Stone Carving - Mahabalipuram
The artisan first decides the required design to be carved from the stone. The block of the stone is first cut into appropriate size. A stone of desired shape is taken and leveled with a chisel called ‘Palamunai uli’ locally. Then the dimensions of the figure are marked with red oxide solution on the slab. The unwanted edges are removed by chiseling with chisel and hammer. Rough carving is made based on the rough sketches on the surface of the stone. The major carvings are done using the chisel and hammer to attain the desired figure. Water is sprinkled frequently to avoid heat generation during carving process. After rough carving, the detailing and minor carvings are made using sharp edged and pointed chisels. The ornamentation and the detailing design are done by scrapping the stone with pointed chisels. Once the product is ready, the surface of the stone is polished by rubbing it with sandpaper. The carved stone is then treated with water and chemical. This is done to smoothen and whiten the stone. Sometimes oil is also applied to obtain the typical dark color for selected products according to the requirement.
