suddenly caught with this one.  Amateur that I am,I  fumbled, mumbled, panicked and some how managed to click it. The greenery, the blue skies, the still water, the little rocks and islands in the water with greenery and little white egrets. You can see the green moss under the still water.

I think they are called egrets, they stalk the cattle along with the wild mynas and are found a plenty in our fields.

Here is perhaps a better view. Well every photographer gets caught with surprises like these. The coll and calm ones, the ones with more patience and the ones who are more experienced, but of coarse the ones with lots of LUCK in their favour can click it at the right moment. Mine was more luck  than skill. I just did not know whether to drink in the beauty of the nature or aim and get a picture. Perhaps I just did it as a reflex action? I don't remember at all accept for the fear that I passed a very beautiful chance. Until I had a look at it, I just kept on cursing myself for being so slow to react. But then I got it OK. Hey I think I did well?

Here you can see the cattle tied in ones yard, the farm implements and machinery, hay stack, dust and the greenery. You can see the a Babool trees on one side and tamarind on the other, which are quite common on our country side.

Babool trees as they are called in Hindi are the Acasia or commonly known as Gum Arabica, are called as Thumma Chetllu in Telugu. These are very medium sized, hardy  trees with long thorns and small leaves. So they are saved from the cattle and can with stand serious drought conditions. Its medicinal properties are well known to Indains since ancient times. They are used as protective hedges, help in vegetating arid and semi arid regions, used as fuel by the village folk and also give shade. Its good for teeth hence used in tooth pastes.

Well tamarind as you know are very huge trees, give shade and also the sour fruits which are used extensively in our cooking as souring agent.

The scenes are so idyllic ...Some more in my next post...Hope you have liked them as much as I do...

Please do leave your comments and suggestions.