Mumbai: India’s globally renowned jewellery designer Mr. Laksh Pahuja has crafted a unique piece of jewellery to pay tribute to Saint Mother Teresa. Mr. Sanjay Kothari, the former chairman of India’s Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) unveiled the piece today at the 34th India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) in presence of select industry leaders and media persons.
Highly influenced by Mother’s thoughts and life, Mr. Laksh says, ”Throughout my life, I have tried to read as much as possible about her and I am always hungry and curious to know more about her works. As she has always been a part of my life, I decided to craft a piece of jewellery that best depicts her.”
Talking about the piece, Laksh says, “I can assure you that this is the only piece of jewellery in the world that will not only invite envy but also admiration. Reason behind this is that it has a reflection of our beloved Saint Mother Teresa in it. The flawless wings depict an angel, just what she was referred to while aiding the poor. They’re studded with white and blue Swarovski cubic zirconia, to represent her humble attire, white cotton saree with blue stripes.”
“The symbols of all religions are engraved on the necklace. I designed it in such a way, to show the world how she never focused on helping any particular caste or creed. She served everyone, as she saw them only as humans who are in need of immediate help and nothing else.”
“It is said that Saint Mother Teresa started her missionary work in Kolkata with a mere five rupees coin in her pocket. Keeping this in mind, I placed a five rupee-coin which was minted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to honour her achievements,” he adds.
The necklace from behind is encircled with Indian Flag as she is the recipient of Bharat Ratna Award. When you flip it, you can see an Albanian Flag, the country of her origin. This reminds us about her journey from Albania to India and how even though she was not born in India, she chose it as the country she wished to serve for life.
“If you’ve ever looked at Mother Teresa pictures, you may have noted that she always held a rosary in her hand. I have placed a rosary, which is common in all religions, to bind all the alluring jewels together seamlessly. My aim was to bring out the Mother’s missionary work and the laurels she achieved for being the mother to all through my new creation. When you see this beautiful piece of jewellery up close you too will notice the striking reflection of Saint Mother Teresa in it and know why she truly deserved the Nobel Prize,” Laksh adds.
