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Pembarthi village in Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh saw its glory during
the reign of the Kakatiyas. You'd be wondering why and how. It is a 500 year
old answer!
During the period of Kakatiya rule, sheet metal workmanship adorned the
vigrahas (statues) and vahanas
(chariots). With temples proliferating in the vast Kakatiya kingdom, the
Pembarthi sheet metal worker saw his fame attract people from all regions of
India. But sadly, the decline of the Kakatiya kingdom put craftsmen in the back
seat. After successive waves of Muslim influence, the Pembarthi sheet metal art
has acquired strikingly beautiful secular overtones. During the period of the
Nizam (the erstwhile ruler of Deccan), the craftsmen switched over to making
articles of home decoration like pandans (boxes for carrying betel nut), attar
pots (scent containers) and more.
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