The Aranmula Mirror, a metallurgical mirror made in Kerala and GI-protected centuries-old handicrafts from Kerela whose priced pieces adorn Buckingham Palace and the British Museum, is now under threat of the effects of climate change.
It is also known as Aranmula “Kannadi” mirror in Malayalam and is a product of the temple town of Aranmula in the Pathanamthitta district. The alloy mirror was given a geographical tag in 2004-2005 for its super exclusivity. It is a rare piece of craft that had existed even during the Vedic period of Indian History.
This artistic creation is used to adorn the grandeur of the houses. In the Puranas, it has been described as the mirror of the Goddess Parvati. She appeared in the dream of a bronze smith, whom the King ordered to build a mirror within three days. He needed some of the required materials within a strict deadline, which was a source of his stress.
She also told the priest about the required proportions for a bronze alloy that shone like a mirror and asked the community ladies to surrender their gold ornaments.
According to the skilful artisans and craftsmen, the extreme rainfall and floods that continue to trouble Kerela have depleted a key raw material, i.e., the clay from the Pamba River basin used to create the casts that make its kind of handicrafts.
Made by the finest craftsmen for centuries and generations, the unique product has been gifted to heads of the states visiting India by the Indian authorities. For example, PM Narendra Modi gave it to British First Lady Samantha Cameron in November 2015.
However, the artisans who make the true reflection mirror are finding it very difficult to source the clay with the requisite qualities as the past few years floods and landslides in the area have changed the chemical and physical parameters of the soil in Aranmula Village.
Manoj S, who has been making the mirror for the past twenty years, said, “The quality of the soil has been changed after the 2018 floods. Earlier, we used to take the topsoil from its fields to make the casts for the mirror. Now we have to dig further to get the soil which is required, and even that soil is of poor quality.
The Kerala Soil Survey Department also confirms the changes in the chemical and physical properties of the soil in flood-affected areas. “our study after the 2018 floods in 13 districts has identified significant changes in soil quality. The quality of the soil in Pamba Basin, where Aranmula is located, has deteriorated significantly,” V Justin, the Assistant Director of the Soil Survey Department, Pathanamthitta, told PTI. Extreme rain events can worsen the situation, he added.
Topsoil erosion and silt deposits during flash floods could cause a major problem in areas like Aranmula. If these areas get flooded again, more silt will be deposited, and contaminants can further alter the characteristics of the soil.
A study by the Soil Health Status of Kerela Flood Scenario said “Large Quantities of sand, silt and clay were deposited on the surface soils of the affected panchayats. The thickness of deposition varied from 2cm to 10 cm. Soil Crusting was also reported from these depositional areas.”
According to the study, there was a change in the texture of the soil in Pathanamthitta, from clay loam to sandy loam. It also identified increasing acidity in the spoil after floods as a major problem and found that there was a great imbalance in the chemical components in the soil.
Sooraj Acharya, who runs the Sundar Handicrafts, said, “The soil we use should have the right level of stickiness so that the cast would hold properly in extreme temperatures.” His organisation is one of the 26 traditional mirror-making efforts left in Aranmula, said
The clay discs made from the soil, which are now turning into a grainy paste that is baked at a high temperature, are integral to the good quality of the mirror. These discs are reused several times, and if the quality of the clay is not good, they can crack and leak out the hot mixture from the clay cast.
A Mixture of tin and white lead for the mirror is filled up the clay cast, containing the clay discs and then heated up. Once the mixture is melted, the clay cast is turned over, allowing the mixture to flow in the space between the discs. It is then cooled and taken out.
The President of the Association of Aranmula Mirror Workers, Sindhu G, said that “a smooth-surfaced mirror has to come out and for that, the quality of clay cast and discs is paramount. With the present soil quality, we lose 10 to 15 mirrors when we cast 50 of them.”
The metals used, and their proportion in the alloy are secrets that have traditionally been passed on to generations.
The Soil Survey Department has been studying the deterioration of soil quality in Kerala after the floods, and due to the effects of climate change, there are yet to take up concerns of the Aranmula Mirror Workers.
“We were unaware of the problems faced by the artisans due to deteriorating soil quality We propose a detailed study in the is regard with the permission of the director and will explore means to conserve the required quality of soil for the artisans of Aranmula,” Justin told the PTI.
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