Jaffna Nallur Festival Ther chariot construction: wooden axle lubrication and iron banding?

The monumental processional chariot (Ther) used during the 25-day Nallur Kandaswamy Festival in Jaffna is a masterpiece of traditional northern timber engineering. Standing over 40 feet tall, the multi-tiered chariot is constructed entirely from seasoned Jak wood (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and Palmyra timber joined through heavy mortise-and-tenon framing. The massive wooden axle rests on thick iron-banded wooden wheels, lubricated continuously with pure castor oil (Endu Ennai) to prevent frictional wood scorching while carrying the deity statue across city streets.