About Thanjavur Netti works

• It is made from Netti (pith) from a marshy plant called as 'Aeschynomene Aspera'.
• The traditional art form has been adapted from one generation to the other and they are widely found in the Brihadeeshwara Temple, Hindu idols, garlands, door hangings and even hanged on the forehead of the cattle in the region.
• The government has recognised the pith work industry as one of the major handicraft symbols.
• The artisans make miniatures of Thanjavur Big temple, Srirangam Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple, Madurai Sri Meenakshi Amman temple, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Mamallapuram beach and Swamy Vivekanda memorial rock in Kanniyakumari.
• The application for Thanjavur Netti works was filed by Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar).
• The soil found in Thanjavur is favourable for the growth of the plant that is used for the production of pith handicraft based in Thanjavur.

About Arumbavur Wood Carving

• It is an art form and a temple architecture that draw inspiration from mythology and mythical deities.
• This involves great skill in measuring geometric proportions and scale of wood and detailing required, from a single block of wood, for various wooden sculptures, from hand-sized carvings to temple chariots and temple cars.
• Temple cars and chariots are used to carry idols of Hindu Gods.
• The USP of Arumbavur work is that the whole object is carved out of a single block of wood due to the reason that even one mistake can damage the whole work.
• The application for Arumbavur wood carvings was filed by Poompuhar in association with the Arumbavur Wood Carvers’ Handicrafts Industrial Cooperative Society Limited and the Arumbavur Temple Car and Woodcarving Artisans Welfare Society.
• It is done at Arumbavur and around the Veppanthattai taluk of Perambalur district.
• The wood carvings are primarily made out of wooden logs of Indian siris (Poo Vaagai, Albizia lebbeck), mango (Mangifera indica), lingam tree (Mavilangam), Indian ash tree (Othiyan – Odina wodier), rosewood, neem tree (Vembu – Azadirachta indica).
• The carvings in Arambavur Wood Carvings are often inspired by architectural details on temple sculptures and carvings.
• The descriptions and designs which inspire the work lie in temple architecture indigenous to the region.
• Sculptures of Lord Vinayaka, Goddess Saraswati, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi can be seen in Arumbavur Wood Carvings, along with motifs such as hamsa/mythical swans, poomakhumbhal cornucopia, kaamadhenu, other floral motifs.