This bronze server, a treasured heirloom from my mother’s trousseau, has been a silent observer of our family’s daily rituals since 1938 or earlier. It was always present at mealtimes, resting on our wooden dining table. I remember my mother’s hands, graceful and practised, filling it with steaming dal or some times aromatic halwa. This poetry film and poem is also a part of my upcoming project DIGITS IN TIME As a child, I would sit beside my mother, watching, tracing my fingers over its curved rim, mesmerized by its shape and the way it caught shadows. The faint metallic clink of spoons against its surface became a sound woven into my memories, a rhythm of traveling in time, a feeling of the comforting weight of something so much older than me. Over time, its surface has gathered a soft patina, the marks of countless meals and loving hands. Today, though my mother is gone, I still use it, sometimes as a server, sometimes as a vase, but always as a vessel of remembrance, grounding me in a past that still lingers in the corners of my heart.
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Historical & Cultural Context: This simple yet profound object is made of Kansa, India’s ancient bronze alloy, cherished for both its strength and its deep cultural significance. Also known as bell metal, Kansa is an alloy of approximately 78% copper and 22% tin, forged at temperatures exceeding 700°C. Unlike other metals, Kansa does not corrode easily, making it ideal for heirlooms that last generations. It was once the metal of choice for Indian households, favored for its ability to keep food fresh and its non-reactive nature, which preserves the taste and purity of meals. In Ayurveda*, Kansa is believed to have health benefits—enhancing digestion, balancing body energies, and even improving gut health. Bronze age goes back to Harapan Civilization in Indian subcontinent which is 3300 BCE. Beyond the kitchen, bell metal has been deeply embedded in India’s spiritual and artistic traditions. Its unmistakable resonance is heard in temple bells, prayer bowls, and sacred utensils, where its deep, lingering sound is said to clear negative energy and promote mindfulness. The tradition of handcrafted Kansa utensils goes back centuries, with artisans from regions like Odisa in India, West Bengal, and Kerala perfecting the craft. Once a symbol of affluence and tradition, it has gradually faded from modern kitchens, replaced by stainless steel and glass. Yet, for those who still own these pieces, they remain more than just utensils—they are keepers of memory, tangible connections to a way of life where every object held meaning, where even the simplest bowl carried the weight of history.
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The Eternal Nourisher (Bronze Server (Kaansa Katora) dated 1938 from mother’s Trousseau)
I listen to a song,
uniting dusk to dawn,
holding your golden lustre in my hands—
close to my heart.
As I held you mother when you were passing away,
with your head in my lap,
your last breath, calmly tracing my skin lines—daintily
A memory, still, present now, and will be in future,
etched in every body curve, every cell, pulsating,
unfazed, unaltered and unuttered in my womb.
As time flies I see it vibrating in my daughter's eyes.
An infinite lineage, time lost, yet eternal,
gazing at the interludes,
life and death—or in—death and life?
A bronze server on my kitchen shelf,
shines with the golden rays of the morning sun—
far away, reflecting at a distant edge
the universal resilience in a silence—
A luminescence of my mother’s trousseau,
a nourishing care glowing within its own shadows.
Its golden warmth slipping down gently into my hands each day,
nourishing my blood stream,
as I grow She, the spirited Annapurna,*
as they called her —Falling in time, or out of time?
(*Annapurna, goddess of nourishment, is a radiant form of
Goddess Parvati, holding a golden ladle and a bowl brimming with food. She embodies abundance, compassion, and the divine sustenance of life).
For my poetry kindly Visit: English: http://ignitedlines.blogspot.com Hindi: http://ignitedlines.blogspot.com/ website: http://meenachopra17.wix.com/meena-chopra-artist
