Heirloom jewellery is an art that deserves to be safeguarded: Chinmayi Sripada

Singer and voice artiste Chinmayi Sripada has always viewed gold through the lens of craftsmanship and heritage. “I’ve never really gone out and done jewellery shopping. There’s one particular jeweller I’ve always worked with, a third-generation craftsman, who made my thaali and every special piece I’ve ever owned. He holds a very special place in my heart,” she says.

Her connection to gold extends beyond ornaments. “If I ever want to buy puja articles or a small lamp to gift someone during the festive season, I always go to the same trusted place. I believe in craftsmanship and in the importance of people who’ve been doing traditional work for generations,” she adds

For Chinmayi, gold is less about display and more about legacy. “I’m very interested in heirloom jewellery, the kind that tells a story of time and touch. Books like Dance Of The Peacock, which document Indian jewellery through the ages, fascinate me. I look at jewellery as an art form that needs to be safeguarded,” she says. She adds, “People who are in a position to afford it should look at investing in these traditional art forms, not just as buyers but as patrons. In places like Chettinad, many of these crafts are slowly fading because the artisans are disappearing. Even if people have the money, there aren’t enough skilled hands to make such work anymore. I think, at least for that reason, heirloom jewellery deserves to be preserved.”

Written By: Aashna Reddy