Udupi: Joseph Rodrigues - in Service of Temples for 55 Years

Suvarna Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)

Udupi, Apr 10: 67-year-old Joseph Rodrigues, a native of Matapady, has been engaged in polishing copper vessels of temples in Brahmavar, near here, for the past 55 years.

When this reporter met Joseph in the course of his work at Mahishamardini Temple, Neelavar, on Sunday April 9, he shared his experiences and said that he had begun apprenticeship with veteran Shabi Nayak in Sastan, near here, when he was just 12 years old.

The same profession sustained his family at a later stage. He has been engaged in this task at Mahalingeshwar temple and Venkataramana temple, Brahmavar, Vishnumurti temple, Aroor, and Mahishamardini temple, Nilavar, for more an half a century.

Why the Need to Polish Copper Vessels?

The inner surface of copper cooking vessels has to be polished since the food is likely to get discolored due to chemical content. The polisher has to scrape the stained patches completely by heating the vessels and apply a fresh coat of solvents to destabilize the gradual erosion of copper. It is advisable to cook food in polished copper vessels to avoid bad food that will have consequences on unwary consumers, especially during auspicious celebrations in temples.

There is a dearth of skilled polishers of copper vessels in recent times, as the task demands tedious work of minutely mendinf the stains. Joseph has been providing a steady income to maintain his family. His wife is a homemaker, their son works in a Gulf country, and his daughter is married.

Copper rate:

Joseph said that when he was a child, the rate of copper per kilogram was Rs 24, which has now reached Rs 750.

“We polish copper vessels of temples during annual festivities. It’s rare to find a skilled polisher of Joseph’s caliber. It’s a privilege that the services of Joseph have been available to Neelavar temple for the past many years,” says the temple managing trustee Baikady Suprasad Shetty.