A centuries-old craft is struggling to survive in Tiruchi’s Big Bazaar area, its royal patrons replaced by today’s political and social clubs. In the narrow lane adjoining the Angalamman temple in Pookalam, R. Jamburaj and his family make finely detailed handicrafts using the foamy pith of the sola plant.
Also known by its Tamil name netti , sola ( Aeschynomene indica or Aeschynomene aspera ) is a reed that grows in waterlogged areas. Its spongy inner core (obtained after a light woody covering is skinned off), is 1.5 inch in diameter. Skilled artisans cut along the circumference to produce small sheets of white paper-like quality that are then cut and used to create models of local landmarks, photo frames, deities, wedding ornaments, decorative headgear, and figurines used in temple rituals.
Mr. Jamburaj is the fifth generation exponent of sola pith carving. “My forefathers were originally temple car carvers in Mariammankovil village near Thanjavur,” Mr. Jamburaj told The Hindu . “We were given a grant by Raja Serfoji II, (1777 –1832), to become sola pith artisans, and since then, this craft has stayed with us.”
Sola pith carving is popular in West Bengal, where religious artefacts made out of the plant-based material are used during the Durga puja celebrations. “Everything is joined with glue (cooked refined flour starch or chemical epoxy), but the real workmanship lies in not showing the joints,” said Mr. Jamburaj. “I can produce any design from memory, because I’ve been doing it for so long,” he added.
The royal patronage of the craft had made it so popular in the Cauvery delta that Mr. Jamburaj’s father, T. S. Rajendran, actually ran a school to train artisans in Lalgudi. Rajendran, who died in 2001, was a recognised master of the craft, and served as a committee member of Poompuhar. “My father wanted more people to take up pith carving as a profession,” said Mr. Jamburaj. “He himself worked right up to the age of 82, and until today, it’s his name that is most recognisable when you talk about sola pith carving in this region.”
Using just one knife and a steady hand, it takes Mr. Jamburaj 15 days to make a replica of the Rock Fort, down to its textured details, and depending on the size, the model sells for anywhere between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,500. “These days we have around 10 regular customers, mostly representatives of political parties and social clubs, who seek us out to prepare these souvenirs and carved photo frames that decorate the sides of citation announcements,” he said.
With the wetlands disappearing, the sola pith is becoming harder to find. “Each stalk of the reed costs Rs. 10, of which not all may be usable,” said Mr. Jamburaj. “Most of our material comes from Andhra Pradesh or Thanjavur’s paddy fields.”
Mr. Jamburaj is assisted by his brother Selvaraj and daughters Bhoomadevi and Gowri, but is unsure about the survival of the craft. “The Government is not interested in helping us. The workmanship of the older generation is also vanishing,” he said.
