Aad .... A Spectacular Ornament

Rajasthan which literally means the land of Royalty originally was a desert expanse with a large number of nomadic tribes roaming this arid yet rich terrain. 

Traditionally the wealth of each tribe lay in the jewellery worn by its women who wandered the desert through the seasons, tending their herds, working in rock mines, cooking and raising children all the while laden in heavy chunky metal and silver jewellery. Wearing wealth converted to jewellery has been an integral part of nomadic life in Northern India as these sections of humanity were constantly on the move.

 As the tribes warred for supremacy and got banded together under one chieftain or Raja; the birth of a new epoch dawned in Rajasthan...the era of Kings. 

Royalty now lived in magnificent Palaces and lesser vassals in opulent mansions called Havelis.

The traditional jewellery pieces worn by their wandering nomadic ancestors were retained in the cache of the Rajputana Royal Jewellery. Metal and silver gave way to a more precious element—Gold, and the traditional designs were now encrusted with valuable or priceless gems. 

Coupled with the royalty of the Rajputs, the tradition of their nomadic ancestors behind them and the influence of the new breathtaking Mogul jewellery  of India ; a unique visually striking piece of jewellery called the Aad or Timaniya was born. 

Originally the tribes who wore a basic version of the now sophisticated Aad attached a customary significance to the then called Timaniya which was that it taught the bride nuances of humility and the idea of bowing her head due to the rigidity of this necklace! 

The Aad is a massive gold necklace that is made of two elaborate components. The highlight of the necklace is a large curved pendant that goes around the throat with broad rims inlayed with uncut diamonds or tiny pearls on the top and bottom. This large pendant could also be called a choker. The pendant or choker could either be made of interlocked individual pieces or can be a single piece of rigid gold inlayed with rubies emeralds sapphires and uncut diamonds.

Below the choker is attached a bib or curtain like necklace- mesh that cascades all the way to the bosom. The size and extension of the bib can vary according to requirement.

The bib or mesh is an intricately patterned  masterpiece of gold interspersed with gorgeously dazzling precious gems in designs of leaves and flowers or geometrical angles. At the bottom of this elaborate ornament are hung huge droplets of either emeralds or rubies to add a spectacular effect to the entire necklace. 

Being an extremely heavy piece of jewellery the Aad is traditionally secured firmly behind the neck by two thick woven strands of resham doras ending in tassels of pearls attached on either sides of the choker.

The Majestic Aad was specially designed to satiate the opulent tastes of the queens of Rajasthan but later it formed a part of the repertoire of Rajasthani Bridal jewellery.  In today's world the magnificent Aad is also crafted in Polkis and Kundan.

The Rajasthani Aad is every bride's DREAM COME TRUE!

Dusshera ... The Battle of Good over Evil.

Dusshera is the celebration of the triumph of Good over Evil. The circumstances leading to this great conflict between Ram and the asura king Ravan have a great significance on the jewellery repertoire of India. 

When Ravan abducts Sita in the guise of a Brahman who has come begging for alms Ram and Laxman are away hunting in the forest. Sita wails while Ravan forcible carries her into his Pushpak Vahan which ascends into the skies flying them off to his Kingdom Lanka. There is no one to hear the desperate call for help of Sita. A desperate Sita not knowing how to let her beloved Ram know of the treacherous abduction starts dropping her jewellery one by one to mark the route of the flying machine. 

She first drops her diamond and emerald studded nupur or anklet next she drops her ruby bangle; as the Pushpak Vahan flies ahead, she drops her Sapphire kangan. all this while Ravan is laughing and mocking her about her Ram never knowing about her whereabouts. Being a male Ravan doesn't even notice what the desperate Sita is doing. As she drops one of her sparkling Navratna Jhumkas it falls next to Jatayu who is resting on the ground. He immediately looks up and seeing a struggling Sita in the clutches of Ravan soars into the heavens to rescue her. A battle ensues between the Eagle King and the Asura King. Sita in all this mayhem continues to drop her jewellery to mark the trail of flight of the Pushpak. She now drops her dainty diamond studded pearl and ruby Guluband. Jatyu being old is defeated by the demonic Ravan and falls to the ground. The Pushpak gathers speed and crossing the tip of the Indian peninsular reaches the skies of Lanka. The abduction of Sita is completed.

On returning to their hut Ram and Laxman are horrified to see Sita missing. They understand that she has been abducted because of the chaos of things strewn all around. Laxman finds Sita's nupur and recognising it he cries out to his brother who rushes to him. They follow the trail and find the next piece of jewellery the ruby bangle. Ram exclaims "look Laxman this is Sita's chudi!" But Laxman fails to identity the piece of jewellery as he has never looked beyond the sacred feet of his bhabi. Ram being Sita's husband identifies all the pieces till they reach a bleeding Jatyu whose mighty wing has been chopped off by Ravan. He then confirms that the asura king of Lanka has carried off Sita ma to his kingdom beyond. 

Ram gathers an army of monkeys and other allies crosses over to Lanka and battles with the forces of Evil of the Asura kingdom. He defeats Ravan in a terrible battle that lasts for ten days and nights and rescues his Sita from the captivation of the Asuras. GOOD triumphs. This day of victory is called Dusshera.

In India the personal jewellery cache of any woman is her unique possession. Be she a queen such as Sita, or an ordinary common woman, it is exclusive to her identification. 

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!

Kasulaperu .....Lakshmi Coins Heirloom

  

The traditional jewellery of Southern India has always been quite heavy consisting of voluminous gold pieces. 

Traditional South-Indian jewellery has covered its journey for nearly 5000 years, as an evolving art form. Its beauty lies in the uniqueness of its design and the efforts of the workmanship involved in creating the intricate designs.

In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, jewellery has not only traditional and aesthetic value, but is also considered as a source of security in times of financial crisis. The amount of jewellery owned by a woman also signifies her status and adds to the riches in her name. 

The birth of a girl in ancient Northern parts of India spread a pall of gloom over the household; but in South India since centuries the birth of a daughter was a reason to celebrate!

The Dravidian culture of South-India bestows property rights on the female child. Being a Matriarchal society Inheritance is passed down the female linage. Besides immovable property special attention is given to the Bridal Jewellery of a South Indian girl at the time of marriage.

This cache of jewellery is referred to as "Stree Dhan" gifted to her by both; her parents and In-laws, as the name indicates:  

Stree-woman 

 Dhan-wealth 

This collection of wealth in jewellery form is given as a security measure for the married woman.

"Stree Dhan" is the exclusive property of the woman to do with it as she pleases throughout her life, without interference either from her husband, parents or In-laws.  

Many traditional pieces of gold and gem encrusted jewellery passed down the millenniums have become an essential component of the repertoire of "Stree Dhan" But none as magnificent as the Kasulaperu.

This gorgeous necklace is crafted out of gold coins strung together to meet at a central point holding a solid gold image of Goddess Lakshmi within a gold temple. Sometimes the heavy Lakshmi pendant is omitted and the Kasulaperu is just an opulent necklace of Gold Coins strung together without gaps to form a solid sparkling Gold necklace covering the bridal bosom of the girl.

Tradition in South India has it that since the birth of the female child the mother and grandmother collect gold coins embossed with the image of Lakshmi; in other words 5 or 10gm uniform gold sovereigns, every year till the girl reaches a marriageable age. 

The coins are bought on her birthdays, important religious festivals etc to be saved away till the collections reaches a decent amount to be strung by the jeweller to create a magnificent Kasulaperu..

Depending on the financial strength of the family the Kasulaperu could be a necklace of 50, 80 sometimes even 100 coins.

Today many a Kasulaperu have small precious rubies and emeralds interspersed in the design of the necklace; but the focus is on an Imperial Gold Coin Necklace blessed by none other than Goddess Lakshmi herself.

A Kasulaperu is gifted by the bride's parents, while the Thaali or Mangalsutra is gifted by the Husband. 

Both these auspicious necklaces are obligatory in the wedding ceremony of South-India.

Manga Malai ..... The Mango Necklace.

The Mango first appeared as early as 25 million years ago in North-East India, Myanmar and Bangladesh from where it travelled to the southern peninsular of India.   

This unique fruit with its unforgettable sweet aromatic flavour was immediately considered to be 'manna' bestowed by the Gods on human beings.

The Ancient South- Indian kingdoms of the Chola, Pandya and Chera dynasties that today comprise modern Western Tamil Nadu and Kerala, along the western Malabar Coast  of Southern India declared the Mango to be not just the Royal fruit of the Kingdom, but as was the practice of those times and still is in South-India, religion took centre stage and the Mango found its ultimate glory at the feet of the Gods.

Every element of the mango tree as well as its fruit was considered to be sacred, hence its fruit and  leaves were used not only in worship inside Temples, but also in  Wedding Mandaps . 

The mango leaves were strung together to form a garland called a  toran; which was hung at the entrances of temples and Mandaps to ward off evil. One of the main significance of hanging a toran of mango leaves on a Wedding Mandapa is that it is supposed to be a symbol of fertility and hence a sign of auspicious blessing bestowed on the Union.

Ancient legends have it that in Hinduism, Lord Shiva (fertility) and Kama(love) are represented by the symbolic mango leaves.  

The toran also  represents goddess Mahalaxmi and prevents any negative energy or drushti dosham (evil eye) from entering the threshold of the Wedding Mandapa. 

As is the tradition of India; all things propitious are absorbed in the jewellery of the land. So was the Mango and its leaves. 

 The talented jewellery karigars of that time incorporated the toraninto an innovative masterpiece - a Dazzling piece of jewellery! 

In Southern Indian languages the mango was called 'Manga' and a garland 'Malai'

Thus was born this unique necklace called Manga Malai a garland of Mangoes. Besides adorning the sacred Murtis inside temples like Menaxshi and Tirupati, the Manga Malai an Elaborate, stunningly gorgeous necklace is also worn by South-Indian brides. 

Crafted in precious rubies emeralds and diamonds, the gems are set using the kundala-velai technique which relates to the north Indian kundan tradition of using a lac-filled sheet of gold to secure the gem. The Manga Malai is made up of forty-six mango shaped pendants set with a dazzling diamond in the middle. Each pendant is interspersed with trefoil-shaped elements surrounded by cabochon rubies. The mango-shaped pendants are held in place by the use of two flat knitted gold wire chains that pass through loops on the back of the mango pendants. These gold chains are called thattaiyana ponnulla saradu which in ancient times were woven out of gold threads. 

The Manga Malai is no ordinary piece of jewellery. It is a magnificent necklace that carries centuries of culture, heritage, and tradition in its inimitable design.

Southern India follows the Matriarchal tradition of Family progression. Matriarchy is descent and inheritance being traced through the female line.  It is all about Female Power and authority. Hence Bridal jewellery and property is passed from Grandmother to Mother to Daughter. Because this jewellery repertoire has been painstakingly designed and crafted under the scrutiny of the Matriarch for centuries; the traditional Manga Malai is one of the most artistic and beautiful pieces of jewellery in the cache of Indian Jewellery. 

With its vibrant and sparkling precious gems encrusted in pure gold; the Manga Malai is the Pièce De Résistance worn by the bejewelled bride on her wedding day!

Today in techno-savvy India this ancient necklace has been revived to be worn not only by Southern Brides at weddings, but also by Film Actresses and Chic Socialites who wish to make an everlasting fashion statement at an Exclusive Social Affair!

  

Hansli .... The Manacle Necklace.

The gypsies are a nomadic people that know no borders or countries. From their ancestry they were a people who were constantly on the move. But they originated in Northern India and hence even though centuries later they were found to be settled in larger numbers in Romania and other parts of Eastern Europe yet their language has traces of 'Punjabi' to this day; pointing to the original land of their forefathers.

Before becoming a Nomadic Diaspora these ancient people of the Punjab were slaves. And as was the cruel practice of Slavery they were kept shackled so as to prevent them from fleeing the person who owned them. Their shackles were thick pipe-like bands or manacles around their necks with long chains allowing individual movement; that went from one person to the other.

When these people, bonded by slavery, broke the manacles of cruelty by revolt and banded together as a clan they came to be known as Gypsy or Banjara.

They developed an identity of their own. They had their own dialect, laws, rules of engagement, ethics and of course a distinctive flair in clothing and especially jewellery.

It is human nature to rise from the ashes like a Phoenix and the gypsies too did just that!

They never wanted to forget their years in captivation so that History never repeats itself for their progeny, hence they developed a constant reminder of it in their jewellery repertoire. 

This reminder was the ancient thick pipe-like banded manacle forcibly worn by their ancestors. They converted this manacle into a beautiful piece of jewellery worn both by men and women and called it the Hansli. 

The Hansli was cast in silver for the Gypsies of Punjab. The men wore plain silver Hansli,but all kinds of innovated designs were etched on the precious metal to make it more attractive and decorative for the women. 

Wherever the gypsy caravans moved, people were fascinated by this prominent neck-wear seen on the persona of gypsy women.  As the women danced and sang on festive and marriage occasions for the wealthy, their jewellery, especially the Hansli shimmering boldly and strongly around their necks, while their colourful ghagras twirled around their pirouetting bodies had a mesmerising effect on the women who watched them. 

Thus the Hansli was now incorporated into the jewellery cache of the women of Punjab.

It underwent a modification of sorts. It was now cast in pure gold with added adornments like tiny Pattis, ghungroos and gold beads dangling from the edge of the solid gold manacle. 

The Hansli because of its solid form and its malleability and because of the softness of gold had no hook or tying threads at the back. Just a gap between the two ends of the ornament; that ended in a curved design. 

How was it to be worn? 

The woman just had to twist the Hansli wide open to insert her neck into it and then pull it back into shape!

After the Mughal Invasion of India the Hansli was included in the jewellery repertoire of the Invading Master by undergoing another change. It was now cast in precious gems like crimson rubies, sparkling diamonds, dazzling emeralds and royal turquoise all embedded in a manacle of gold which was now, because of the weight of the gems, not malleable. Hence the shape remained the same with a slight tweak to design. The gap at the back was widened to allow the neck to enter and from the two ends of the Hansli hung long gold and pearl strings to tie the ornament securely. 

The Hansli of Indian Heritage, in the Modern World, has  travelled the world to find itself displayed on Divas of the ramps of Haute Couture Presentations in Paris New York and Milan!