Mayur Kaan ..... The Peacock Earrings.

Indian Jewellery has the most versatile and unique cache of ornaments compared to anywhere else in the world. 

One of the most favourite icon's of Indian jewellery is the national bird of the country... The Peacock. 

Since the Mughal Era the peacock has been used as a central image in jewellery all over India. The Mughals were particularly fascinated with this large majestic bird. It was an icon used by Mogul Art in every sphere of art and architecture, be it arches, domes, thrones, paintings, mosaics embroidery, furniture, and jewellery. 

The famous Golden Peacock Throne the pride of the Mughal Empire in India was built by Emperor Shah Jahan bearing witness to the Mughal obsession for this Majestic bird.

The jewellery Karigars of that time excelled in Meenakari a skill of using different colours beaten into gold which added a kaleidoscope of different shades to the ornament. 

This expertise of Meenakari was especially useful when designing jewellery with the Peacock emblem.  

The male Peacock is a magnificent bird with an elaborate plumage. There are around 200 elongated bronze green-blue  feathers with an 'eye' in each one of them. It has a metallic green  and a glistening sapphire/turquoise blue long slender neck. The magnificent tail is either a long train of spectacular colours or when expanded in dance, it is a conspicuous display of fan-like radiance of turquoise blue and emerald green. 

All these characteristics were a designer's delight for the jewellery Karigars of the time. 

The peacock jewellery was either worked in the resplendent colours of metallic bronze, deep green and turquoise blue Meenakari shimmering in gold, or they were encrusted in dazzling emeralds, breathtaking turquoise and deep blue sapphires with a blood red ruby for the eyes of the majestic bird. 

Unlike jewellery from around the world Indian jewellery has a separate repertoire of Bridal jewellery which is further slotted according to the different states of India.

Besides the Mughal Jewellery the Peacock has also always been firmly ensconced in the jewellery of Rajasthan, Bengal, and Southern India.

  
The Mayur Kaan is typical to the Bridal Ornaments of Bengal and Rajasthan.

 

In Bengali wedding jewellery which is worked only in solid gold, the majestic plume or Pankh of the Peacock has traditionally been used as display along the helix and the body of the Peacock at the lobe of the ear. 

In Rajasthani jewellery the Peacock is traditionally worked in the precious colourful gems which are a penchant with the dessert kingdoms. The Peacock Earrings in this region are resplendent in uncut diamonds, deep blue sapphires, dazzling emeralds, and blood red rubies; all these precious gems are used to emblazon the spectacular plumage or Pankh of the Peacock either in a fan like downward display or a sparkling array along the helix.

The elegance and serene stature of this beautiful royal bird of India, is reflected in the bridal Mayur Kaan which is a unique piece of ornament exclusive to India

In the twenty-first centuries the conventional Mayur Kaan still finds itself to be the cynosure of attention,of spectacular bridal jewellery in many states of India.