The Karanthai neighbourhood in the eastern part of the old city has been the centre of Thanjavur's bronze casting industry for centuries. A cluster of workshops here still practises the lost-wax (cire perdue) method for casting bronzes — the same technique used by Chola artisans to produce the magnificent Nataraja and Parvati figures now in museums worldwide. The process involves creating a wax model, encasing it in clay, melting out the wax, and pouring in an alloy of copper, tin, and other metals.
Visiting a working workshop — rather than just buying from a shop — is far more instructive. Several workshops on the main street of Karanthai welcome visitors and will explain the stages of production. Quality ranges from tourist souvenirs to serious pieces that take months to complete. The government emporium near the Art Gallery sells authenticated bronzes with certifications of origin; private workshops offer a more direct relationship with the makers and often better prices for larger commissions. A small Nataraja of reasonable quality costs from around 1,500 rupees; serious collector pieces are priced accordingly.