VELLORE : As the much-anticipated Mayana Kollai festival draws near, young sculptors of Makkan in Vellore are busy fashioning goddess sculptures with meticulous care, turning their terraces into hubs of artistic expression. This traditional celebration, observed a day after Maha Shivaratri in the Tamil month of Maasi, carries profound significance in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu such as Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur. Scheduled to grace the dry banks of the Palar this Saturday, the festival has rekindled fervour among hundreds of devotees across the erstwhile Arcot region. A focal point of the event is the age-old tradition of the unique effigy, which has been a cornerstone of Vellore's Makkan area for generations.
"Makkan is at the forefront of introducing sculpture and artwork decoration in the Mayana Kollai festival," said Elumalai (20), a sculptor hailing from Makkan. Kumar, a trailblazer in sculpture-making for the Mayana Kollai festival, has played a pivotal role in introducing innovative ideas. He was instrumental in pioneering the decorations and costumes worn during the festival in Vellore and others in the north Arcot district have also embraced this art form.
"My father passed away a few years ago. But he was the one who introduced different costumes and creatures to the Mayana Kollai festival. Before him, people used only paintings for decoration on them," said Saran, Kumar’s son. Makkan boasts a team of five young college-going artists who specialize in crafting sculptures. Their repertoire includes depictions of deities such as Siva and Parvathi, Panjamugi Hanuman, Ramar, Muniswarar, Angalaparameshwari, Kaali, Ratha Katteri, Narasimhar, and 18 other varieties. Each sculpture weighs a minimum of 25kg. They began taking orders in January, completing a minimum of 20-25 orders each week, with rates ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 25,000 per sculpture. Their tools include Vaikol, strong glue, thread, paper, and paints.
"The speciality of Makkan lies in our realistic art compared to other parts of the northern districts and this is why we receive orders from Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and even Salem," explained Harish, another artist from Makkan. As they commence sculpting, they adhere to rituals such as kaapu katradhu and abstain from consuming non-vegetarian food until the festival concludes. "This is a seasonal sculpture. While some may assume it's purely for profit, our motivation is rooted in spreading joy," said Sathish.
The figurines, crafted from dry grass and paper, are carried by devotees before being placed in front of the large clay goddess Angala Parameshwari on the river bed on Saturday. Originally, the festival served as a prayer for a bountiful harvest, with paddy, cereals, and seeds adorning the clay sculpture. Over the years, the festival has evolved into a vibrant parade, with numerous devotees donning elaborate costumes. On the day of the festival, the clay idol of goddess Angala Parameshwari is carried on a chariot by devotees in a grand procession, traversing key stretches in Vellore and nearby districts en route to the burial ground near the Palar River.