The reflection of his craftsmanship

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:An epitome of Kerala's rich heritage, the fame of Aranmula mirrors has traversed borders, thanks to its intricate design and craftsmanship. And, for people like Murukan R, this has been a part of his life for decades. One of the very few who makes these mirrors, Murukan is on a mission to hone his skill by setting a record, by crafting the mirror in a day.

Also a record holder for making the smallest Aranmula mirror, Murukan says he is on a constant quest to experiment with different raw materials like clay.

“I have seen my parents make Aranmula mirrors from my childhood. What interested me was how time-consuming the whole process is,” says Murukan. And, that's what he aims to change.Murukan explains the traditional way of creating mirrors.

"The alloy is heated and cooled down. This is then broken into tiny silvery shards. To the rectangular mould that has already been made, two baked clay slabs are bound together, leaving a 3 mm gap where a cup-shaped crucible is attached with a small hole that acts as a neck between the two parts," he says.

He fills the cup with fragments of the alloy and seals the entire thing with clay. The mould is then put upside down into the hearth, with the cup holding the alloy deep in the fire. This will ensure that the metal melts. Once the mould turns deep-red, he fishes it out of the fire and lets it stand upright. Now the melted alloy flows into the mould, spreading evenly across it. This alloy has to cool for a day. When the mould is broken, a 3-mm thick material that looks like an opaque slate is seen. This is what will become the mirror after many hours, sometimes days, of polishing. It is this cumbersome process that Murukan hopes to do it in a day.

It is the same determination that enabled Murugan to make the smallest mirror. "It was my son who asked me to make a small model of Aranmula mirror for him. But, once I started doing it, the result was exemplary. Thus, I began crafting them small," says Murukan.

The artist, who also does sculptures for temples, claims to be the only one to do box casting or the frame for Aranmula mirrors.