Brass Container (Sombu)

This item is called sombu in tamil language. It is used for storing water and other multi purpose use. Normally, in those days this utensil made out of mud then followed by brass. Now, it is made from aluminum, stainless steel and even with plastic material. This utensil usually a must have household item in every houses in India.

Now a days the sombu has almost faded away from common usage.

The interesting part of this sombu is that it was used for multi purposes. Before the "Toilet System", the green pastures were used by men and women for excretory purpose. The water filled sombu is always taken along for the rear end cleaning process.

Other than that, it also used for spitting chewed pawn.The most interesting used of sombu is for decision making process. In South India this sombu also used to solve disputes in a village and the panchayam leader (Nathamai) will used this to resolves the dispute among them.The Naattaamai usually delivers his judgement by sitting under a Banyan tree. A sombu is placed on his left side.