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| Ammini Amma, Amaravathi, Fort Kochi |
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For
8 decades she has been creating bridal ornaments in gold.
Ammini Amma of Amaravathi, Fort Kochi must have created
1000s of ‘thalis’, which are in demand even today in the midst of
instant designer brands.
The
Hindu ‘thali’, Christian ‘thali’, Tamilian ‘thali’ all are
made in her shop where her son Mony and grandson Prakash assist her in the
work. According to her, in
the olden days, the gold was handed over to the shop for molding into
thali at an auspicious time. And
by the way the gold behaves when it is melted, she is able to infer the
future life of the married couple, though she never reveals such knowledge
to anyone.
Ammini
Amma started working as a goldsmith at the age of 10 under her father’s
tutelage. This was at a time
when women were reluctant to venture into such fields.
Even after her marriage to Subrai Seth, she continued her tryst
with gold. Today, at the age
of 90, she still spends the forenoon session in the shop and does all the
work that her age and heath permi.
Just
as there is truth in gold, the goldsmith too should be wedded to truth,
she says.
Courtesy: A.Ashraf, Kumkumam, November 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
