Thaali ..... The Mangalayam

In India since ancient times it has been embedded in its culture and religion that marriage is just not a legal union of two people wanting to spend the rest of their lives together but a bond deeply rooted in emotions and blessed by the Gods. 

In other words—"marriages are made in heaven" and tied firmly by tradition. 

To further seal this union there are certain symbols and customs acted upon since time immemorial, to give credence to this unwritten time-honoured commandment. 

Among them is the wearing of the Thaalior Mangalyam by South Indian Brides. 

The Thaali is a matrimonial talisman tied around the bride's neck by the groom to ward off the effects of the evil eye that may befall their auspicious union. Though not mentioned in the Vedic Religion which later came to be known as Hinduism, yet this quaint custom has its roots in the culture of the people of the region. It symbolises the love and loyalty of the woman for her man and the responsibility of the man in every which way towards his wife. 

The Thaali in ancient times was a flat gold locket engraved with religious and caste specifications strung by a gold thread smeared with turmeric but as time progressed the Thaali too evolved and the gold thread was replaced by a gold chain. In fact the Thaali actually has three threads or three chains threaded as one into the gold locket at the bottom. 

Earlier the religious implication of the Thaali was only twofold. The followers of Shiva engraved 3 horizontal lines and the followers of Vishnu etched 3 vertical lines in their Thaali design. However, the introduction of the caste system divided the design for the Thaali in Southern India and it now can be found in various designs pertaining to the various castes and sub-castes of the region. 

Besides religious connotation the Thaali also had health properties taken into consideration. It was believed to regularize a woman's blood circulation and to have the ability to control the level of pressure in a woman's body. That is why it was advised to keep the Thaali hidden or covered as the constant friction of the gold with the body would result in these health benefits.

In India when a girl gets married it is believed that she not only weds the groom but is forever wedded to the family of her husband which she is embracing in wedlock.

Traditionally the Thaali is tied with THREE KNOTS, first two of which by the bride groom and the third one by the sisters of the bride groom. 

The significance of this is mainly to take an Oath towards maintaining the united married life and protecting the family interests. 

The first knot symbolizes the unity between the two with a firm commitment to each other through the marital bondage. This is amply borne out in all the rituals of the marriage. 

The second knot symbolises the unification and firm commitment to her family by her husband and the third one, which is normally tied by the sister of the groom, is the reciprocal commitment and assurance of the boy's family to the girl's prosperity and well being and the progeny brought through this bondage. 

The Thaali crossing religious barriers is also worn by the Christians of Kerala and they call it the Minnu. In certain regions of Kerala the Muslim women too wear the Thaali. The only difference is that the design and religious etchings are different.

This ornament is no ordinary necklace meant for decorating the woman. It is an extraordinary piece of jewellery that emotionally binds the love, loyalty, and commitment of the couple in its slender thread forever. 

Despite the compulsions of modern times where couples step out of wedlock for specific reasons, yet the Thaali finds itself firmly placed around a bride's neck once again even if she marries for a second time. 

Culture and tradition win over emancipation and western education!

Guttapusalu .... Bridal Necklace for Royalty

There are four prime bridal necklaces worn by brides in South India. Among these the mandatory one is the Thaali which is worn by all brides irrespective of the kind of nuptials they celebrate. Be it a simple affair within two families, or a court marriage or a couple marrying secretly in a temple or an ostentatious affair attended by the entire community or tribe. This auspicious neck-wear cannot be omitted from the solemnizing of the union of man and wife.  

The next two necklaces, the auspicious Manga Malai and the Kasulaperu are part of the bride's jewellery when she is married in a traditionally performed wedding witnessed by the entire community to which she and her husband belong. Generally all three necklaces are worn together by the bride on her wedding day.

The fourth Necklace, the dazzling Guttapusalu Haram is a stunning opulent piece of jewellery worn mostly by the extremely rich and famous. This necklace was worn by the Royal families of South India and as time progressed by the daughters of wealthy men and also women who belonged to the Matriarchal lineage of Southern India. The reason being;  the Guttapusalu Haram cannot be crafted in a modest fashion as it is an extremely expensive piece of jewellery because of the several precious elements  that are absolutely necessary in crafting it.   

South India has been the cradle of bountiful traditions since centuries. It is a place that has been historically rich due to abundance of resources. This necklace has its origins in the history of the Coastal Regions of South India and the Mines of the terrain.

The Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka is the most ancient source of pearls in the world. The pearl banks in this region are situated closer to the South Indian coast. 

Pre-historic peoples living closer to the coastal areas in Southern India may have stumbled upon the first pearls discovered in this region, during their quest for food in the form of oysters. 

The iridescent glow of the pearl inside the oyster created a precious sense of intuitive awesome in the minds of the fishermen who immediately informed the king of their region about it and from then on Pearl Harvesting became the monopoly of the Royal Houses.

For centuries along the Southern coast of India pearl harvesting has been a lucrative ancient trade.

Gold mined in the ancient Kolar Mines of Karnataka along with precious and dazzling diamonds from the mines of Golcunda as well as sparkling emeralds, rubies and sapphires from mines of Andhra and Telangana gave birth to this ostentatious Guttapusalu Haram or--- 

THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE!

It is a necklace embellished with rubies sapphires emeralds and diamonds in the traditional kundan art which sparkle like heavenly bodies interspersed with spellbinding precious pearls in bunches, clusters and strings; around the neck and bosom of the bride. A traditional Guttapusalu Haram when worn reaches the edge of the midriff of the bride's body.  

The main jewel feature of this gorgeous necklace is the bountiful pearls it showcases without which the Guttapusalu Haram cannot be designed.  

This elaborate piece of bejeweled magnificence is set in gold. Some Guttapusalu Haram are intricately and cleverly designed with other precious gems embedded on the reverse side of the necklace, so that it can be worn both ways if so desired. 

The Matriarchal cache of Jewellery passed down centuries from the 'mother to daughter' chain witnesses some of the most awe inspiring Guttapusalu Haram which cannot be duplicated today. The reason for this is that the quality of precious gems used centuries ago are no more available, and the painstaking karigari of the ancient karigars of those times is no more viable in the rushed modern age we now live in. The time that was taken to create one such unique piece of jewellery in the past, is not cost- -effective anymore, as also the intricacies of those designs are a lost art. 

Even so the Guttapusalu Haram created by the present Karigars of Indian jewellers is a   glittering spectacular necklace owned by successful film stars, women entrepreneurs, wives and daughters of Industrialists, irrespective of whether they are South Indians or not. 

Today it is not only worn by a bride but also by Socialites and Celebrities for ostentatious occasions. 

A traditional sparkling necklace that bedazzles the onlooker!

In the present times too, for many young south Indian brides it is their heart's secret desire to be able to wear the Magnificent Guttapusalu Haram on the most significant day of their life----THEIR WEDDING DAY!