Sakkare Acchu or Wooden Molds

Hello my lovelies...Today's post is on these special traditional wooden molds called 'Sakkare Acchu'. Sakkare or sugar and Acchu stands for molds. These molds are a speciality of Karnataka, in South of India and used during Makar Sankranti festival. Makar Sankranti, is one of the important harvest festivals in India that marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi (Capricorn) on its celestial path. 

 

During Sankranti, all homes in Karnataka and Kannada homes all around the world, use these molds to create small size sugar dolls, temples, animals, fruits. This along with a piece of sugarcane, a mixture of sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, sugar pieces, dry coconut pieces called "Yellu" is distributed to family and friends. Oh yes, there is a gift included too...Creation of the sugar dolls is a big deal and starts at least 2 weeks earlier to the actual festival. The sugar dolls from different homes are compared, and the one that is most intricate, sharp in its form, translucent and whitest is voted the best! Probably I am biased, but my mothers sugar molds were the best...

My mother has a large collection of these wooden molds at home (70 of them!) and these are about 50-60 years old. Since she now makes a smaller number of dolls, majority of the molds were kept away in the attic. Yes, I got these treasures over to my place...I have saved many to be used as the traditional Sakkare Acchu, while rest  are used as pieces of decor...pieces with so much tradition, histroy and culture entwined...

 

the traditional Sakkare Acchu...

 

the traditional sugar figurines or dolls created using the Sakkare Acchu...

 

the Sakkare Acchu used as decor item...wood, marigolds and tealights...

Sakkare Acchu's arranged to form a wall piece...

 

my Sakkare Acchu wall piece...

Did you like my treasures...do leave a comment...Adios

~Anpu