Symphony in stone: The Shore Temple by the Bay of Bengal in Mamallapuram, near Chennai, is a fine example of eighth century Pallava art. The tradition lives to this day, with sculptures being crafted in the town winning the Geographical Indication tag.
The raw canvas: Selection of stone is an art in itself, as even a minor flaw spells doom for the sculpture. The sculptors use blue metal stone excavated from distant quarries.
Rough cuts: The stone is cut to size depending on the style and dimensions of the sculpture. Giant cutters and water are used to break the stone carefully.
Historical connect: The sculptor traces a rough outline of the sculpture on stone. Though techniques used by Pallava artisans are buried in history, the present-day sculptures match the Pallava style.
Taking shape: After the marking is done, the stone is cut to the basic shape of the sculpture.
Flowering of art: Be it a seated Ganesha or a Buddha statue, Mamallapuram’s art has a certain charm to it. Depending on the size of the sculpture, the artisan can take up to a whole year to complete work. If the statue has intricate work, it takes longer.
Paper, stone, chisel: Some artisans of Mamallapuram use a drawing of the sculpture as a model.
God of big things: After an artisan’s many months of back-breaking toil, a Ganesha is ready to leave the studio.