Noted for its outstanding beauty and legacy, the Aranmula Kannadi is considered a medieval marvel in the annals of metallurgy. It was in use much before the appearance of modern-day glass mirrors. The technical know-how behind the making of this unique metal mirror is confined to only some households of master craftsmen in Aranmula, a heritage village in Pathanamthitta.

The origins of Aranmula Kannadi are linked to the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. A special alloy is used to manufacture this special mirror. The metal mirror manufactured in Aranmula is a front surface reflection mirror, which eliminates secondary reflections and aberrations typical of back surface mirrors.