Gold crafting is one of the most important crafting traditions followed in India, it is passed down from generation to generation among the thousands of craftsmen. Gold jewelry art in India has always played an important role in the history of India and people really are attached to gold jewelery and they are passed down from generation to generation.
At the early age, jewelry made of gems and stones was often used but after the initiation of gold jewelery in India, the trend of wearing gold ornaments increased due to the durability and glow of the metal. Gold crafting soon became a very popular art in India and is one of the main reasons why many jewelery companies choose India for their crafting.
Several archeological excavations show that gold jewelry art in India was popular even in the ancient days. Several statues and portraits show naked dancing girls,bedecked with ornaments and bangles to their shoulders. The arrival of Muslim culture also brought more ideas and techniques that increased the level of expertise of these items. The vast difference in the culture of the regions of the sub-continent also brings a lot of variety in the craftsmanship.
I have a craze of traditional jewelry. Can anyone suggest the places where I can get that.
The ornaments such as `odiyaanam`(gold waist belt), `jimikki`(eardrop), `vanki`(armlet) are commonly used in all parts of South India. Some of the popular gold ornaments used in various parts of India are `paambadam` which are a great lump of gold and are in all one piece represent six earrings, worn by the rural Tamil women. The earrings for Tamil men are known as `kadukkan`. `Kammal`, `Jimikki` , `Lolakku` are some forms of earrings for women in Tamil Nadu. The original abode of the snake chain is Kilhapur in Maharashtra. The snake chain has gained its popularity in Hyderabad in recent times.In western and Southern India `Mangal Sutra` (a gold pendant hanging from a necklace of black gun-metal and gold beads) is considered to be a symbol of the marital status of a woman and is considered as an auspicious sign of marriage.
The traditional jewellery of India is what makes the Indian weddings so rich and unique in their own manner. There are exclusive designs and works which complete the traditional look of the jewellery. The traditional gold jewellery is passed on for generations and families hold jewellery made many decades ago. The different jewellery includes armlets, bracelets, bangles, necklaces, earrings, fingerings, toe rings, nose rings, anklets, pendants and waistbands.
Different regions and cultures follow their unique designs and works. The south is known for its extensive temple based large deigns, the north is known for its exclusive carved designs, the west is known for its mirrored and stoned works and the east is famous for its beaded work. Many trends are taken from the Middle East regions but the designing is unique.
Pair of toe rings is a symbol of a married girl. These toe rings are usually made of silver and can even be studded with a stone. There are different styles of nose rings worn by women of different cultures. In the north they were large nose rings, sometimes the nose rings are bigger than the bangles they wear. The larger nose ring denotes the wealth of the husband. In the west nose rings are called nath, they are made of pearls and stones. Necklaces of traditional temple designs or the eminent kolhapuri sajh designs are sought after. North Indians cherish the traditional panchangal, which is a five ring connected gold jewellery for all the fingers in a hand. The waistband also known as kamarband is made out of gold or silver and is studded with precious stones. Earrings come in varied designs and types; there is the traditional long jhukams, which are long and bulky with detailed designing. The anklet is of two types; moveable and immovable. The flexible ones are made by joining rings of the metal, usually silver and the immovable ones are made like bangles with a gap to fit into the leg. The traditional Indian jewellery dates long back and is still famed for its design. These popular works are one of the sought after designs worldwide.