Temple Jewellery - Preface

India is a country with a very rich cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. Before industrialization, the entire society was craft based. The social hierarchy was formulated on the basis of occupation. The brahmins were on the top rung of society. They were the learned class. The kshatriyas were the warriors who formed the ruling class. The vaishyas were the tradesman and craftsmen. The lowest class were the shudras who were peasants and menial workers. The vaishyas divided themselves into various sub-castes depending on the exact nature of their trade or craft. They were patronised by the kshatriyas and the nobility.

With the rise and fall of various dynasties in India, the fate of the crafts depended on the ruler's priorities, political stability and the prosperity of the kingdom. Contant changes in the predominant styles and schools of art occured due to foreign influence. The excellence of craftsmanship in India reached a pinnacle between the 10th and the 15th centuries A.D. The decline began soon after with the fragmentation of large kingdoms. The craftsmen gradually lost their royal patrons. The final blow was dealt by the advent of the British in India and the subsequent colonisation of the country.

The westernization of society and the lack of interest towards the craft sector has led to the downfall of the craftsman who had earlier enjoyed a pride of position. Crafts have been reduced from being the lifetime of the economy and an expression of culture and aesthetics to being a poor man's means to eke out a living.

The Government of India and other non-government organizations are making efforts to revive languishing crafts and find innovative uses of the craftsman's skill and knowledge of materials while trying to preserve our cultural heritage.

This document looks at the craft of temple jewellery making and is a record of the craft as it exists today. We hope that our study will serve as a concise and comprehensive base for further research and design development.

We have tried to cover the various aspects of temple jewellery making down to the nitty gritty of their conception, and evolution, till they take up the dazzling forms which adorn the mannequins in the display windows of various upmarket jewellery stores in the cities. We have been indeed fortunate in having been able to witness all the backstage activity, the sweat and the toil which goes into making a successful show and in interacting with the people who make it happen.

This trip has been an enriching experience for both of us not only in terms of a deep insight into the craft but much more in terms of "Human value". The warmth and the hospitality displayed by these highly skilled yet humble people at Vadassery towards to "Strangers" from the city left us benumbed. But for their whole hearted co-operation this study would never have been completed. We salute these people whose sheer grit, pride in their profession and respect for the country's cultural heritage and tradition has kept the craft alive even today.

Srividya Chandrasekhar & Kirtana Vasudevan.