A cluster is defined as a geographic concentration (city/town/few adjacent villages and their adjoining areas) of units producing near similar products and facing common opportunities and threats. An artisan cluster is defined as geographically concentrated (mostly in villages/townships) household units producing handicraft/handloom products. In a typical cluster, such producers often belong to a traditional community, producing the long-established products for generations. Indeed, many artisan clusters are centuries old Artisan.

About Tanjore Cluster:-

Tanjore Cluster falls under Tamilnadu  State in Madurai district.

The Tanjore cluster is able to form 315 plus Artisans & 9 SHGs supporting the strong work force. The mobilization gains momentum day by day.

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Folk Painting:-

Tanjore painting speaks to us about love devotion and beauty of godhead. The divine stories of ancient time are foretold by the Folk art. Every regions and hamlets of India have a legend to tell and the paintings of Tanjore also known as Thanjuvar paintings are the greatest narrators of the legends of Gods and heroes. They are the crystal water reflection of our ancient and glorious past and cultural heritage.

The premise of Tanjore painting is essentially religion and spirituality and the art is renowned for its artistic portray of legendary characters and themes.

Tanjore paintings originated in Tanjavur in Chennai during the reign of the powerful Chola empire. From 16 to 18th centuries, Maratha princes, Rajus communities of Tanjore, Nayaks of Vijaynagar empire, and Trichi and Naidus of Madurai supported the art of Tanjore painting. The rulers patronized the Tanjore art and so the latter prospered and developed during these time. The Tanjore painting adorned the interiors of the palaces and soon found their place in every household. The "Saraswathi Mahal Library"in Tanjore built by the king Serfoji II displays the famous Tanjori paintings.

The pastimes and life of Lord Krishna are seen in Tanjore paintings. The uniqueness of the Tanjore paintings is their extraordinary gold leaf work, attractive jewellery with stones, dazzling color design, and eye catching engraved glasses. The laissez-faire application of gold leaf and precious and semi-precious stones like rubies and diamonds speaks the greatness of the adroit artists of those times.

The characteristic of Thanjavur painting is that the figures in the paintings have a round body and egg shaped effulgent eyes and are surrounded by curtains and arch. These paintings will illuminate in the dark room.

From the humble canvas and brush the ultimate form of the beauty, the Tanjore paintings, is made. The Canvas used for this painting previously was wood of the Jackfruit tree but the modern artist uses plywood. A layer of cloth is pasted over this plywood using the Arabic adhesive. A uniform coating of limestone paste and a binding material is applied and the cloth is let to dry. The artist then sketches the meticulous pictures on the canvas while the paste of limestone and fastening substance is used during adorning and engraving ornaments into the paintings.

The pillars, dresses, arc hand thrones of the Tanjore paintings are gilded with the gold leaves and gems of different colors. After this colors are painted on the sketch. For outlines dark brown is usually used. Red is preferentially used as the background color but some times green is also used. The yellow color is used for the Goddesses while for Gods it varies: blue for Lord Vishnu and while white for Lord Nataraj. Previously artists used the natural colors made from the vegetable dyes. The portfolios of the old Tanjore paintings were restricted to the drawings of the divine figures. But now days the modern artists explore new dimensions. They also started depicting the presiding deities of the famous temples.

Raw Materials Used :-

1. Plywood (water proof)

2. Longcloth / pipline

3. Fevicol

4. Yellow oxide

5. Chalks

6. Arabic gum

7. Gold foil

8. Stones

9. Poster color Paint

10. Round brush-0, 00,000,1,3,6

11. Flat brush-2

12. Yellow carbon

Process:-

The characteristic of Thanjavur painting is that the figures in the paintings have a round body and egg shaped effulgent eyes and are surrounded by curtains and arch. These paintings will illuminate in the dark room.

From the humble canvas and brush the ultimate form of the beauty, the Tanjore paintings, is made. The Canvas used for this painting previously was wood of the Jackfruit tree but the modern artist uses plywood. A layer of cloth is pasted over this plywood using the Arabic adhesive. A uniform coating of limestone paste and a binding material is applied and the cloth is let to dry. The artist then sketches the meticulous pictures on the canvas while the paste of limestone and fastening substance is used during adorning and engraving ornaments into the paintings.

Techniques:-

1. Remove starch from the cloth ( soaking it in water for 1 hr and then dry the cloth).

2. Take 60 ml approxmatily Fevicol and mix it with 1/2 cup water well (to get milk consistency)

3. Dip the cloth in this fevicol paste and squeeze it. Repeat this process 5 to 6 times (so that the cloth absorbs and gets coated with fevicol well)

4. Squeeze the cloth slightly and stick it on the plywood board.

To stick:- First stick cloth one one side of the board well and then pull the cloth on the opposite side well and stick the cloth well. Use palm to remove the air bubbles and wrinkles by pressing the cloth from center to the edges.

5. Now stick the third side and fourth side in the same procedure.

6. Pour the remaining fevicol-water mixture (if left out) on this board and spread out evenly.

7. Dry this board in Sun till dry.

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How to Reach:-

By Air:-

Madurai houses its own airport, which is situated 10 km away from the city center. There are daily flights from Madurai to Chennai, Bangalore, Tiruchi and Coimbatore.

By Road:-

Madurai is approximately 447 km from Chennai, 128 km from Tiruchirapalli, and 435 km from Bangalore There are excellent roads connecting Madurai to all the major cities in South India. With as many as 5 major bus stands, the city offers comfortable travel by road. Many private operators ply AC and non-AC deluxe and sleeper coaches from Chennai to Madurai. In case you plan to travel by car, take NH45 to Madurai, via Tindivanam, Trichy and Dindigul. An alternative route will take you to Trichy, via NH45. From there, take NH45B to Madurai, via Melur.

By Train:-

Madurai, being an important pilgrimage site and the seat of Madurai Kamraj University, has a railways station of its own. In fact, the city serves as an important railway junction of the Southern Railway. It falls on the Madurai-Tiruchirappalli-Dindigul-Quilon route and is well connected with Chennai, Bangalore, Tiruchy, Palakkad and Tirunelveli.