Sculpting The Sacred - Craft Research & Documentation
As part of our Semester 5 curriculum, we were required to visit an assigned Craft Cluster and conduct in-depth primary research for the purpose of creating a well-planned book outlining meticulous details of the craft along with a mini-documentary focusing on an aspect of our choice.
We were assigned Manasa Wood Creations in Perumaleri - a small village in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu.
Titled - 'Sculpting The Sacred' the project is an exhaustive insight into the relations between craft, nature and spirituality.
Since the beginning of life on Earth, trees have been an essential part of the ecosystem, providing undying resources to our planet’s living beings. How the wood from trees came to be an important aspect of Indian religion and community, particularly the primary medium of craft communities across the country is the discussion in this book. Manasa Wood Creations is a cluster located in the small village of Perumaleri, near Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. Institutionalised by Mr. K. Ramesh, since 2000, the cluster has been producing ethereal wooden products, carved to perfection - from deities to door panels, temple chariots to custom pieces, Manasa Wood Creations has created a domestic as well as international network of clientele. Going in-depth into the origin of the craft, the processes and methodology of the craft itself, its visual iconography and design along with it’s societal and ritual significance as well as challenges and logistics, this book is purposed to capture the history of wood carving and the essence of the craft at Manasa Wood Creations as it stands today.
