Skip to main content

The wonder of craftsmanship in Kerala -Valkanndi embroidery

valkannadis are the model of the aranmula mirror with a handle. in olden days the royal families were using aranmula kannadi for seeing their faces. the handle comes in various shapes – the round and flat. valkannadi ( hand mirror) models ara available from 1.5 inch in diameter inwards. it comes in oval & circular shape.

valkannadi is using as one of the auspicious items in the ashtamangalya set. and ashtamangalya set is using for wedding and during the vishukkani etc. the biggest valkannadi is in the size of 5 inches in diameter ( mirror part only). most of the hand mirrors comes with a hook on the backside, so that you can hang it in the wall as well.
The Aranmula Kannadi, or Aranmula mirror, is an artifact that exemplifies the extraordinary craftsmanship culture of Kerala. This special metal mirror is a unique creation by the bronze smiths of Aranmula- a village in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. Aranmula is renowned for several reasons, including the famous Hindu pilgrimage centre, the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, the celebrated boat race known as Aranmula Vallamkali, and the unique metal artifact, the Aranmula mirror.

The craftsmen of Aranmula are believed to be bronze smiths who migrated from the village of Thirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. They were invited by the king to complete the construction of the Aranmula temple. After settling in the village, they expanded their work beyond temple construction to include creating jewellery, vessels, and artifacts. These talented craftsmen discovered the reflective properties of a tin alloy and experimented with making a mirror, which later became popularly known as the Aranmula Kannadi.

Traditionally, the Aranmula Kannadi is oval-shaped with a handle, known as the Valkannadi. The Valkannadi holds auspicious significance and is an essential item in all important occasions in Kerala, such as weddings, special rituals, and temple ceremonies. It is commonly used as a symbol of the Mother Goddess. The craftsmen of Aranmula designed the Valkannadi using this particular metal alloy, and the mirror from Aranmula became a celebrated artifact.

Today, the Aranmula Kannadi is crafted in a variety of designs. Beyond its use in rituals and ceremonies, it has become a traditional ornamental piece and Embroideried on
 garments that represents the rich cultural and craft heritage of Kerala. 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Traditional Folk Art - Kantha Embroidery

One of the oldest and most famous forms of Indian embroidery from West Bengal and Orissa. Rural women practice this embroidery and pass it on to generations and it is also a common dowry tradition. These women not only embroidered the Kantha work on appeals but in décor also. The best thing about Kantha is that it didn’t need any additional ornamentation to make it look amazing and the reason it can be used in different forms and for various purposes. History Searching history first story believed that the earliest written record is earlier than 500 years ago. The poet krishnadas kaviraj wrote in his book Sri Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita how Chaitanya’s mother sent a homemade Kantha to her son in Puri. Kantha had quiet beginnings in the rural setting of Bengal and almost vanished in the early 19th century. Another story is believed that Lord Buddha and his discipline use old rugs with different kinds of patchwork to cover themselves and th...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Traditional Craft of Punjab - Phulkari Embroidery

In the 15th century, phulkari embroidery was first begun by the women folk of Punjab. A tradition of Punjab with bright and vibrant colors the phulkari is consist of two words phul means Flowers and kari mean Work. word phulkari means floral work but it is not only restricted to floral designs it also includes various motifs and geometrical patterns and shapes. The embroidery has its charm and is popular not only in India but worldwide.   Origin There are various theories about the origin of phulkari. One among them is embroidery was prevailed in most of India, But survived in Punjab. You can see a glimpse of it in Kashida of Bihar, And some parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.  Another view is that the embroidery came from Iran, in there it is known as Gulkari. However, pal (1960) notes that both the style phulkari and Gulkari are distant. Ancient texts, folk legends, and literature of Punjab have references of phulkari. In Harshcha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Embroidery of Manipur - Shamilami Embroidery

Shamilami embroidery is an art of weaving patterns and stitching. Popularly Shamilami embroidery is done on various clothing pieces but the highlighted clothes of them all is the border of a lungi, a wrap worn by women on their lower bodies.   History of Shamilami Embroidery  The embroidery is called Shamilami because of the animal patterns it uses. In Manipuri Shamilami means “wild animal patterned warrior cloth”. A piece of cloth with Shamilami embroidery was given to warriors by the King to acknowledge and appreciate their brave and heroic qualities. It was an honor to receive this piece of clothing and it held a high status in society.  Shamilami embroidery is also acknowledged in some parts of Nagaland. It is known as Naga Angami chaddars in Nagaland because they use Shamilami embroidery work on their shawls.
Post a Comment
Read more