The unique design for the hand made silver anklets of Salem has made the city one of the major manufacturing hubs of India. And, jewelery is an eligible candidate for GI tag
On a sultry afternoon, men dressed in vests and lungis are busy at work in this unnamed unit behind Pallapatti Lake in Salem, assembling an ornament for which the South Indian city has been famous for nearly a century: silver. colusu Or anklets.
Artisans lay out varying lengths of silver wire that has already been cast in a ‘khushbhu’ pattern (named, as idli, after the actress when she was at the peak of her popularity in the 1980s) and manually fixes die-cut embellishments such as flowers and enamel accents in a painstakingly slow process. Made of an alloy of silver with copper, these ornaments come with rattling bells (salangai) Joined together.
The mud from the outdoors is mixed with water to form a paste packed in iron trays, forming a non-reactive base that keeps all the small parts of the anklets from crumbling. Once done, the tray is passed to another worker, who solders the pieces on each anklet until it is ready for the next process of cleaning and polishing.
“There are 30 steps to make an anklet, and each unit goes through at least 10 places before returning for the final step,” says V Suresh, who has been manufacturing jewelry with his elder brother for the past 15 years. in Salem. “One of the unique features about Salem anklets is that except for a few steps, most of the manufacturing is still done by hand,” he says.
In the inner chambers of his home-cum-office, Suresh keeps sticks Raw Silver, made from molten anklets which will be mixed with pure silver to make a new batch of jewellery. plastic bag Rasagulla (silver globules), screws and other accessories fill the small steel cupboard. With the recent easing of the lockdown, production has almost returned to normal in this family-run business.
Artisans collect silver anklets at a home-based workshop in Periyayeri area of Salem, Tamil Nadu. | photo Credit: Lakshmi Narayanan E
historical link
Suresh is part of a cottage industry which is believed to provide employment to one million people in and around the city. With around 60% of the anklets reportedly sold from Salem across India, the jewelery has made the city one of the major manufacturing hubs in India.
In city areas like Shevapet and Sivathapuram, it is possible to see anklets twinkling in the sunlight in long lines at various stages of construction. Despite this, Salem’s colusu The industry does not have a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its products.
Local history enthusiasts and jewelery industry players say the lack of supporting documents to prove the antiquity and uniqueness of the trade in Salem is the main reason.
“As per our research, silver anklet production in Salem has been supported by a community of traders from Saurashtra. They were initially into textiles, but when the industry became unstable due to restrictions imposed by the British, they started making silver anklets,” says A Anand Kumar, managing partner, ANS Gupta & Sons, a leading jeweler in the city.
This demographic has changed in recent decades to include skilled artisans and vendors from multicultural backgrounds. Anand Kumar is also part of the local chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and is spearheading an initiative to get a GI tag for Salem. colusu.
In 2019, the brand’s ANS Dhivyam showroom was found in the city to manufacture 20 anklets 127 feet long, weighing five-and-a-half kilograms and for a special public display, within a month, of Salem’s five most popular patterns. was characteristic of.
“We did this mainly to give some pride to the artisans, who are always in the shadows as compared to the retailers,” says Anand Kumar. “Even when you take pictures and idols from 200 years ago, you will find anklets, which were called Kapu Then. It may be in a slightly different form, but it will be an important way of identifying a woman’s cultural and ethnic origins,” he adds.
One of the unique designs of Salem is Thala ColusuMade for babies. The silver wire is wound in such a way that it becomes loose as the child grows and can be used for up to four years.
Silver anklets were once an indicator of the ethnicity of the wearer. | photo Credit: Lakshmi Narayanan E
impact of technology
Competition from technology and mechanized production has affected the anklets industry of Salem in innumerable ways.
While social media has facilitated business nationwide, a large number of people are making ‘true copies’ of the original product.
“North Indian manufacturers are posting replicas of our designs on their Facebook pages, claiming it to be their product. A GI tag will help check this plagiarism,” says C Srinandarajan, secretary, Salem District Kolusu Manufacturers Kavinai Sangam.
The industry body, which has 300 anklet makers in its roll, is hopeful that this heritage jewel will be given due recognition.
“It is an industry that defines our city. We should do more to honor this jewelery which has given so much to Salem,” says Srinandarajan.
An artisan soldering silver anklets at a home-based workshop in Periyayeri area of Salem, Tamil Nadu. | photo Credit: Lakshmi Narayanan E
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