Can objects be philosophical? Ever imagined your house tiles reflecting hues of life? Imagine stepping into a house with intricate details and vibrant colours on its floors and cultural stories bound within it. This is how Athangudi, a typical Chettinad village in the Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, India, looks with its rich and colourful 19th-century tile-making heritage preserved generationally among its village folks.
While Chettinad, much like the rest of India, has many diverse cultural artefacts, such as the tales of Aranmula Kannadi, Kanchipuram sarees, and the Seven Pagodas, the Athangudi tiles stand out for their dynamic natural colours, ornate designs, and most importantly, their sustainable & ecologically friendly manufacturing process that ensures minimal environmental impact across its lifespan and usage.
These tiles are popularly known as ‘Pookal’ (flower stone). Interestingly, the tiles are hand-crafted by artisans sourced from village communities, and the soil-colour recipe used for the manufacturing is safeguarded as a community secret. Thus, in the modern era of hands-free, assembly line manufacturing, Athangudi tiles stand out for their sustainable production and natural temperature inversion properties – keeping cool in summers and providing warmth in winters.
Athangudi Tiles
Athangudi tiles are not mere manufacturing marvels but also cultural masterpieces that are products of Indo-European cultural fusion – having been influenced by otherwise distant architectures of European nations – as material testaments to India’s ancient civilisational connection with diverse regions of the world. It is believed that similar to many social practices in India, Chettinad’s architecture, including Athangudi tiles a cultural import introduced by the French during their longstanding colonial rule in the region – later evolved as a product of time and space with the local artisan’s creative handiwork. Today, it is said that the modern versions suggest a late but strong British influence – evident in the prominence of Blue, Red, and White colours, in addition to the yellow, orange, black, beige and brown added over time to suit the emerging needs of newer clients.
Interestingly, the original natives of the Chettinad region, known as Nagarathars (Chettiars), have been historically famous for trading with Europe and East Asia for centuries. Unsurprisingly, the colours used in Chettinad architecture are highly influenced by the cultures of Italy and France. It is believed that it was the French colonial architects who originally introduced the concept of naturally coloured tiles to the Chettinad region, which was further developed and later modified in terms of its design by the local artisans to create what we today know as ‘Athangudi Tiles’. Therefore, even though Chettinad tiles are considered historically native to the area, the old residents say that they are merely products of foreign influence in the region – in other words, a material adaptation of different cultures that were altered to meet the needs of the people in modern times.
How are the tiles made?
The soil used for the making is from the Chettinad region, which has a rich iron content that gives a natural reddish hue to the soil. It also has fine particles with binding properties, which help sustain the tiles for a longer period. The soil collection is mainly from the riverbanks or dry ponds of the Chettinad region. The first filtration stage involves manually removing rocks, stones and heavy particles from the soil. A second filtration phase happens with wet filtration, i.e., washing. The soil is washed in water to remove excessive materials that cannot be blended in the tile-making process, and the residues can be filtered using layered washers. The soil is then allowed to dry out in the sun and sieved using another filter that separates the impurities from the soil. Notwithstanding, the tiles are arguably still handmade, following the traditional way of making them. The filtration process helps improve the sustainability of the tiles, control porosity and enhance durability.
To begin with, a stencil with the intended shape is placed on a glass the same size as the tiles. The use of glass gives a glossy finish to the tiles, which is one of the techniques to maintain the vibrancy of colours. While much of the actual process is shrouded within the group of people who are involved in the production, there have been intermittent leaks owing to rising research interest in the process as well as increasing debates of ‘inauthenticity’ in terms of the ingredients and the recipe of Athangudi tile-making due to cost-cutting measures such as the use of synthetic colours in recent times. A mix of sand and cement, along with the colours, is poured over through the stencil, and a metal piece is attached around the glass to cast the pattern into an intended shape. Once it is set, the tiles are polished using sand to remove excess cement.
The Designing
A variant of moulds is curated with metals for the desired patterns placed inside a glass, which acts as the base for the tiles and enhances glossiness.
Mixing Colours
A mixture of cement and naturally processed oxides brings intricate patterns to the tiles. It is carefully mixed and poured into the metal moulds to bring the exact patterns that they desire. Multiple colours can be used based on the complexity of the patterns.
Layering
Once the colours are set into the mould, a mix of dry cement and sand is poured to set the layers. To strengthen the tiles and layers, a coarser cement is poured at the end to press the layers together.
Pressing and Drying
The tiles are pressed using a manual hydraulic press, which compacts the layers together. Later, the tiles are removed from the mould, kept in water for 7-10 days to set, and then sundried.
Polishing
The dried tiles are subjected to polish either using coconut oil or any mild polish to enhance the sheen.
The Athangudi tiles are known for their climate adaptability, mainly in tropical and humid areas like Tamil Nadu and nearby regions. It has thermal regulation properties, as the tiles are naturally cool surfaces and absorb low heat, which does not require air conditioning at high temperatures. The tiles do not crack easily in varied temperatures as they resist expansion and contraction.
The tiles are sustainable in nature as they require minimal energy use as there is no burning and drying using any machines, unlike ceramic tiles. The raw materials are locally sourced and made using minimal and natural colours that do not leave carbon footprints. The tiles stay longer when compared to other tiles, which reduces money and energy wastage.
Stages of Athangudi tile making
This process is followed by immersing the tiles in water for three days as a setting period. Once it is removed from the water, a drying period of 24 hours is given, and the tile is then ready.
Tile Curing Process
Athangudi tiles are laid differently from the regular tiles. The laying is mostly done by masons from the Karaikudi region who are experienced and trained. The edges are not polished like usual, and the trained masons are only levelled up during the laying process. 100 sq.ft tiles can be laid in one day, and polishing takes 2-3 days. This process is done manually without the help of any kind of machine; rice husk/dust is used for the polishing. The tiles, if polished properly, will reflect like a mirror. It is suggested that aid be taken from trained masons to level the tiles efficiently because unprofessional work can cause a mess in the laying process.
Indian Knowledge System
The Athangudi tile-making can be a perfect example of how the Indian Knowledge System integrates interdisciplinary fields like sciences, education, sustainable education and community-driven initiatives. It adapts to modern educational and preservation methods while leaving traces of ancient times to make it a valuable part of the Indian knowledge system.
Conclusion
The Chettinad tiles are globally demanding due to their varied patterns, vibrant colours, and sustainability. The tiles are being exported to countries like Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Sri Lanka and are expanding to other international markets. The Federation of Chettinad Athangudi Heritage Flooring Tiles Manufacturing Association is trying to obtain a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the tiles to promote and protect the authenticity of tiles to global markets. Thus, as is evident, each Athangudi tile is a unique, non-repetitive masterpiece of human labour that cannot be replicated by automation of machines – with creative geographical patterns inspired by nature’s asymmetry – surviving as an intergenerational breadwinner for Chettinad residents since ancient times.
The project team is as follows:
Project Investigators:
- Dr. Balakrishnan C – Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Christ University, Bangalore
- Dr. Biju K C – Professor, Department of Media Studies, Christ University, Bangalore
- Dr. Anitha Suseelan – Professor & Head, School of Architecture, Christ University, Bangalore
Authors
- Twinkle Sara Joseph, Research Scholar, Department of Media Studies, Christ University, Bangalore
- Dr. Balakrishnan C – Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Christ University, Bangalore
- Dr. Biju K C – Professor, Department of Media Studies, Christ University, Bangalore
- Dr. Anitha Suseelan – Professor & Head, School of Architecture, Christ University, Bangalore
- Ajith Paul – Research assistant, Department of Computer Science, Christ University, Bangalore’
