Imagine a room where the floor is a symphony of textures and tones, each tile a musical note playing a harmonious tune that tells a story from 200 years ago. Athangudi tiles, renowned for their glossy finish and elaborate designs, get their name from a village in Tamil Nadu, where tradition leads to sustainability and home decor.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Chettiar community, known for their extensive trade networks, were influenced by various architectural styles that they wished to emulate.

“They imported tiles from countries like England, Germany, and Italy to adorn their palatial homes,” shares Senthil Kumar Gnanamuthu, who owns Athangudi Tile Palace, a legacy passed on through seven decades.

Demonstrating remarkable ingenuity, villagers in and around Athangudi, a village in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district, began crafting their own tiles, drawing inspiration from the imported designs, but infusing and customising them with local aesthetics and materials.

These handcrafted tiles often showcase floral motifs and geometric patterns in rich hues such as deep reds, blues, greens, and mustard yellows, and today, and offer a sustainable solution to tile manufacturing.

The entire village of Athangudi, with a population of less than 2,000 people, is involved in the tile-making process.

How are Athangudi tiles made?

The production process for Athangudi tiles begins by sourcing the raw materials — sand, cement, glass, iron frame, colours, and water. “The sand used to make the tiles, called Vaariman, a type of river sand that is unique to Athangudi; and that’s the hero of the tiles,” says Senthil.

This locally sourced sand, along with cement and natural pigments, forms the foundation of these eco-friendly tiles that require no firing or baking.

The first step, then, becomes framing; an iron frame is placed on the glass of a desired measurement. “We usually make 10×10-inch tiles with a frame thickness of 8 mm,” explains Senthil.

Next, colours are poured based on customer requirements, and artisans create stunning geometric patterns. The sand, mixed with dry mortar, is spread over the colours and allowed to settle for three to four minutes.

A layer of wet mortar — sand, cement, and water — is poured on........

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