Nettippattom - a decorative from Kerala

Base material: Textile based soft goods

Category: Wall hangings

Mighty, massive and majestic tuskers, decked out in elaborate and exquisite ornaments, are a sight common to most festival celebrations across God’s Own Country. Among the most splendid sights during this revelry is the Nettippattom, which is the glittering ornament that adorns the forehead of the elephant. It is one of the most carefully crafted ornaments in the entire country, as the precision and care taken into decorating these beloved animals is indigenous to the State.

The making of the Nettippattom: Three and a half kilograms of copper and three sovereigns (24 gm.) of gold go into the making of a simple nettippattom. It takes not less than 20 days to craft this ornament. The size of the nettippattom varies with that of the elephant. An elephant of 9 to10 ft. height would require an ornament of 60" - 66'' in length with at least 11 chandrakkala (crescents) on it.