Want To Know What Happened To The Mysterious Aranmula Mirrors Post Kerala Flood

If you have ever trawled the world wide web for that rare piece of pottery for that touch of culture and tradition in your living room, we understand. No matter how many rounds one make of clothing and home decor stores, that rare black pottery from an obscure village in northeast India or a mirror that is not made of glass or an attire that has real dried orchids sewn into them, these items will remain hard to come by. No, they are not playing hard-to-get they are just not mass produced and are as unique as they come. Here are five unique works of Indian craftsmanship that you need to know about.

Aranmula Kannadi, The Metal Mirrors Of Kerala

Nothing explains Kerala's rich cultural (and metallurgical) past as Aranmula Kannadi. These are the hand-made metal-alloy mirrors crafted using 2000-year-old technology. All we know is that these metal mirrors are a mix of copper, tin and a secret that's been handed down generations. Very few artisan families of Aranmula village know about this secret and they continue to keep it that way. What else make these mirrors so special Probably that fact that it takes long to produce one mirror and we can understand why. The entire process begins from paddyfield from where they gather suitable clay for the mould. The alloy is then poured inside the mould and heated to about 400 degrees celsius. Once done, the metal is checked for minute deformities after which the perfect ones are polished for about two days, followed by a cloth-polish and lastly a touch-up polish by velvet cloth. The final product is then fitted in hand-crafted ornate brass frames. This mirror is different than the normal mercury coated mirrors because image from an Aranmula mirror is reflected from the upper surface of the finely polished metal. Aranmula Kannadi is the by-product of a lot of effort and generations of expert hands. Sadly, during the recent flood devastation in Kerala, a lot was lost from this village. Along with finished products, craftsmen lost their precious tools and resources. Habitat for Humanity India, along with the construction giant, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, provided the necessary tools and raw materials to help them recover and start afresh. Enough to make you want to explore the world of Aranmula Kannadi and get one of those mirrors for yourself They say mirrors hold a lot of secrets and we know for sure that this one does.

Laam phei or Langmiu Pheisuai of the Zeliangrong Nagas
One of the major Naga communities living in Assam-Manipur-Nagaland, three tribes--Zeme, Liangmei and Rongmei--make up Zeliangrong Nagas. This combination of three tribes only mean coming together of more vibrant and diverse culture and traditions. A small example of this can be seen in their attire. Predominantly an aggrarian community, a lot of Zeliangrong festivals revolve around argriculture. One such festival is Gaan-Ngai, a post harvest festival which is also celebrated as a new year. During the festival, young Rongmei women wear laam phei or langmiu pheisuai (laam=dance, pheisuai=sarong, langmiu=black yarn). What makes this langmiu pheisuai unique These pheisuais are individually hand-woven in traditional looms and have intricate designs on them, some so fine that they are woven one thread at a time. If you think that's intricate, wait till you see real dried orchids and bamboo shavings sewn into these pheisuais. Kung puangs (orchid in Rongmei) are an important part of the Zeliangrong Naga tradition and hence you will find them in the traditional attire. We won't say these are rare but are without a doubt going that direction. At least the hand-woven ones are. These days most of these pheisuais are machine made and are mass produced which is a far cry from the original hand woven ones. Nowadays if you want to own one, you need to find Rongmei artisanal weavers who are willing to sit for days weaving one strand at a time. These pheisuais are work of art and the price range start from @INR 17,000 a piece.

Dhokra Handicraft of Chhattisgarh

The first time we came to know of Dhokra handicraft was from an excavated artifact from Mohenjodaro. Though the art of non-ferrous metal casting using the lost-wax casting technique is shared by West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, the art form is dying because very few tribes are practicing it. The technique is over 4,000 years old and definitely not a stranger to India. For a collector, these beautiful folk motifs with interesting forms are a dream. Popular not only in India but also internationally, these Dhokra handicrafts are gem and they need to stay away from the danger of extinction. The fact that there are very few tribes that are still producing these, makes it all the more important. Bastar region in Chhattisgarh for one, is one such place where you can still find these precious artifacts.

Golden Muga Mekhela From Sualkuchi In Assam

The clackity-clack of the looms and the hands busy feeding one line of silk thread at a time into that loom has made this obscure village of Sualkuchi in Assam what it is today. Assam is home to three indigenous silk--Muga, Eri and Pat--of which, the gorgeous golden Muga silk mekhela (traditional Assamese attire) is why we are here. This weaving tradition dates back to the 11th century. Later the silk weaving &nbspvillage found favour in the eyes of the Ahom King and since then their popularity rose and they are still relevant. Speaking of the craft itself, the fine golden Muga silk is a beauty. The older the fabric, the stronger and shiny it gets. Silk is a big part of Assamese culture, like that of Kanchipuram or Banarasi silk. Attend Bihu festival and you will see Assamese women in beautiful Muga mekhela-chadar. Visit the state of Assam to get your hands on one of these silk beauties.

Blackstone Pottery Of Longpi in Manipur

A pottery fit for a king, is what the blackstone pottery of Longpi is. Back in the day, only the royalty and the rich could afford these pottery. This unique form of pottery is still practiced by a small group of Tangkhul Naga potters from Ukhrul district in Manipur. The black serpentine rock is one of the materials used and what's most amazing is that the shaping of clay is done by hand and moulds, no use of a potter's wheel. The black colour, however, is from the firing process while the glaze comes from Pasania pachyphylla leaves which are used to polish the finished product. These potteries are important for the Tangkhul Nagas because they believe that the art of crafting these came from the Goddess Panthobi and because of which Longpi pottery is an important part of festive occasions. For more domestic use, Longpi pottery can be used for cooking also. It's durable (and heavy). Since there is no use of a wheel, the process of making Longpi pottery requires a lot of beating and shaping of the clay. So if you are interested in owning a pottery fit for a king, you know where to find it.