Here its the story behind the making of aranmula mirror.
A few centuries back the high priest of Aranmula Parthasarathy temple found that the crown made for the deity was cracked. The local king then summoned the head the bronze smith clan and ordered him to make a new crown within three days. The chief got worried as he did not have sufficient materials. Further there was not sufficient time to get the material from other places.
He came home and told his wife about his worries. It is claimed that while they were sleeping, the Goddess appeared in he dreams and told her the proportions for a bronze alloy that shone like a mirror and asked her to tell the ladies of the community to surrender their gold ornaments. All the gold were collected and sold to buy sufficient tin and copper. That night she went and told all the ladies to do as per the orders of the Devi.
The crown made out of the combination of copper and tin turned out to be a marvel of art and craft. It was silver like colour, brittle like glass, shone with rare brilliance, and when cleaned acquired the quality of reflection. The makudam of crown known as Kannadi Bhimbom (Mirror image) was preserved in the Aranmula temple till 1946. The casters soon worked out the ratios of different metals used.
The chieftain of Aranmula liberally patronized the craft persons and even laid down an order that the mirror should from one of the eight auspicious articles used in all Hindu religious rites including marriage. They then made a small “KUMKUMA CHEPPU” or vermilion container, in bronze and filled in with a small bronze mirror on the cover. This became very popular among the elite of Malayali Society. Under the patronage of a few aristocratic ladies the VaalKannadi flourished. But the demand died gradually a cheaper glass mirrors were available. The popularity of the handicraft grew by bounds only a decade ago, stepping us its demand especially in foreign countries.
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