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Athangudi tiles, also known as Chettiyar or Karaikudi tiles, are a hallmark of the Chettinad region's rich cultural heritage. These handmade tiles have been crafted for over two centuries using a sustainable, sun-dried process that requires no firing. Reflecting the immense wealth and grand architectural tastes of the Chettiar community, these vibrant, intricate tiles are a beautiful and enduring part of Tamil Nadu's cultural traditions.
Crafted from local sand and cement and colored with vibrant natural or synthetic oxides, Athangudi tiles are a testament to sustainable and eco-friendly craftsmanship. These durable, high-quality tiles are handmade in the village of Athangudi, where their tradition has thrived for centuries.
What makes Athangudi tiles so special is their incredible versatility. Available in a wide range of floral, geometric, and abstract patterns, they can beautifully complement both traditional and modern-transitional settings. Their classic colour palette, which includes shades of red, green, mustard, and grey, adds a touch of timeless elegance.
Each Athangudi tile is a unique piece of art, meticulously crafted by hand. The production process, which has remained essentially unchanged since its origin, ensures exceptional quality and a minimal environmental footprint. What makes these tiles particularly special is that they are neither fired nor require electricity to produce, making them both an economically affordable and highly sustainable option compared to ceramic or vitreous tiles.
Because they are entirely handcrafted, slight variations in design are a natural and unique feature of the tiles. Athangudi tiles are far more than just a floor covering; they are a legacy of local craftsmanship and a perfect, enduring example of how sustainable practices can create lasting beauty.
Origin and Development
The story of Athangudi tiles began more than two centuries ago in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, a place renowned for its opulent Dravidian architecture and magnificent mansions. These grand homes were built by the wealthy Chettiar merchant community, who made their fortunes through sea trade, especially in Southeast Asia.
Initially, as the Chettiars prospered in the 19th and 20th centuries, they adorned their homes with lavish, imported materials like teak from South Asia, marble, and intricate tiles from Europe. However, facing new economic challenges from higher taxes under British rule and the disruption of World War II, these resourceful families found a new path. This shift sparked a period of creative innovation right at home. Villagers in Athangudi mastered a unique, affordable method of making tiles using local materials. They created beautiful, floral, freestyle, mosaic-like patterns, turning the village into the birthplace of this distinctive craft.
A Chettiar Mansion
Source: Vogue India
Today, you can see the very best of this architectural style in towns like Karaikudi, Kanadukathan, Athangudi, and Pallathur. The Athangudi Palace is a stunning example, with its iconic open courtyards framed by Burmese teakwood pillars and adorned with the famous Athangudi tiles.
Thanks to high demand and an eco-friendly manufacturing process, this craft has evolved into a thriving industry, with major production hubs in both Athangudi and nearby Karaikudi (A city situated a few kilometres away from the Village of Athangudi).
The Process of Making Athangudi Tiles
Before starting to know how these beautiful tiles are crafted, it is essential to be aware of the tools and materials used in the process, which involves the sheer hard work of the talented artisans who only use their bare hands to create them:
- Metal Frame: A metallic frame, known as ‘Aass,’ is used to hold the glass base on which the tile is formed, to achieve the required size.
- Metal Stencil: A metal stencil is used for various patterns
- Soil: The unique topsoil of Athangudi, rich in iron oxide, is essential for crafting the local tiles. Although this specific tile-making technique has failed in other regions with similar soil, Athangudi remains the sole hub for this handcrafted tradition. The soil is sourced from a local water storage area where sediment is deposited during the rainy season.
- Cement: Grey and White cement are used, respectively, for the base mixture of the tile and the colour mixture for the patterned layer of the tile.
Red and Yellow Oxide for Colouring
Source: bennykuriakose.com
- Colours: Natural or synthetic oxides are mixed with cement to create the vibrant, viscous pigments used for the tile's intricate designs. These range from blue, light green, and red oxide, black oxide, and yellow oxide.
- Ladle: A tool used to pour the colored mixture onto the glass base carefully.
- Spade: A flat tool used to spread a mixture of cement and local sand evenly over the colored design.
- Jigsaw Blade: This is used to trim away any excess material and smooth the edges of the tile.
- Water Tank: Tiles are submerged in a water tank for an essential curing process.
- Mixing Machine: A machine used to combine the cement and sand mixture thoroughly.
- Glass Sheet: For the foundation of the Tiles, which acts as a bounding box to achieve the required size of the tile.
The creation of a single Athangudi tile is a meticulous and fascinating multi-step process, blending traditional craftsmanship with natural materials involving the following steps:
- Preparation: The above materials are mixed in a certain proportion and rubbed dry 20 times with hands, followed by sieving and packing. The mixture is preferably mixed with pure oxides for better results, with the complete mixture being used after two days for darker colours. Water is added to the mixture, stirring it to see the right consistency, and finally, the frame is dipped and placed on the clean glass.
- Pattern and Frame Setup: The process begins with a cast-iron/brass frame placed on a smooth glass plate. This frame acts as a mould, and the glass base is what gives the finished tile its distinct, silky-smooth finish.
- Stencilling: A stencil of the desired pattern is carefully positioned within the frame.
Pouring of Colour in Metal Stencil over the Metal frame and Glass
Source: bennykuriakose.com
- Applying the Colours: The pre-mixed colours, made from a blend of white cement, sand, and colored oxides, are poured into the different sections of the stencil. Artisans use ladles for this step or, for more intricate designs, may even apply the colors freehand to create unique patterns.
- Spreading the Mixture: The frame is tilted gently, allowing the colored mixture to spread evenly across the glass. Once the colours have spread, the stencil is carefully removed, leaving the pattern on the glass plate.
The appearance of the colour oxide, metal stencil, frame and the glass from the top
Source: bennykuriakose.com
- First Powder Layer: A thin layer of dry sand and cement powder is immediately spread over the colored design. This step helps to absorb excess moisture and lock the colours in place.
- Adding the Mortar: A mixture of cement mortar is then poured over the powdered layer. This adds the bulk of the tile's thickness and is firmly compacted using a hand spade to ensure durability.
Cement is added over the powdered layer
Source: bennykuriakose.com
- Second Compaction: Another layer of dry powder is spread over the mortar. A thin iron plate is then used to press and compress the entire tile, ensuring a uniform surface and exceptional strength.
Curing of the Athangudi Tiles in a Water Tank
Source: bennykuriakose.com
- Curing Process: The cast-iron frame is removed, and the tile is left on the glass plate to dry for a full day. Following this, it is immersed in a water tank for 8 to 12 days to cure completely. This long curing process is crucial to the tile's strength and longevity.
- Final Drying and Finishing: The cured tiles are dried in the sun, often laid on a bed of rice husks, which helps the glass plate naturally detach from the tile. Finally, the edges of the tile are gently rubbed to smooth them out, preparing the finished product for use.
Patterns and Designs
Athangudi Tiles from the Athangudi Palace
Source: MeMeraki.com
Athangudi tiles are celebrated for their vibrant colors and diverse range of designs, encompassing traditional, floral, abstract, and geometric patterns. Artisans offer great versatility, capable of creating custom stencils for any design or even crafting free-style patterns without stencils. The tiles' intricate beauty is often compared to Moroccan tiles and they share a notable similarity with the Victorian tiles popular during the nineteenth century.
Designs are often categorised as either traditional or popular. The Chokkata Pattern (a six-shape unit design) and the Three-Dimensional Cube pattern in black and white remain the most common and popular traditional motifs. However, in recent times, simpler motifs have seen a surge in popularity over the more intricate, traditional designs, making these patterns widely used in contemporary settings today.
Additional Characteristics of Athangudi Tiles
- Versatility and Customisation: Athangudi tiles are highly adaptable. They can be custom-made in various colours, designs, and sizes to fit specific decor styles. While their primary use is for flooring, they are also crafted for borders and skirting.
- Aesthetic and Sizing: These tiles are recognised for their distinct, often earthy hues and traditional black-and-white patterns used for borders. Standard flooring tiles are typically 8x8 or 10x10 inches with a thickness of 0.75 inches. Skirting tiles share these sizes but are thinner at 0.5 inches, while border tiles come in sizes like 10x5, 8x6, and 8x4 inches, all at 0.75 inches thick.
A View of the Athagudi Palace
Source: MeMeraki.com
- Installation and Maintenance: The laying process is a skilled craft, requiring expertise to achieve a seamless finish. The tiles are installed on a 30mm thick bed of cement mortar, which has replaced the traditional lime mortar for faster drying. A key advantage is their natural sheen, which means they do not require polishing after installation. Simple deep cleaning is sufficient to remove debris and reveal their luster.
- Durability and Longevity: Athangudi tiles are known for their exceptional durability and colourfastness, resisting fading over time due to the use of natural materials and their traditional curing process.
- Recommended Usage: Athangudi tiles are best suited for areas where their exceptional visual appeal can be maximised, such as living rooms, dining rooms, verandahs, and courtyards.
- However, due to their composition and finish, these tiles are not recommended for wet areas like bathrooms or spaces that frequently experience water spills, particularly the kitchen. When wet, the tiles can become overly smooth, creating a slip hazard. They are also not suitable for use as wall tiles. For optimal durability and safety, restrict their use to dry, high-visibility floor areas.
- Unique Properties: These tiles have a remarkable quality of becoming shinier with use, making them perfect for high-traffic floor areas. They are also naturally insulated and remain cool to the touch, even in warm climates.
- Eco-Friendly and Climate-Responsive: Athangudi tiles are an excellent choice for warmer regions because they are environmentally sensitive and climate-responsive. Unlike other types of flooring, they keep a space cooler as they do not reflect, radiate, or conduct heat.
- Care: To maintain their beauty, regular sweeping and mopping are recommended. For an added gleam, a weekly mopping with warm water and a few drops of coconut oil can keep them looking vibrant.
CONCLUSION
The Athangudi tile is a vibrant and enduring legacy of the Chettinad region, embodying over two centuries of sustainable craftsmanship. These handmade tiles, which are neither fired nor require electricity, represent an eco-friendly and affordable alternative to modern flooring. Their meticulous, hand-poured process yields unique pieces with diverse floral and geometric patterns, making them highly versatile for both traditional and contemporary spaces. Ultimately, Athangudi tiles are more than a floor covering; they are a culturally rich testament to local ingenuity and a perfect example of how traditional practices can create lasting beauty and climate-responsive design.
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