Concept Note for Icons of Tamil Nadu - A Proposal for

Developing Region Specific Souvenirs for Tamil Nadu

Submitted by -
Mehna S

Tamil Nadu is adorned with various tangible and intangible heritage icons. More than a
million tourists visit Tamil Nadu every year. By mapping all the region specific icons of Tamil
Nadu and accommodating it into souvenir styled products, could prove to be a major boost
to the handicrafts cluster.

Focus Areas:
● Developing and designing souvenir styled icons of Tamil Nadu based on the mapped
tangible and intangible heritage of Tamil Nadu.
● Upcycling the traditional products for creative reuse (eg: Modifying the Pattamadai
mats as a Table top diner mats)
● Sale of these products either in the raw or modified form as memorabilia to the
incoming tourist and floating population.
● Boosting the economic generation of the artisans and makers of the products.
● Promoting those crafts that are in line to acquire the GI tag.
● Roping in third party agencies to design and manufacture new age souvenir products
using the raw form of the traditional handicrafts.
● Marketing and selling of the upcycled, upscaled and traditional products in all public
hotspots of Tamil Nadu.

A preliminary mapping of all the traditional handicrafts practised in Tamil Nadu is attached
along with a list of all the heritage icons out of which innovative and new age souvenirs could
be derived.
Tamil Nadu

Grass craft : Grass mats -korai pai; Palmyra leaf- panna olai;root craft

Pulicat
Conch shell and other shell crafts -valampuri and edampuri sanghu
Tiruvallur
chennai TEXTILE :Bobbin lace;weaving -nisavu,Crochet
Vellore
Kanchipuram
Metal Images : sheet metal claddings -Kavasam or
Krishnagiri
Mamallapuram kavacham ,bronze casting , lamps - kuthuvilakku
Modaiyur
Arani
Tiruvannamalai Stone carving - kallu silai ;temple construction -Suthai,
stucco uyirottam kal, granite-karun kall
Dharmapuri Kottakarai
Viluppuram

Kumarapalayam Kuyilapalayam village

K Wood carving - mara silai
Auroville
Thammampatti
T
Kottakarai
Salem Cuddalore Jewellery making - nagai velai
Pallipalayam Vaniambadi
Bhavani
Nilgiris
Udagamandalam
Kotagiri
Erode
Namakkal
Thammampatti Paper craft :handmade paper
Perambalur
Arumbavur

Coimbatore Tiruppur Pottery and clay -man panai/ayyanar silai

Tiruchirappalli
Karur
Nagapattinam
Thanjavur
Tiruvarur
Leather: bags and others -tholl velai

Pudukkottai Folk painting : Thanjavur glass paintings- PallagaI padam

Dindigul Swamimalai
Papanasam
Kumbakonam
Dolls & Toys :kolu bommai
Theni
Madurai
durai
Sivaganga Metalware : Brass repoussé pithallai thatu
Karaikudi
Pudukottai
Virudhunagar Textiles: hand painted : kalamkari, tie / dyeing - Sungadi
Sekharnagar
RamanathapuramChittarkottai
Thirupullani
Ramnad Musical instrument : veena;wind instrument nagaswaram ;bamboo flu

Manapad Glass
Tuticorin/Thoothukudi
Tirunelveli
Textile : applique -thombai; Toda embroidery
Pattamadai

theatre crafts: Muthangi -(pearl - studded attire)

Nagercoil
Suchindram
Mylaudy Kanyakumari Meta-Cluster : Tamilnadu
Dhurries and rugs

HL Handloom
Sno Places Raw Materials Icons and Traditional Products Available Proposed Memorabilia
Artifacts

1. Nilgiris Toda Embroidery ● Toda embroidery shawls ● Toy train miniature model
● Sling bags ● Kurinji and other flowers resin
● Pouches crafts
● Mats ● Ooty merchandises
● Nilgiri (orthodox) tea
● Masks
● Ooty chocolates
● Keychains
● Mobile pouches
● Luggage tag
Toda Embroidery ● Purse
● Workbags
● Coasters
● Wall hanging

Kurinji Flower

Ooty Toy Train

2. ● Kancheepuram Silk Silk Sarees Silk based products
● Salem ● Bags
● Arani ● Purses
● Thirumbavana ● Pouches
m ● Scrunchies
● Madurai ● Shawls/ Stoles
Sungudi ● Eyecover
● Kandangi ● Bandanas
sarees ● Fans
● Bangles/ jewellery

Silk Sarees

3. Kodaikanal Cheese and chocolates ● Home made chocolates ● Keychains with scenic views
Local handicrafts ● Home made cheese ● Topography glass craft

Topography of Kodaikanal

4. Kancheepuram Kancheepuram silks ● Kancheepuram silk sarees ● Kancheepuram silk collections

such as purses, bags and pouches
● Miniature temple models
● Keychain of these temples
● Stone pillar keychain models
● Temple collections - statues,
diaries, calendars, postcards

Kailasanathar Temple
5. Kanniyakumari ● Fibre Fibre based products ● Thiruvalluvar statue miniature
● Screwpine ● Hats model
● Lace ● Wall hangings ● Thiruvalluvar statue keychain
● Hand embroidery ● Sandals ● Hand embroidered kerchiefs with
● Mats lace
● Purse ● Screwpine pen holders
● Table mats
Fibre hats ● Reed mat painting

Lacecraft products
● Doormats
● Table mats

Thiruvalluvar Statue Screwpine products

● Purse
● Pouch
● Coasters
● Table mats
● Mats
● Baskets

6. Mahabalipuram Stone artefacts ● Sculptures ● Shore temple mini model

● Stone grinders ● Shore temple keychains

Shore Temple

Stone Sculptures
7. Madurai Silk ● Kandangi sarees ● Madurai malli fragrance oil
● Sungudi silk sarees ● Madurai meenakshi amman
temple models, keychains

8. Chennai Colonial structures ● Stamp based keychains of all

important heritage buildings of
Chennai
● Calender cum postcard of Chennai
city
● T-Shirts, phone back covers, fridge
magnets displaying “Namma
Chennai” icon

9. Thanjavur ● Swamimali bronze ● Swamimalai bronze statues ● Brihadeeswara temple miniature

statues ● Thanjvur thalaiyatti bommai models and keychains
● Thanjvur thalaiyatti ● Framed Thanjavur paintings ● Saraswati mahal inspired dishware
bommai ● Thanjavur netti (pith) works ● Miniature Thanjavore veena
● Thanjavur paintings ● Thanjavur art plate ● Pithwork based sculptures of
● Wood crafts ● Thirubhuvanam silk sarees temples and figurines
● Pith crafts ● Thanjavur marakudhirai ● Miniature version of Thanjavur
● Brass plates marakudhirai

Bronze works
Thalayatti Bommai

Brass Plates

Pith Works
 Marakudhirai

10. Rameswaram Sea shell crafts ● Seashell wall hangings ● Seashell based crafts
● Photo frames/ mirror frames

Seashell crafts

11. Kumbakonam Brass items ● Nachiyarkoil Kuthuvilakku ● Kumbakonam degree coffee

Nachiyarkoil Kuthuvilakku
12. Kallakurichi Wood carvings ● Idols and decorative items ● Wood sculptures
Arumbavur ● Wood artefacts
● Wood keychains

Wood Carvings

13. Tirunelveli ● Pattamadai mats Pattamadai mats Upcycling:

● Pattamadai mats ● Ambasamuthiram toys ● Table mats
● Ambasamuthiram toys ● Scrolls
● Bags
● Gift and storage boxes

Pattamadai Mats

Ambasamuthiram Toys

14. Common Not specific to region ● Terracotta jewels

● Applique needlework
● Papier mache and clay toys
● Vadaseri temple jewellery
● Palm leaf articles
● Pottery
● Coconut shell crafts
● Leather products
 ● Spice mix gift boxes
● Famous paintings of eminent
painters
● Traditional rice variety gift box

15. Arani Arani Silk ● Arani silk sarees Silk based products
● Bags
● Purses
● Pouches
● Scrunchies
● Shawls/ Stoles
● Eyecover
Arani Silk ● Bandanas
● Fans
● Bangles/ jewellery

16. Nagercoil Vadassery Temple ● Vadassery Temple Jewellery - Raw form of the jewellery can be
Jewellery Necklace, Bangles, chains redesigned as:
● Bracelets
● Hair pins
● Anklets
● Rings
● Chokers
Vadassery Jewellery

17. Chettinadu Chettinadu Kottan ● Baskets

● Boxes
● Bags

Chettinadu Kottan
18. ● Coimbatore Cotton sarees ● Cotton sarees Cotton sarees can be upcycled into
● Chettinadu other forms of merchandises.

Cotton saree

19. Erode Bhavani Jamakkalam ● Bhavani Jamakkalam ● Carpets

● Table mats

Jamakkalam

20. Salem Karuppur Kalamkari ● Painting canvas ● Table mats

paintings ● Scrolls
● Wall hangings
● Kerchiefs

Kalamkari Painting