Jhoomar or Passa ...... A Bridal Ornament.

The Jhoomar also called the Passa is a bridal head ornament mostly worn by brides in Punjab. Actually, the Passa was a piece of jewellery adapted by North India from the jewellery repertoire brought to India by the Mughals. The Jhoomar is a gorgeous ornament which has very obvious Islamic influences and is an essential part of the jewellery of a Muslim bride.

The crescent moon was a symbol of the Turks in the pre-Islamic era. When Islam spread via the Ottoman Empire this symbol was accepted as an identity on banners and flags of the Islamic Middle East. The Crescent is considered auspicious by the Muslims. It even plays an important role in Ramzan the holy month of fasting. This Islamic fasting ends with the sighting of the crescent moon after a month of a moonless sky.

In ancient times when Islamic tribes were mostly Nomads and wandered the deserts of Arabia the Lunar Calendar played a significant role in the wanderings of the Diaspora and the religious identification of the dates of fasting and feasting.

The Crescent with its religious flavour featured in all forms of identification of these people. Jewellery played an important role in the identification of the women.

The waxing and waning of the moon is also synonymous with the emotions of a human being; which is controlled by the left side of the brain. That is why most probably the Jhoomar, with this divine symbol of the crescent, was worn essentially on the left side of the bride’s head to keep her emotions in control in her new life.

The Jhoomar is a beautiful and delicate piece of jewellery. It has encapsulated in its design the feminine delicacy or ‘nazakat’ of a Muslim bride.

It is a semicircular openwork foliate panel with a design of a crescent moon which is usually set with diamonds or with a mix of rubies emeralds and diamonds; and surmounted with a gold hook.

Fourteen or twelve rows of pure pearls interspersed with ruby or emerald beads from the bottom are attached to a crescent shaped panel below; which is inset with diamonds emeralds and rubies. Bunches of pearls are attached all along the lower edge of the crescent which dangles loosely to add charm to this exquisite piece of jewellery. The gold hook is fixed into the hair on the left side of the head and the Jhoomar hangs provocatively at the left temple of the bride’s head touching the edge of her eyebrow.

When the Jhoomar made its appearance in the Punjab with the advent of the Mughal Empire; it made its presence felt in the culture of the land the Mughals were now rulers of. Punjab absorbed this beautiful piece of jewellery as an integral part of the bridal jewellery for Hindu Punjabi girls. The Jhoomar now underwent a metamorphosis of sorts to separate its presences from the Jewellery Repertoire of the invading Islamic Masters.

It now came to be known as the Passa in Punjab. All characteristics were slightly tweaked to separate it from its Islamic origins, the first being it cast in gold which was an ancient Indian penchant. The lower crescent shaped panel was re-designed into a row of square blocks and the chains were reduced in number. The dangling bunches of pearls were replaced with delicate gold ‘pattis’ that shimmered with the movement of the head. The name was changed from Jhoomar (dangler) in Urdu, to Passa (side) in Punjabi. The ornament took on a new avatar to suit the Punjabis, but in actuality served the same purpose.

Over centuries and modernization these attitudes underwent a change. Today elaborate Jhoomars designed with the crescent moon as its main feature encrusted in diamond rubies emeralds and pearls are worn by all Indian Brides irrespective of creed cast and religion.

In the 21st century, the Jhoomar like other Indian ornaments is a fashion statement the world over. Its saucy yet distinguished look adds oomph to Western apparel. At Indian weddings it is not only worn by the Bride but also by unmarried girls to add zing to their wedding attire!