Today’s Perunthachan
Malayalam, 26 min, 1994
This film shows the present marginalisation of wood craftsmen of Kerala, who were once highly respected and skilled artisans in the society. Not only did they build temples and palaces in the past, they also possessed the traditional knowledge of the sciences of architecture, namely Tatchashastra and Vastushastra. With the passage of time, as materials for buildings changed and wood became scarce, these craftsmen had to shift over to making small artifacts. Most discontinued the profession completely. The film tries to analyse the genesis of this problem and explores the possibility of assimilating the traditional skills in the new schools of architecture, such as that of Laurie Baker.
Producer: Magic Lantern Foundation / Script & Direction: Gargi Sen / Camera & Editing: Ranjan De