Homo sapiens began making jewelry more than 40,000 years ago. It is believed that jewelry was brought to India some 5,000 years ago, which from then on became an integral part of Indian lifestyle. In fact, even their obsession with gems and jewelry gave them the title of being the world’s “golden bird”. Indian jewelry is highly influenced by India’s rich history and culture. It has a wide range of variety and classifications from the usage, the place of origin, and the part of body the jewelry will be worn, the occasion and so on.
Indians are known for their utilitarian nature that is why most of their crafts in the past still flourish at present. The first jewelries were handcrafted from natural and readily available materials around the country like wood, stones, shells, fruits, flowers, seeds, animal bones and teeth. The primary use of jewelry in the early times was to fasten clothes together which later on became solely as an ornament or for religious purposes. At present, there are various materials used for making jewelry from metals to cloth. Indian handcrafted jewelry is often enhanced by gem stones, by engraving or carving and by using various colors and elegant patterns.
Jewelry enhances the beauty of a woman or the masculinity of a man that is why fashion is never complete without jewelry. In India, the maang tikka is a staple ornament on a woman’s hair. It is traditionally used on engagement and wedding ceremonies but is now also being used mainly for aesthetic purposes. It is one jewel piece that is distinctive to Indian culture. Though in other cultures, maang tikka is represented by the bridal veil in wedding ceremonies. Indian neck pieces such as necklaces are also one of the staple ornaments worn by women. The kind of necklace to be worn depends on the kind of outfit to wear. The traditional patterns carved on bangles and bracelets make them identifiable to the Indian culture. The intricate cutwork on silver or gold traditional bracelets can be traced to India’s rich art culture.
Posh Spice is pictured in a traditional Indian Sari and ‘maang tikka’
Most brides adorn their foreheads with a Maang Tikka. Picture courtesy of http://www.arzoomag.com/wedding/what-to-wear-on-your-wedding/
Aside from its aesthetic purposes, Indian jewelry has many connotations on the wearer’s social, political, religious or economic standing. In earlier times, jewelry tells from which family, tribe or political group you belonged to. It is also a symbol of how good of a jeweler you are. Today, it is difficult to tell, even when used by conservatives.
When one thinks about Indian fashion, one would always picture a woman in a regal outfit and plenty of ornaments to complement it. All of which have elaborate patterns and designs which are most often than not unique to their culture.
Do you like the article? Perhaps in the next few post, I can show you other types of indian jewelry. Stay tune!
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