The story
Swamimalai's sthapathis trace their craft to the Chola period, when bronze icons were cast for the great temples of the Kaveri delta. Clay from the Kaveri river bed is used to make moulds for the lost-wax method. Each icon is modelled in wax, covered in clay, melted out and filled with molten metal, then finished by hand. Icons are made for temples in India and abroad and for collectors.
In numbers
Nearly 2,000 craftsmen from the Vishwakarma community make bronze icons in Swamimalai, and icons are sent to the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
Hands create gods — Deccan HeraldSwamimalai Bronze Icons is a registered GI (application 64, certificate 67).
GI Registry — Swamimalai Bronze Icons, application 64
GI tag
- Swamimalai Bronze IconsApplication no. GI Application No. 64 (Certificate No. 67)GI Registry, Intellectual Property India — application 64
Ways in for a newcomer
- Online export of certified temple bronzes
- Wax modelling and finishing job-work for master sthapathis
- Small decorative bronzes for gifting and hotels
- Craft tourism and workshops for visitors
Problems the cluster faces
- Rising copper and brass prices
- Fakes and machine-cast copies
- Export paperwork for antiquity checks
- Few young artisans
Businesses to start here
Pooja Brass Wares (Idols, Lamps, Bells) →Non-Ferrous Castings Foundry (Brass, Bronze, Gun Metal) →Investment Casting (Lost Wax Process) →Handloom and Handicrafts Retail Shop →