Nettipattam – Inimitable Good Luck Charm

The sight of a caparisoned elephant is a riveting spectacle. In fact, the nettipattam which adorns the head and trunk of the elephant is becoming a valued show-piece in many establishments all over the state as it is believed that it will bring good luck   But does one wonder about all the hard work that goes into making this traditional ‘ornament’ of the elephant? 

Mr. George Joseph, whose family has been making nettipattams for three generations, explained the intricacies of this exceptional profession. 

The nettipattam stands for Lord Ganapathi in full splendour.”The five large half-spheres on the nettipattam are called the ‘panchabhootham’ which are the protectors of Lord Ganapathi”, he explained. According to one legend, Lord Brahma made the first nettipattam for Airavatham, the white elephant glorified in Hindu mythology.  “We undertake a strict fast, abstaining from non-vegetarian food, before we begin the work on the nettipattam”, said Mr.George. His wife and two brothers are also engaged in the establishment Geo Enterprises, now based in Thiruvananthapuram.   The brass used for making the thakidu or sheet is brought as scrap. All the procedures are manual. The nettipattam is gold plated and covered with an expensive protective plastic coating which is weather-and damage proof. All the materials are available locally.   “In the past, electroplating was done but now we use the aqua regia procedure, the advantage being that it uses only less gold for the coating”, explained Mr.George Joseph.   The traditional nettipattam is 31 inches across at its broadest point and about 70 inches in length. Such nettipattams cost about Rs.47,000 and takes nearly a month to make. Smaller versions cost around Rs.6000 and many of  -
Mr George Joseph’s customers go in for these   Contact  Tel: 0471-2473345
E-mail: geonettipattom[at]yahoo.com

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