Mr. Ilsung T. E. belongs to the lineage of iconic carpenter Perunthachan.
Place: Thankulam Edayamkunnathu house, near Mala, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
Mr. Ilsung with his son on the right side, displayed his most giant set of Pagoda creation.
Mr. Ilsung is a master craftsman; he learned carpentry from his father, Thankappan. He is continuing the ancient puzzle-making art as a part of his interest and passion for handicrafts. Coming from a family of carpenters, he claims that his explorations into Edakoodam began as a fascination towards one of the puzzles—that has been in his family's possession for generations. He started doing puzzles about eight years ago. After marriage, when he went to his father-in-law Sadhanandan's house, he saw a beautiful Edakoodam of eight pieces made by him. Seeing his interest, it was Sadhanandan who trained Ilsung in the craft of making Edakoodam. Later, when his son was two years, he built one using three pieces, and now that number has risen to 339. His wife also contributes to the making process by polishing the prepared parts. Apart from famous building structures such as the pagoda (Japanese crystal), many varieties of star-faced designs and right-angled notched forms are an integral part of Ilsung's collection. Three to 339 interlocking pieces and counting more than 45 variants at the moment; for this craftsman, Edakoodam is the product of his intelligence and challenge.
Ilsung works mostly for around 4-5 hours in a 20ft-by-10ft space at his house's backyard. Simple carpentry instruments and tools are used for measuring and carving the various pieces. Accuracy is essential for each of the parts to fit well. The kind of wood used for carving includes Teakwood, Jackwood, Rosewood. The natural colors in various timber give the toys their rich shades. Jackwood costs around Rs 5000/-, Teakwood costs around 7000/- and Rosewoods Rs. 10000/- per cubic foot. The largest Edakoodam he made consisted of 39 pieces which took two months for him to craft. Solving the puzzle can take up to 2.5 hours. The excess wood as a result of carving adds to the waste produced during the process. The crafted artifacts are carefully stored in suitcases and cupboards. The final products need to be transported but come with the risk of damage that can deem an entire piece redundant and require rework.
Edakoodam can be manipulated, as in the case of Rubik's cube. Handmade wooden toys are the hope in reducing the plastic toys that dominate the market these days. The Edakoodam is a tool for increasing the blood circulation in the palms as some pressure is applied to manipulate it. The puzzles come with other health benefits such as brain development in children, improving concentration, and leisure activities. The final pieces exhibit aesthetic value, and some even appear to be like optical illusions.
