Valsalyam Tharwad :Valsalyam Tharwad Artistic Reflections in Tharwad ( A.R.T.)


Panchaloha Simha Vahana - A.R.T. - 1. :Panchaloha Simha Vahana - A.R.T. - 1. Temple Lion. Made of five metals in South India. Goddess Durga rides on this lion and hence she is also known as “Simha Vahini”.


ART 2. Thol Kapiyam - Leather puppetry. :ART 2. Thol Kapiyam - Leather puppetry. Ramayana Characters depicted. During temples festivals, these leather puppets mounted on sticks (behind a white sheet) with a light in the background were used to enact the Epic by the story tellers.


ART - 3. Netti Pattam - Ornament for elephant. :ART - 3. Netti Pattam - Ornament for elephant. Elephants are a part and parcel of every temple festival in Kerala. They were decorated with such golden panels on their foreheads.


A R T - 4. Tanjore dancing dolls. :A R T - 4. Tanjore dancing dolls. Paper Mache dolls which sway and dance in the breeze.


A R T - 5. Mare and foal. :A R T - 5. Mare and foal. Hand carved wooden creation from a single block of wood.


A R T - 6. Elephant Orchestra. :A R T - 6. Elephant Orchestra. Terracotta elephants with seven classical south Indian instruments. Bronze pots with nine types of food grains (Nava Dhanaya) and the auspicious coconut.


A R T - 7. Dasavatharam. :A R T - 7. Dasavatharam. Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu - hand carved wood work on a single plank.


A R T - 9 a. White Elephants. :A R T - 9 a. White Elephants. Beads, sequence and stone work from Myanmar.


A R T - 9 b. Dragon. :A R T - 9 b. Dragon.


A R T - 9. Paper Shades. :A R T - 9. Paper Shades.


A R T - 10. Painting on reeds. :A R T - 10. Painting on reeds. Nair Lady traditionally dressed (in Mundu & Neriyathu) returning from a visit to the temple. Jasmine flowers adorn her hair which is tied in circular bun stylishly tilted to a side.


A R T - 11a. Hand painted silks – Lord Indra . :A R T - 11a. Hand painted silks – Lord Indra . Lord Indra astride the famous three headed elephant called “Airavata”.


A R T - 11b. Musical Nymphs. :A R T - 11b. Musical Nymphs. Characters from the folk lore who sing and dance - Thailand.


A R T - 11c. Court Musicians. :A R T - 11c. Court Musicians.


A R T - 11c. Passing on knowledge. :A R T - 11c. Passing on knowledge.


A R T - 11d. Dragon Boat. :A R T - 11d. Dragon Boat. Processions are taken out in this elaborately decorated boat during Temple festivals - in Indo-china region.


A R T 12a. Oil paintings. Floating market scene. :A R T 12a. Oil paintings. Floating market scene. Markets based on boats – popular among the villages abutting river banks and lakes.


A R T - 12b. Oils. Colours of Autumn. :A R T - 12b. Oils. Colours of Autumn.


A R T - 12c. Oils. Flaming sunset. :A R T - 12c. Oils. Flaming sunset.


A R T - 12d. Oils. Glorious spring. :A R T - 12d. Oils. Glorious spring.


A R T - 12e. Oils. River view. :A R T - 12e. Oils. River view.


A R T - 13a. Messenger of Love. :A R T - 13a. Messenger of Love. Rajasthan miniature protraits made with crushed precious and semi- previous stones - desert art with vibrant colours.


A R T - 13b. Singer. :A R T - 13b. Singer.


A R T - 13c. Pretty Belles. :A R T - 13c. Pretty Belles.


A R T - 13d. Meera. :A R T - 13d. Meera.


A R T - 13e. Flowers for worship. :A R T - 13e. Flowers for worship.


A R T - 14. Namaste. :A R T - 14. Namaste. Bharath natyam dancer with the classical pose of Namaste, wall hanging made of rose wood and brass.


A R T 15. Apsaras. :A R T 15. Apsaras. Harbingers of good luck - wooden puppets decked in shining dresses with colourful beads, glasswork and stones. Oriental angels.


A R T - 15. Monoliths. :A R T - 15. Monoliths. Ramba the apsara - beauty expressed in a single rock craving.


A R T - 16. :A R T - 16. Menaka.


A R T - 17. :A R T - 17. Urvashi.