You
may be familiar with the majestic jumbos of Kerala. Then what about miniatures
forms of them? That too in wood? Parandode at Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram
is a remote village, known for its wood carved elephants. These models are made
out of either teak or rosewood and the craftsmanship is handed down from one
generation to the next. The production units in the village are mainly home
based. The wooden elephants produced here have crossed regional barriers and
have become a symbol of the state and are available in almost all souvenir shops
across the state.
