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 Kumbakonam Cluster:-Kumbakonam Cluster falls under Tamilnadu State in Madurai district.The Kumbakonam cluster is able to form 120 plus Artisans & 8 SHGs supporting the strong work force. The mobilization gains momentum day by day.
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Stone Craft:-
The crafts person while working on the Stone first studies the natural design contains in the stone selected to work upon. The shaping is done thereafter very carefully with chisel and hammers. Water is sprinkled repeatedly to avoid heat generation. The stone is smoothened by rubbing with sand papers or file.
Dimensions of the figure to be manufactured are marked on a stone slab. Extra edges are removed from the slab by beating with a hammer. Big pieces of stone are cut vertically into smaller slabs, and rough sketches are made on it. The article is taken out from the slab with the aid of a saw. This slab is now converted in the form of the desired figure with a hammer and a chisel. Minor carvings are done by pointed chisel. A hammer and chisel do further smoothening. Before carving the stone is kept in boiling water overnight and treated chemically. This smoothens and whitens the surface of the stone. Polishing is done for the final finishing with sand or carborundum pieces. Several of the carved artifacts are painted. Others are fitted with the looking glasses, brass fittings etc.
In carving an image, the stone carver sketches a rough outline of the sculpture on the stone - block. The craftsmen, sprinkle water on the stone during the course of their work because of the friction generated due to the constant chiseling away of the unwanted material results in the tools heating up. Finishing is accomplished in a variety of ways from sand-papering, polishing with multani-mitti or clay, oil and cloth.
An outline is drawn on hard or soft stone which is already cut to the appropriate size. Once the outline is incised indicating the shape, the final figure is brought out by removing the unwanted portions. While for the harder stones this is done by chiseling out the extra material, with softer stones. This is done by scraping out the same with a sharp flat-edged iron tool.
Techniques:-
The main techniques are following below:-
1. Cutting
2. Grinding
3. Buffing
4. Polishing
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.