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The Goldsmiths
The small room was hot and a bit stuffy. It was bare save for a
small low table. Behind this table, a goldsmith sat on the floor,
his concentration centered on the work at hand.
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Using a thin L-shaped blowpipe, he
gently directed the flame from a burning lamp onto a small round
stone held in his hand. On this stone lay a piece of gold that
would eventually become a bracelet to adorn someone’s wrist. As
the metal glowed red, he removed it from the flame and using
small tools, quickly scraped and scratched the gold. He examined
it critically and made a few more adjustments. Then he plunged
the bracelet into a pot of water. Then, it received a brisk
rubdown with a piece of cloth. The result - a beautiful bracelet
made of twisted strands of gold.
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In
today’s materialistic society, gold plays an important part in the
lives of all people. There is not a single person who does not have
at least one small trinket made of gold. Brides in India are decked
(and often weighed down) in gold jewelry on their wedding day.
Pieces of gold jewelry were and still are exchanged between the
bride and groom at the time of marriage. To gift a gold ornament to
someone is testament to the bond of love that exists between both
persons. Gold ornaments or figurines are often offered in temples as
part of a thanksgiving or sacrificial offering to the deities. Gold
also finds its way into Hindu customs and traditions surrounding
birth, maturity, learning and death.
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Kerala has a long and fascinating
relationship with gold. In times past, the profession of fashioning gold
was limited to a particular caste of artisans known as ‘Acharis’. Intricate
designs and patterns were fashioned under the skillful hands of these master
craftsmen for the royal and priestly classes. Knowledge of the trade and
techniques used were closely guarded secrets that were passed down from
father to son. |
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In
present day Kerala however, such class distinctions have vanished and the
art of fashioning gold can be practiced by anyone who learns the trade.
Though a lot of modern jewelry is made mechanically, there still are traditional
and beautiful pieces that are lovingly crafted by the hands of a talented
goldsmith. It was in the shop of one of these goldsmiths that I sat,
watching a bracelet take shape under the skillful hands of Mr. Sreedharan.
The
‘shop’ was actually an old, dingy building near the Thripunithura temple
on the outskirts of Cochin City. Owned and run by a goldsmith named Mr.
Mani, the shop had 3 work areas - a room at the back of the shop, another
room in a building beside the shop and a third room across the narrow street.
In these 3 rooms, 8 goldsmiths worked through the day making jewellery which
would find it’s way onto shelves of the biggest gold shops in the city.
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As I watched Sreedharan working,
I asked Mani how long it took to train a goldsmith. He told me that traditionally,
an aspiring goldsmith found a master and worked as his apprentice for 6
years. In this period, he learnt by observing and helping his master at
work. He was taught to make bangles, rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants
and other types of jewellery. He was also trained in the crafts of engraving
and fixing stones. “That’s how the goldsmiths here;
including myself learned our trade.”
“Is it still taught that way now?”
I asked.
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Mani shook his head (which meant the
answer was 'no'). “The apprentice
system is dying out. The youngsters today have no patience. They cannot
wait for 6 years to learn the trade. Now they do short courses for about
6 months where they specialize in one craft - making bangles or earrings
or chains or rings. Then they stick to their specialization; they don’t
know how to do anything else. Those of us who learn for 6 years have much
more experience and we can make any ornament the customer wants. But, these
youngsters want to start earning as soon as possible. So they settle for
these short courses”
I watched as Sreedharan started
to etch a design on a gold sheet with a small chisel shaped tool. With
swift and sure strokes, he dug into the gold carving out a beautiful pattern.
“What happens if you make a mistake?” I asked. There were a few chuckles.
“You can’t,” replied Mani. “Once a line is etched, you can’t erase it.
Why do you think we practice for 6 years?”
By
Catherene.
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