KALPETTA: The bright red kunnikuru (rosary pea) seeds once adorned the ears and necks of Paniya women, carrying stories of a community deeply rooted in the forests of Wayanad. Today, those stories are finding a new voice through Aparna Raj, a 24-year-old from Sultan Bathery who is breathing fresh life into her community’s traditional jewellery.
Inspired by the handcrafted ornaments worn by her grandmother, Cheeru, Aparna has reimagined age-old Paniya jewellery with a contemporary appeal. Through her brand, Panici, she is creating modern versions of traditional ornaments such as Choothumani, Kallumala, Mudacheelu and Panathali, preserving their cultural identity while making them relevant to today’s generation.
For Aparna, the initiative is more than a business venture. It is an effort to ensure that the artistic traditions of the Paniya community do not disappear with the passing of its elders.
“From my childhood, I watched my grandmother Cheeru make ornaments using kunnikuru seeds, pine leaves and beeswax, all collected from the forest. It was a common sight in our village to see elders making Choothumani, the distinctive large ear ornament crafted from kunnikuru seeds. But over the years, that tradition faded. Today, it is difficult to find anyone wearing or even making these traditional ornaments,” Aparna said.
The turning point came while she was helping school students prepare for Paniya dance performances at youth festivals. “I often trained school students in Paniya dance. During one such instance, I found it almost impossible to source traditional ornaments for the performers.
That was when I realised that our art and culture were slowly disappearing. I eventually made the ornaments myself and later decided to learn the craft properly from my grandmother, who is among the few elders still preserving this tradition,” she said.
While learning the craft, Aparna also recognised the need to adapt it to changing tastes. Traditional Paniya ornaments are large and elaborate, making them less practical for everyday use. Instead of replicating them, she chose to reinterpret them.
“I wanted to preserve the soul of the ornaments while making them wearable for today’s generation. I began creating contemporary versions of Choothumani, Mudacheelu, Kallumala and Panathali. Some pieces are made using kunnikuru seeds, while others use colourful sugar beads. That eventually led to the launch of my online brand, Panici.”
The name itself reflects her roots. In the Paniya language, women are affectionately called Panici, a word Aparna chose to celebrate the identity of her community. “Those interested in tribal-inspired handcrafted jewellery can connect with me through my Instagram page, Panici,” she added.
Aparna’s journey has also found support from the Archival and Research Project (ARPO), an organisation working to preserve Kerala’s diverse cultural heritage. Through the NGO, she is receiving training in product development, entrepreneurship and marketing, helping transform a traditional craft into a sustainable livelihood.
“Aparna first came to us as a member of Earthlore, our indigenous music band of artists from Wayanad and Coorg. When she shared her dream of building a brand around her handcrafted jewellery, we decided to support her with product development, social media management and marketing,” said Amritha M, director of ARPO.