The wonder mirror without glass – the Aranmula Kannadi has been a long-standing reflection of the State’s rich metallurgical traditions.

The takers for this fascinating mirror have only been increasing each year. However, artisans willing to carry on this unique craftsmanship are on the decline.

In an effort to popularise this tradition, an exhibition of Aranmula mirrors is being held at the SMSM Institute in the city. “The exhibition is a way to promote the artisans and encourage their efforts,” said K.J. George, an official at the institute.

The mirrors displayed come in various shapes and sizes. The frames are shaped in the form of swans, sun, conch, and lotus and the traditional ‘valkannadi’. Hand-held mirrors, mirrors on stands, and those for decorating walls are available.

This hand-made metal-alloy mirror is said to be an alloy of copper and tin, which is polished for several days to get the end product. The price for the mirrors ranges from Rs.1,600 to Rs.55,000. Theshow will end on March 31.

Report in The Hindu

“The in-house exhibition is being organised by the Institute to promote Aranmula mirrors and to increase sales by offering a 10 percentage discount. We started the exhibition on March 8 and we have already sold a good number of pieces by now,” said K J George, Manager SMSM Institute, Trivandrum.

You can read the full report here…

Aranmula Valkannadi

Valkannadi – or the hand mirrors are got a very special place among the aranmula kannadi models. 7 out of 10 requests we are getting everyday is of valkannadi’s. Though several models of aranmula kannadis are available, this has got a very good reputation among the models.

Valkannadi is a very traditional model of aranmula kannadi. During the early ages, the aranmula kannadi’s were made only in one model, which is valkannadi. the ladies used this valkannadi to admire their beauty, during the royal ages, and valkannadi is the most important thing in the auspicious ‘Ashtamangalya’ set.

And another fact is, the valkannadi resembles the goddess laxmi, means the goddess of wealth and prosperity. It believes that keeping an aranmula kannadi in home will invite the goddess lekshmy to the house, and that brings the wealth and prosperity to the house and its people.

Now a days, there is a variety of valkannadi models, which you can see here…

Aranmula kannadi is giving as prestigious gifts for many occasions. here is another example.  The Business achievement award , which is giving for outstanding business contributions. This year this award is given to Mr.Gopu Nanthileth.  This award is given by Chief Minister of Kerala. OOmen chandi.

A glowing piece of history bearing the signature of fine craftsmanship, the Aranmula kannadi (Aranmula mirror) is quietly braving the ravages of time. A vintage reflection of Kerala’s handicraft tradition that flourished around the temple, today it is a requisite wherever classic Kerala is on show. And on show it is for the third successive year at Kairali, the government’s enterprise for arts and crafts of Kerala, in the city.

The hand mirror is showcased in 11 varying sizes at the complex: the smallest is an inch and a half wide and the largest six inches wide. The artisans, belonging to a few families around the Parthasarathy temple in the village of Aranmula in South Kerala, have crafted the mirrors in conventional shapes — in frames shaped like a conch, the sun and a lotus and in the typical long-tailed form.

The mirror in the Aranmula kannadi is no glass, as M. Mohandas, manager at Kairali, explains. “It is a combination of copper and tin that has been polished. The technique of mixing these metals is a secret known only to the families,” he says.

One can also check the authenticity of an Aranmula mirror. “When you fold a paper and place it against the mirror, there will be absolutely no gap between the paper and its reflection in a genuine Aranmula mirror,” explains Mohandas. Kairali’s initiative in exhibiting the mirrors exclusively at its showrooms across the State has given a fillip to the once “sinking” craft and its makers, says Mohandas. In a year, Aranmula mirrors are showcased for 15 days in different districts. A limited view of the artefact not only protects its novelty, but also helps the artisans, who cannot mass produce this hand-made product. In the course of the 15-day show in Kozhikode, roughly 400 pieces will be on display.

“In the first year of the exhibition, the Kozhikode centre registered the maximum sale at Rs 7.7 lakhs, while in the second year we had a sale of mirrors worth Rs 4.5 lakhs,” Mohandas says. Noting the dip in sales, he points out, “When it comes to pieces like the Aranmula mirror, families tend to own just one.” So, at Kairali, plans are afoot to take the exhibition to smaller centres in the years to come to woo new buyers.

Prized gifts

The mirrors on show are priced between Rs 1,100 and Rs 10,000, while there are Aranmula mirrors that are worth about Rs 60,000. The mirrors, once known to niche customers — the Ayyappa devotees who visited the Parthasarathy temple on their way to Sabarimala — are now traversing seas to win admirers. The other day a few pieces were bought from the Kozhikode showroom for the Indian Ambassador to the United States to be taken as gifts on her latest assignment, says Mohandas. The exhibition is on till December 17 at Kairali on Palayam Road.

This is an article published in The Hindu daily.

Here is the GI Patent certificate of aranmula kannadi

These special and unique aranmula mirrors are made for these very special guests, by aranmulamirror.com.  - The No.1 source for Authentic and Traditional Aranmula Kannadis.

The King Khan of  Bollywood with  Aranmula Kannadi .  Aranmula Kannadi is the very unique and special mirror in this entire world. We made this special mirror exclusively for Sharukh Khan. Great to see the king khan of Bollywood with the King of all gifts – The legendary Aranmula Mirror.

Introduction:
Aranmula metal mirror manufacturing was started in the early 18th century. It represents a fascinating area of culture and technological curiosity. Mysterious in its creation, unequalled in its beauty, this metal mirror a medieval Dravidian marvel in the annals of metallurgy was in vogue long before the appearance of today’s silicon glass mirror. This is constrained to only one household of master craftsmen in Aranmula. Aranmula Kannadi is a unique art which cannot be found else anywhere in the world. The making of the metal mirror is a long process that needs enough patience. Some undisclosed metals are alloyed with copper and tin to cast the Aranmula Kannadi in typical clay moulds. The polishing can go on for one to two days so as to achieve highly reflective surfaces.

The technique of production of this mirror is a closely guarded secret handed over from generation to generation of craftsmen.

Importance:

There is a great difference between ordinary mirror and the metallic mirror. In an ordinary mirror, there is a silver nitrate coating which reflects the light and thus presents the image of the object. There is no silver coating on the metallic mirror. When you touch a piece of paper on the surface of an ordinary mirror, there appears a gap between the object and image, where as in the Aranmula metal mirror, there is a point of touching of two images and exists no gap between the images. The making of this mirror needs intuition, expertise, precision, lot of dedication and to be done in a sacred atmosphere. It is believed that if a a person brings this mirror home, Goddess Parvathy blesses him and will be liberated from all evil forces.