Cherpu craftsmen’s wooden elephants stand the test of time

Oct 15, 2023

"For the artists here, the set of skills and knack for carving these sculptures is passed down through generations," said Sajitha P, the Society's secretary According to Gopi,

Published: 15th May 2023 02:41 AM | Last Updated: 15th May 2023 03:23 PM | A+A A-

Gopi working on a wooden elephant statue at the society's workshop.

THRISSUR: It takes about three days for 63-year-old Gopi to carve a 2.5-foot elephant from redwood (Veetti). Like him, there are five other artists engaged in similar work at Cherpu Carpenters’ Service Cooperative Society. In a week's time, the group crafts hundreds of wooden elephant statues for sale through various outlets.

This statue is one among the many that make up the Soul of Thrissur, a gift box rolled out by former district collector, Haritha V Kumar, to promote tourism and give a leg-up to local artisans.In a move to further augment the industry, the Cherpu panchayat is working to secure Geographical Indication (GI) tag for these sculptures made in the old Peruvanam village, which surrounds the Peruvanam Mahadeva temple here.

"For the artists here, the set of skills and knack for carving these sculptures is passed down through generations," said Sajitha P, the Society's secretary According to Gopi, "There are accurate proportions for each and every part of the elephant that is made here. To make a 12-foot elephant, we need a proportionate base for the elephant's legs. Similarly, the length of the tusk, trunk and even the tail should be in accordance with the height of the elephant. The total thickness of the wood is also important to carve the statue."

The intricate detailing of the trunk, eyes, and nails also makes these elephant statues made in Cherpu stand out. The work has many admirers. Recently, a customer in Africa bought a 40-foot elephant statue and got it shipped. "We also got an order from a customer in Gulf. Though we don't export items directly, if we get an order, we make the statue and collaborate with the shipping agencies to send it to the customer," Sajitha said. This customer from Gulf had learned about the statues from the Soul of Thrissur gift box, she added.The wood collected for making the sculptures and statues is locally sourced. "The society buys wood via auction process and hands it over to the artists. Usually, redwood and white wood like the Vaka tree is used," Sajitha said.

If the statue is made out of redwood, then it doesn't need much polishing. However, if it is made out of white wood, then it needs four coats of polishing. But it will weigh less. However, the elephant statues made from Veetti have a certain charm. This is evident from the demand for it," Sajitha said. A 12-inch elephant statue will cost Rs 3,500 if made out of white wood, and around Rs 8,000 if made out of redwood.