Aranmula kannadi – The Unique Mirror of Kerala

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Aranmula, a village in Kerala, situated on the banks of the river Pampa, is popular for the snake boat races, Parthasarathy temple and the very famous and unique mirror called the Aranmula Kannadi..

The Aranmula Kannadi is the traditional mirror and is one of the pieces of craft among the 8 items of the auspicious Ashtamangalya set which is used for auspicious occasions and also found as a traditional piece of art in most homes, and this famous mirror of Kerala is also a part of the British Museum in London too. The Aranmula Kannadi or mirror is not made of glass but a special blend of metals which is known only to a few metalsmith families. Copper and tin is alloyed with special metals which are a closely guarded secret, and cast in clay moulds. The polishing of this mirror is a long process and the specialty of this mirror is that unlike a glass mirror where the image is reflected from the bottom layer, where mercury is pasted,in the Aranmula mirror the image is reflected from the polished upper surface. The mirror is handmade by experienced craftsmen and since this metal mirror is an exclusive product of Aranmula alone, the secret of making of this mirror is an inherited gift and handed from generation to generation. Also since the secret of making this mirror is known only to the members of a few families, it is not possible to make a duplicate item. The Aranmula mirror is very special and the beauty of mirror and its special secret craftsmanship has made it a very popular piece of craft.

It is said that centuries back, the goddess had appeared in a bronze-smith’s dream and disclosed the secret proportions of brass alloy to make a crown that shined like mirror, for the diety of the Parthasarathy temple, and the artisans then used this combination to make the famous Aranmula Kannadi. The mirrors are presently made by the members of one family called the Thikkinampallil family. Since it is handmade, the labor charge, the polishing process and the secret ingredients make the mirror a quite expensive and they are they are available in different sizes and models.

There is a belief that the Aranmula Kannadi brings prosperity, wealth and luck, so next time you visit Kerala, make sure you include a trip to Aranmula in your itinerary to buy this popular mirror. The most important factor to remember is to place it away from heat and dust and no polishing material should touch the surface of the mirror.