Feminine Jewelery
Feminine
jewellery is more complex than masculine jewellery. Jewellery in India is worn
as a complete ensemble and not as an accessory. It is thus quite acceptable
to wear more than one necklace around the neck, also in the ears, on the toes
and fingers, ornaments on the forehead, in the hair, and so on, any number to
be worn at the same time. So it is not surprising that the royal ladies of Rajasthani
were bedecked from head to toe in jewels so much so that it sometimes was mystery
as to how they could carry the weight of all the jewellery worn.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE HEAD
The ladies of the royal family of Rajasthani wore at least half a dozen kinds
of hair jewellery at one time, each with its own name and specific function.
The most common head jewel is the bindi, which has a central pendant hanging
from a string of fine pearls and is worn down the parting of the hair with the
pendant resting in the middle of the forehead. A variant of this is called the
borla in which the central pendant is semi-spherical and set with precious stones
and a fringe of fine peals. Chains of gold, shaped like the lotus and other
flowers ate worn across the length of the plait. There are flower-shaped hair
pins and hair combs beautifully enameled and set with stones.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE NOSE
The nath is a nose ornament which, when worn us considered to bring good fortune.
It is often a ring of fine gold with a pearl threads between two rubies in its
central part. There are many other kinds of nose rings as well.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE EARS
The kinds of earrings worn are too many to enumerate, but the main styles are
the Karanphool Jhumka is a bell shaped flower, toti is the image of a parrot,
lathan is the image of a grape, pipal patti is shaped like a pipal leaf. A special
type of earring is one which runs along ear with an ear top and jhomka attached
to the lower half. Sometimes strings of fine pearls run from the earning into
the hair, and pearls are also threaded through th hair.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE FOOT
The foot ornaments are of two types the toe rings and the anklets. The toe rings
and the for the big toe are called anvat. The rings for the other toes are modeled
in the shapes of fish, flowers or just circles of granules on the surface. There
are also double toe rings, which cover the entire toe. There is a great exuberance
in the designs of the anklets. Most of them have little bells that tinkle as
the lady walks. And are often referred to as jhanjhar. An unusal combination
is that of an anklet with tow rings, where five radiating chains connect the
toe rings to the anklet.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE WAIST
The women also wear girdles and belts around their waists. These are usually
made of gold and set with rubies, emeralds and diamonds. Belts are usually broad
bands of flattened, twisted metal in silver or gold, encrusted with gems, and
embossed with exquisite designs. They are usually finished off with clusters
of beads at the rims. The Kardhani is made of various chains, each a little
longer than the previous one and all held together with meral bands.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE ARM
There is an enormous range in armlets and the most common ones are gold bands
with precious stones. The wearing of ornaments on the wrists and forearm follows
a special pattern. The smallest bangle to fit the wrist is the kada, which is
a thick rounded bangle with various decorations on it. The two ends are usually
carved with replicas of the heads of animals and birds like elephants, lions
or parrots. Then come bangles, any number of them in various shapes and designs.
There may be the chuda, which is sometimes made of ivory inlaid with gold. The
last item is the patli, which is a plain bangle that highlights the ostentation
of therest of the ornaments that go before it. The hathphool is a bangle with
rings connected to it by chains that lie over the back of the hand. There is
a central flower which connects it all together. The rings are of a great variety.
A quaint & charming ring is the arsi, with a tiny mirror and worn on the
ring finger.
ORNAMENTATION FOR THE NECK
Jewelry for the neck is one of the most important items of jewelry and there
is a bewildering range of strings, sometimes with rubies and emeralds strung
with them of with gem studded pendants, are worn in double and triple strings.
There is the chandan haar ( a necklace of gold sequins), the mohanmala ( a necklace
of beads resembling melon seeds), champakali ( a string of flowers stylised
in the shape of the champa ), the mohrun, the jugnu, the hansli ( a gold collar
or ring, thick in the middle and tapering towards the ends).
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