Amid soaring gold prices, artisans bond to craft survival

To make common facilities available for crafting ornaments based on market demand

- GOPIKA VARRIER @Thrissur

CONSIDERED the gold capital of Kerala, there was a time when Thrissur hosted hundreds of traditional gold artisan units that sold finished ornaments to major retailers in South India. Soaring gold prices saw the industry undergo a transformation, with customers opting for lightweight jewellery over relatively bulky traditional ones.

Veppila usha, elakkathali, adukku thali, and kuzhal mothiram necklaces made here have for ages been among the most sought after gold ornaments. The exquisite craft of the artisans, known as thattans, made these pieces inevitable at weddings and other social and cultural gatherings. With the passage of time, tastes have changed, forcing retailers to introduce more trendy, lightweight ornaments from states like Maharashtra. This has affected the livelihoods of local artisans. To improve their lot, gold jewellery manufacturers in the state now plan to form a grouping to make common facilities available for crafting ornaments based on market demand.

According to Sooraj T P, who has been an artisan for over four decades, "Earlier, customers used to approach artisans like me for creating pieces of jewellery in keeping with their budgets. They would have specific designs in mind and there used to be workers who were skilled enough to carry out the work under the guidance of chief artisans. These days, we design based on the requirements of retailers. Instead of varying designs and type of ornaments, units now concentrate on single products. Those who make earrings do not work on other ornaments. This helps speed up the process and ensure perfectly finished products," Sooraj, of Chevoor, said.