Aranmula, a village in the district of Pathanamthitta is well known for its ancient temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and it is also famous for its fine metallurgical art of making metal mirrors which are also known as the Aranmula Kannadi.
The Speciality Of Aranmula Kannadi And How Is It Made?
Aranmula kannadi is a handmade metal-alloy mirror. A special alloy is used to manufacture the Aranmula Kannadi. The metal mirror manufactured in Aranmula is a front surface reflection mirror, which eliminates secondary reflections.
The exact metals that form the alloy are said to be a combination of copper and tin. Besides making the right combination of the alloy, the craftsmen get involved in intensive polishing sessions, which would go on for several days to obtain the desired reflective surface.
Even today, craftsmen use traditional, indigenous methods and materials to produce the reflecting wonder called Aranmula Kannadi. It takes great practice and a tremendous amount of focus and patience to produce a perfect mirror piece. It is also said that this mirror is nothing but a metal, neatly polished with a secret ingredient which turns the metal into a mirror! Amazing isn’t it?
CAN ARANMULI MIRROR BE A REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR DRESSING TABLE MIRROR?
NO. For those of you, who are yet to get it clear – aranmula mirror / aranmula kannadi is not a replacement for your dressing table mirror, or it can’t be made in such a huge size. Instead, this is a mirror with a lot of specialties and it is used as a precious collectible.
Yet, you can use it to view your face/image – but the biggest aranmula kannadi that was made was around 12 inches in diameter, that itself would be at least 10 kilograms in weight with a huge frame size and can be very expensive.
Normally the aranmula kanandi comes in a size range of 2 inches to 6 inches – those are the most popular models, where people buy, gift or keep in their homes/business organizations.
HOW DO I BUY ARANMUALA KANNADI?
Ordering Aranmula Kannadi is now easy, either you can place an order online via the e-commerce website, you can also make a call or email in order to book your kannadi. If you happen to live near the handicraft shop, you can visit and buy the aranmula kannadi.
Most of the customers prefer it to buy online, and by doing so, you have to make sure that the particular model which you are ordering is readily available in stock. A better way is to send an e-mail or call and confirm the availability.
The normal procedure is, when a customer orders a mirror, that is when the artisans will start the process of making a mirror for them. This tells us that each and every mirror is custom made. The manufacturing of the mirror starts after the customer makes a demand for it. It should be noted that it is a time-consuming process.
Also, time to deliver the mirror is very important. Any kind of fastest courier may take at least 2 to 3 business days to deliver the mirror. Therefore if any of you have a thought in your mind to have the Aranmuli mirror in your house in a few weeks, you’ll have to know that these mirrors are handmade and they take months to come out ready. They cannot be purchased overnight.
HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ARANMULA MIRROR YOU BUY IS NOT FAKE?
Many people are buying aranmula kannadi from various places, which might be selling fake mirrors to them. So how do you verify if the mirror is the original piece?
There are many ways to verify it, and the simplest among them is – you should keep your fingertip on the surface of the metal mirror, if you don’t see a gap between your fingertip and the reflective image, that means you have an original in hand. In a regular mirror used all around us, the gap is quite evident.
It is much better and safer to not buy aranmula kannadi from unconfirmed dealers or places. Since the year 2016, every aranmula kannadi comes with a hologram sticker of the Vishwakarma Nirmaan society to confirm its authenticity. But it is to be noted that you can’t see the hologram in the older mirrors you bought before 2016.
HOW TO MAINTAIN AN ARANMULA KANNADI:
The proper maintenance of the metal mirror requires the mirror to be kept at room temperature and also away from heat and dust. There is a prescribed method to wipe the mirror to remove finger stains and other marks on it. The wiping movement is restricted to a particular direction and not in all. Therefore it is better asked to take a look at the videos or the guide to know how to maintain the mirror.
This concludes that this mirror is marvelous indeed, Noted for outstanding beauty and shrouded in secrecy, the Aranmula Kannadi is considered a medieval marvel in the annals of metallurgy.
It was in use much before the appearance of modern-day glass mirrors. The technical know-how behind the making of this unique metal mirror is confined to only some households of master craftsmen in Aranmula.
This piece of mirror is a marvelous object to be bought. It is very sure that it would definitely make any place it is kept in, more beautiful and perfect.
