Arasu.
Is a master craftsman who started working with lime 25 years ago. He mastered his craft restoration of 2 historic buildings in the Tharangambadi fort complex after the 2001 tsunami. He learnt the Chettinad egg plastering techniques from Mr Mookiaah
Ananth an artisan
common south indian plastering technique
seen a similar plastering technique sin andhra and telangana, a lime sand plaster that is very common
a maasjid darwaza in ramanapet telangana is plastered in the same 1mm thick chetinad egg white plaster similar to the traditional system
Arasu is using modern tools to reinvent the
Vivek Jaji, Rebirth – Krishna Bhavana – Hyderabad introduced kalyan to intach
Suguna – Intach – having lots of info, an architect –
He is a full builder, not only a plasterer, a traditional craftsman
Kalayan is client of Ananth, passionate about traditional materials and finishes, is getting into the history and theory of the way things are done. Hi mand Das, the intach convener (pndicherry)
are of the beleif that it costs a lot more in the beginning and are environmentally and cost concious aabout the maintenece of the plasters, financial and ecological footprint of the plasters. Something that last 200 years.
Why make the effort, why does it last long, they breathe better. Where the material comes from and understand it.
Kalyan’s building has been designed and engineered by INTACH pondicherry, Arasu was working with Intach pondicherry and was trained by Mr Mookiaah while being under Intach pondicherry.
Quoting kalyan Mookaiah was impressed with Arasu’s work on his building. He has been adapting the traditional techniques, to modern buildings. There is a RCC framed structure and the base coat is 1″ of lime sand. and doing the pure white doing the chettinad kind of finish
Local sources of shell lime did not work, the small shells.
Tradtionally lime sheels were the conches, not the small shells. They put a piece of coal in the middle and fired the shell.
He is investing time and money
who is re
3 years ago he spent 6 months research, testing and training in Traditional Chettinand buildings with INTACH, has since been leading a team executing Chettinand Plasters in Pondicherry and Nellore.
References
- https://www.craftscouncilofindia.in/s-p-mookkaiya-2019/
- Chettinad Egg-Lime Plaster-Workshop by M.Rm.Rm Cultural foundation
- https://30stades.com/2020/07/15/centuries-old-lime-egg-wall-plaster-technique-being-revived-by-chettinad-masons-tamil-nadu/
- https://thannal.com/types-of-indian-plaster-part-1/
- https://www.chidambaravilas.com/blog/chettinad-plaster/