Master craftsman. Third generation. Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
"Some crafts are practised. This one is lived."
Marimuthu has spent thirty years in a workshop that doubles as his home. His father Rajamanickam still works beside him. His brother Loganathan has been making moulds for twenty-five years. His nephew Ganapathy Ram sits quietly in the corner during school holidays. He watches — the way Marimuthu once watched his father — and he shows the plates to his classmates, explaining what he has seen.
Where it began
He learned by watching, long before he was formally taught. His father Rajamanickam recalls the years of silent observation before Marimuthu ever touched the work himself.
The years away, and the return
He worked in Malaysia to support his family. When he returned, the rhythm came back with him. His friend Achuthan, a bookseller, began displaying the plates in his shop, handling enquiries so Marimuthu could focus entirely on the work.
COVID, and the choice he made
When the pandemic shut down orders, Marimuthu turned to carpentry. When the orders returned, he returned. This is his identity, not his occupation.
"This is not just work. This is identity. This is what connects me to my father, my grandfather, and the generations before them. As long as my hands can shape metal, I will continue." — Marimuthu
How he works
A 14-inch plate moves through twenty or more individual steps. A 24-inch plate, worked on by four people, takes a full week. The most delicate step is fixing the small copper buttons along the border. His father Rajamanickam used to handle this stage. Now his hands are older. Marimuthu does it. His father watches.
