Thrissurs golden legacy: Veteran artisan recalls citys journey from handcrafted jewellery to modern trade hub

THRISSUR: For Malayalis, Thrissur evokes images of gold and finance. Traditional artisans have played a key role in transforming Thrissur into a gold-trade hub which gave rise to many of the countrys major jewellers. From the time when artisanal goldsmithing was valued to now, with the younger generation staying away from the traditional sector, C P Subrahmanian, the founder of Surya Gold Manufacturers, has been witness to the history and transformation of gold manufacturing and trade in Thrissur. Belonging to a thattan family with its base in Chathakudam, Subrahmanian learned the trade from his father. I began working on gold at the tender age of 15 along with my father and brother. Those days a sovereign of gold cost about Rs 300. We mainly designed jewellery for affluent and aristocratic families. Veppila usha, thaalikootam, cheruthaali, kuzhal mothiram necklaces, Lakshmi bangles, Krishna lockets, jimikki and other unique earrings used by Christian families were popular. In those days, there was a craft involved in designing jewellery in keeping with demands of weight and size. There were unwritten rules on the proportion of pendants, chains or designs on necklaces, the 86-year-old shared. It was Subrahmanians elder brother C P Krishnan, who launched the first diamond jewellery unit in Kerala. It was a huge success. My brother could identify real diamonds and was well-versed in its designs. When the Emergency was announced, the political scenario changed. Business declined and he had to close his diamond unit. Being an ardent RSS man, I was jailed, the family business declined, Subrahmanian said. Both he and his brother were certified gemologists, and traders and the rich travelled to Thrissur to deal in gold and value the stones in their possession. The industry was flourishing, and attracting more and more people. We used to work day and night to meet orders as new retailers started setting up shop, recollected Subrahmanian. It was Subrahmanians family who made gold ornaments for Joyalukkas and other retailers who began their business in Thrissur at the time. We used to redesign old gold ornaments for customers. The new retailers brought thankam [gold] with them and we did well. These days, however, there is a surfeit of middlemen in the business, added Subrahmanian. Limited by age, Subrahmanian no longer actively involved in the business, but still deals with customers with special demands.