Design Resource
Pavithra Mothiram - Payyanur, Kerala
The Sacred Ring Making
by
Prof. Bibhudutta Baral,Divyadarshan C. S. and Amulya S.
Making Process
Pavithra Mothiram is a traditional jewelry ring which requires three days to make. The strict sacrament rituals, techniques and disciplines like vegetarianism are followed while making the Pavithra ring. After the ring is done it is taken to the Sri Subrahmany Swami Temple, which resides in Payyanur, Kerala for consecration. Consecration is performed to the ring to gain spiritual vibration and energy. The ring is made with a concept behind which consists of pavithra katta means pure knot of Trimurthi in the middle, three main deities (Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva) in Hindu religion, besides it is saptarishi, seven rishis, then four Vedas Rigveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda, Samaveda and, surya (sun) and Chandra (moon). Hence including all the above the ring is very sacred and is evident of divine energy. Thus wearing this ring with sacred discipline is good for serenity and health.
The artisan firstly keeps things ready for the easy ongoing process. Rice husk is packed and filled in a pot, later coal is placed in middle of the rice husk in the pot. A bowl of water is kept next to the artisan for many purposes like washing and cooling of the ring. Artisan picks up a coal with the tong and light it with the help of a lamp. The lit coal is placed on the rest of the coal on the pot and then blown air through a narrow pipe which helps in igniting the rest of the coal. Then the 916 gold bar which looks like a golden bullet is taken and it is placed on the burning coal. Heating of the gold makes it soft and loosen the molecules which helps in shaping it. After the gold softens and the artisan places the gold bar on the swage block and hammers it to acquire the required size and shape of the ring. Once the heat of the gold is descended, the artisan burns the gold and the same process is continued till the expecting form is acquired. After the artisan acquires the basic size and the form. The golden bar is bent to a ring shape with help of the ring sizer stick and hammer. Later the two ends of the ring is merged with the help of the heat produced by the coal. The ring is thoroughly brushed with the brass brush with soapnut seed and water solution. The ring is given the luminosity with the polish paper and needlepoint polishing tool. Needlepoint polishing tool is rubbed over the polish paper to procure the polish, then the tool is rubbed over the ring. The ring base that is shank of the ring is ready.
The embellishment of the ring is divided into several parts. Thin gold wires are used in giving the minute details of the ring. There is a knot made out of the wire as a pavithra knot like mentioned above and stuck on the shoulder of the ring. Artisan wears the goldsmith magnifier glasses for the better view of the process and to ensure the craft. Later the gold wire is taken and cut into small pieces with the cutting nippers and it is placed on the fire resistance silica fiber cloth. The small pieces of gold are heated with the help of the lit lamp and mini soldering torch slightly bent pipe which is used to blow the fire towards the pieces. Heated small pieces are put in coconut shell with the help of tweezers and rubbed in circular manner to get small round golden balls. The rolled small round golden balls are mixed with the glue obtained by the crab’s eye plant seeds. The balls are picked up with the tweezer tip and placed it accordingly to the both the sides of the pavithra knot. The balls are said to be saptarishi which is aligned in three rows correspondingly separated onto the surface of the ring. Each row consists seven balls. There is also a moon and sun depicted with minute gold details either sides of the knot. Then the final heating is done for few seconds so that the embellishment is stuck to the ring. The other decorative like the spiral winded wire is also stuck on the ring for the beautiful occurrence of the ring. The ring is frequently dipped into the diluted sulphuric acid to acquire the glittering shine.
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