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Indians love jewellery, and we have an unbroken heritage of jewellery spanning at least 5000 years. Ancient seals, sculptures and mural paintings in temples reveal figures with a minimum of clothing but plenty of jewellery. An abundance of natural resources (precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones, ivory, pearls, sandalwood), royal patronage, and the need for liquid wealth have just fuelled the demand. Jewellery is worn as a talisman, a symbol and for adornment, and there’s something for just about every part of the body. Jewellery is made not just for humans, but for the Gods and animals too. Traditionally, households have invested at least a portion of their savings in jewellery, and Indian artisans are skilled in making up exquisite gem-set pieces. Whether your tastes run to chunky silver or delicate filigree work, you are sure to find something. The best thing about Indian jewellery? It is not only for the rich. Look out for ornaments made from shells, beads, glass, jute, bone, seeds wood, lac, terracotta, coral, gun metal, and more.
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 If you’re a jewellery aficionado, do pick up some of these pieces for your collection:
Nath, nosering. Varies from a small diamond stud to large, heavy, studded pieces
supported by an attached chain that is hooked into the hair or headgear. You can opt for
a version that can be clipped on and does not require piercing. |
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 Payal, anklet. Are traditionally thin and delicate, and never made from gold, which, being considered sacred, is seldom worn below the hip. Look for the beaded versions made from crystals, semi-precious stones and seashells.
Rudrakshamala, the Hindu Rosary, used as an aide to meditation. Ideally it has 50 beads which correspond to the number of characters in the Sanskrit alphabet.
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 Baazubandh, ornaments for the upper arm. Consist of 1-3 parts, hinged together.
Bichhiya, toering. Small circular bands made of silver. Worn by married women, in pairs, on the second toe of each foot.
Mangalsutra, a necklace of tiny, black beads with a centrally attached gold pendant. Worn by married women only, it is not removed until the wearer becomes a widow. |
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Maang Tikka, an ornament for the forehead (considered to be the seat of emotions), Worn at the central parting in the hair.
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 Kurta buttons. Make a nice alternative to regular buttons and look as good on shirts and tunics as they do on kurtas. |
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Kanghi, decorative combs. Crafted from silver, wood and bamboo.
A navratna ornament, crafted from 9 precious stones. Like an amulet, it is believed to be possessed of great defensive and therapeutic powers. |
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“The king’s horse is worth more than some of our cities on account of the ornaments which it wears” - Ludovica de Varthema, 16th century Italian traveler to India, passing through the Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar. Foreign travelers to India in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, went away dazzled by the jewelry worn by people at all levels of society.
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 Indians prefer 22 carat gold.
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata abound in descriptions of ornaments and the code of Manu defines the duties of the goldsmith. Kautilya’s Arthashastra, circa 3rd century BC, is the main source of information about the diamond trade in ancient India. Ratnapariksa, a 4th century A.D. text, reveals extensive knowledge of diamonds and other gemstones. By the third century B.C., India was the leading exporter of gemstones, particularly diamonds, but the country has never produced enough gold for her people.
Chinese explorer, Marco Polo, who traveled through India in 1292, on his return journey to China from Venice, mentions Mutfili, identified as Telingana, later Golconda, where diamonds “are found
abundantly and of large size. Those that are brought to our part of the world (Europe) are only the refuse, as it were, of the finer and larger stones.” Famous Golconda diamonds include The Orlov, The Hope, The Regent and of course, The Koh-i-Noor.
As far back as 23-79 AD, Pliny the Elder complained about India sucking in all the gold from Rome in exchange for its textiles and spices. |
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 Many precious gems mined in India found their way to the Crown Jewels of Iran, Russia and UK.
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From 1880 to 1940, of all the grands joailliers, Cartier probably had the longest association with India, followed by Boucheron, Chaumet, Van Cleef and Arpels. The Patiala necklace, created by the House of Cartier for Maharaja Bhupendra Singh of Patiala, in 1928, is one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry ever made.
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| The best place to see animals wearing jewelry is at the Sonepur and Pushkar Melas.
In the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities, before women were allowed to inherit land, jewelry was a major component of streedhan (gifts given to a woman at the time of her marriage).
Traditionally, Indian goldsmiths are men.
Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, is believed to dwell in gold.
India is currently the world’s largest producer of fashioned diamonds of less than half a carat.
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Amitabh Kant
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism,
Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street,
New Delhi - 110 001.
T: 91 + 11 + 23715084
F: 91 + 11 + 23710518
M: amitabhk@incredibleindia.org
W: http://www.incredibleindia.org |
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While others may claim breathtaking locales, the mysticism of the east, the draw of civilization, the call of the wild.... India is that and much more.....
It is a journey of mind and soul.
It is a journey of the five senses
It is a journey of self-discovery
It is a journey of self-fulfillment. |
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