Bejewelled Past: Dr C Vinod Hayagriv chronicles the story of master jeweller C Krishniah Chetty

Celebrating the 150th year of his family business, leading jeweller Dr C Vinod Hayagriv releases a well-researched archival book about the trials and tribulations, praise and patronage, artistry and artisanship that make C.Krishniah Chetty a master jeweller in India

The story of the C Krishnaiah Chetty family begins with the humble bead but it’s a classic example of charting a roadmap to success by the virtue of sheer grit and passion.

The history of one of India’s most successful jewellery houses is wonderfully captured in the book ‘Carnatic and Deccan Bejewelled Past’, as author Dr Usha Balakrishnan takes us on a journey to the southern states of India, where decades of peace and prosperity encouraged an artistic temperament which gave birth to some of the most stunning works of art, architecture, and jewellery.

On the surface, the book could be mistaken for a vanity project, but it is an archival project that chronicles a time gone by. Along with Dr Balakrishnan, the book has been compiled by the expert gemologist Dr C Vinod Hayagriv, who is as passionate about Indian jewellery as he is about preserving his family’s history.

“While putting this book together, we learnt so much about our clients from the past. It improved our relationship with them…we wanted to feature some of them prominently.”

– Dr C Vinod Hayagriv

Excerpts from an interview

The Retail Jeweller (TRJ): When did the idea of doing this book come about? What were some initial ideas about how the book would look like, and what would the focus be? When did the writer and jewellery historian, Dr Balakrishnan, come on board?

C Vinod Hayagriv (CVH): I walked into the business in 1976 for the first time. My passion for the work was always there. But somewhere around 2000, I wanted to educate our clients about the jewellery and culture of the Deccan region. Many clients wanted to know more, so I asked Dr Usha Balakrishnan, chief curator of the World Diamond Museum, who has a PhD in ancient Indian culture and a post-doctorate degree from New York University, to give a talk in Bangalore. About 500 people were invited; they showed up in full force and sat in rapt silence for two hours. At that time, we decided to work on a book about Krishnaiah Chetty. Then, of course, I got busy with work and working in different councils. Finally, I sat down to review the material for the book in 2019. Dr Balakrishnan wrote about 180 pages, and I added 120 pages.

TRJ: What are some of the challenges of embarking on such an ambitious project? Reaching out to old clients and collections for the book must have been a painstaking process.

CVH: For this book, I delved deep into our family archives, which contain thousands of documents and company records. If not for the library, this book would not have been possible. Our earliest document dates back to 1875, and some were on very brittle paper. The challenge is to be curious and have a sustained interest in the subject matter.

In 2000, we started a campaign which asked all of our clients to bring us pieces we’ve made for them in the past, before Independence, with proof. It could be a bill, a will, a box, or the piece must have our stamp because, from the very beginning, all of our jewellery has been stamped. That helped us authenticate the jewellery. Once that was done, we photographed each item and re-established our relationship with all these clients. There was a contest with a very controversial tagline at the time – “Show us your family jewels.” Bangalore city and places in Karnataka had these hoardings, and people came in large numbers. We also had a jury, and the winner was awarded a 1930 Austin vintage car.

While putting this book together, we learned so much about our clients from the past. It improved our relationship with them, their life stories, their ancestors who bought our jewellery, and so much more. We wanted to feature some more prominently, so particular pages and little articles have been assigned to them. One of them, Philomina Peris, her jewellery is featured in the book, and though she’s very old now, she released the book when it was launched.

TRJ: One of the joys of going through this book is the care with which the jewellery history of the southern kingdoms of India has been documented. Can you please comment on the importance of this effort?

CVH: If you look back at the history of the Indian subcontinent, the Deccan has been one of the most affluent, prosperous and fertile lands. In the kingdoms below the Vindhyas, there was rarely any war, except for some conflict with the Marathas. There were no fierce wars, and with peace like that, progress was tremendous and went on for hundreds of years.

TRJ: The other thing that stands out in the book is that the story of India is also the story of your family: the two are very connected.

CVH: The book is about more than just my family, even though it does chart out our history. The book has a lot to do with the history of the region, past and present. As a family, we were fortunate to be in that environment when my forefathers started their businesses.

When the British came to India, they were master politicians in signing treaties with each southern kingdom. Their administration was unique, and the region prospered from the technological innovations brought in by them. Jewellery also flourished because they held special occasions for pomp and gaiety. The kind of workers we had in our workshops were of all kinds: wood and ebony carvers, embossers and embellishers, sheet metal stampers and more. They all came from the southern states: Telugu, Tamil, Malayalis, Kannadigas, and the cultural mix created more wealth.

In addition, Bangalore’s status as a British base brought us so many European clients. Their patronage brought about a certain standard of excellence, which I think is perhaps missing today. Writing this book was educational because I learned so much about the craft and the vision of my forefathers and their clients.

“In today’s fleeting world, the book stands out as a lesson on the patience, persistence and hard work needed to build a legacy brand, disproving the idea of immediate success that many young entrepreneurs nurture.”

– Dr C Vinod Hayagriv

TRJ: Towards the late 19th century, the 25th Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore commissioned an order of awards pendants of the Ghanada Bherunda to C. Krishniah Chetty. As many as 504 of these medallions, between 1892 and January 26, 1950, were presented to eminent contributors to the state’s progress. Do you think it was a turning point in the brand’s journey from being known as a jeweller to the royals to becoming a jeweller to the elites?

CVH: I believe so. These people had a powerful voice in society and earned the respect of ordinary people. These were distinguished people like Sir K Seshadri Iyer, MN Krishna Rao and Sir Mirza Ismail, among others. The book lists many prominent names from our archives.

It was a matter of honour if they visited our store or publicly acknowledged members of our family when their paths crossed, and it influenced the brand’s image. We had very select clients during those days, but that was enough to keep our 70-80 in-house artisans gainfully busy.

TRJ: The book mentions the extensive archival of first-cut dies used to manufacture jewels back in the day. It must serve as an incredible powerhouse of inspiration for generations to come.

CVH: Yes, we have taken great care of the upkeep of these dies. These are catalogued, regularly oiled and stock checked. These are not just jewellery dies; they comprise emblems, armours, silver artworks, etc. We do refer to it from time to time for inspiration. The recent Akshaya Tritiya collection Anuraksha comprises 18 pieces- two sets of nine pieces, borrows from there and the scriptures.

TRJ: There are many coffee table books by legacy brands worldwide; how does this work distinguish itself?

CVH: This book encapsulates the painstaking journey of building a legacy despite the anti-business sentiment and state regulations. It was a dark period for (jewellery) businesses with gold control acts and harsh taxation policies, much unlike other Western luxury brands that flourished in the era of modern capitalism in the early 19th century.

In today’s fleeting world, it stands out as a lesson on the patience, persistence and hard work needed to build a legacy brand, disproving the idea of immediate success that many young entrepreneurs nurture.

TRJ: What’s the next project for your family/company?

CVH: Stories about the family are important, about how they had an impact, and I’d like to include more in another edition.

Retail Jeweller India