Harvested from the Kondapalli hills near Vijayawada, lightweight Tella Poniki (Gyrocarpus americanus) wood is seasoned over slow smoke, carved in modular parts with curved bahudar chisels, and luted together using makku—crushed tamarind-seed paste mixed with sawdust. 1
Coated in lime gesso and painted with vegetable and mineral pigments, classic sets depict village occupations, Dasavatara panels, and ambari elephants. 1
