Wednesday 16 May 2012

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

18 comments:

  1. informative post...being a Bangalorean it was gr8 for me to know abt Sakkare acchu :) thank u 4 sharing

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  2. looks beautiful and makes for a very interesting wall piece!

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  3. Your idea of putting Sakkare Acchu as a wall piece is such a lovely one!! Your home looks so beautiful!!

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  4. Dear Colours Dekor team, I am such a big fan of your bolg and am following it for two years...I love all your posts...Your house is simply fabulous Anpu...I have never heard of this mould thing before though I do know there are some moulds used in West Bengal to make their sweets.

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  5. Absolutely fabulous post Anpu and I am in love with your home.

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  6. REally, had no idea about the sakkare acchus! Thanks for sharing Patty!

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  7. This post took me back to my childhood days,we have these in Andhra pradesh too, they r used during Weddings,Pongal and Baby showers....

    Awesome idead for the wall piece,totally love it,how did u put them together and I love the way it not being symmetric...

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  8. Thanks everyone...loved your c comments...
    Bindu...just take a ply and glue the wooden molds...and screw in a tiny plug for hanging onto the screw on the wall...

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  9. Thanks for the info,planning to do some thing similar using wooden block printing blocks...guess I have to wait till my next trip to India to get the block...

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  10. Amazing! how the post starts off with a traditional kitchen tool and zooms into your tastefully done up room! Loved the idea of the wall decor using the molds and the chairs (rosewood?) are awesome :)

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  11. hey anpu,
    lovely post. i am a big fan of sakkare acchus too and have inherited (i would like to say inherited because they are easily about 80 years old and fabulously handmade) the traditional ones from my grandmom. I religiously make them every year. Loved your wall decor idea.keep up the good work!!!!

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  12. I loved the Sakkare Acchus and enjoy the lovely colored sugar miniature they make. Do they still make the wooden molds?? I have not been able to locate good quality molds.

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  13. hey anpu lovely post on sakkare achchus I loved your wall piece idea too.Thanks for sharing
    anandhirajan

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  14. ♥ amazing collection of sakkare acchus!!and you are blessed with a sweeeeet home..wall piece sakkare acchus add more beauty to it..

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  16. plz upload the address for wooden sugar moulds

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  17. where can these moulds be purchased....are they available online

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