ELEPHANT CAPARISON (Nettipattam in Malayalam) is the traditional caparison ornament worn by elephants during the Pooram festival in Kerala. Legend has it that the Nettipattam was designed by Lord Brahma for Airavath, the white elephant of Lord Indra. These glittering ornaments that adorn the forehead of the temple elephants are a graphical composition of gold plated hemispherical copper or brass beads, of different shapes and sizes. These are arranged together as pixel art, signifying the pantheon of Gods in Hinduism. Nettipattam ornaments are made by the atelier of master craftsmen who have served the great temples of Guruvayur and Thrissur since generations.
These arduous crafts are becoming very dear to ornate ones houesholds, a standard size gold plated caparison would costs about $2000-3000 in place of plastic caparison( polymer) which costs roughly about $100/piece.
TransKerala 