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In
India, jewelry is deeply entrenched in all aspects
of the cultural ethos. It has always been so, as evident
from our ancient sculptures and paintings as in our
modern buying habits.
Beads, terracotta and later, gold and other metals,
in combination with gemstones, trace the history of
jewelry in India.
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site COMING SOON -
UNDER RECONSTRUCTION
Although the most obvious use of jewellry is adornment,
it is not always the primary motive for buying jewelery
amongst Indians.
Jewelry is looked upon as an investment - which is
the reason why most jewelry materials are restricted
to gold, silver and precious stones, which do not
depreciate steeply over the years.
This is especially true of cultures where women do
not inherit land and other joint property. Their share
of the family's wealth was traditionally given away
in the form of jewelry.
However, the desire for beautifying the self could
not be overlooked either. As a result, Indians expanded
the range of materials and the intricacy of of the
craftsmanship that went into making of jewelry.
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Each region of India today has its own special kind
of jewelry, developed by highly skilled workmen. Each
style has its own specifications. For instance, north-east
Indian jewelry draws heavily on animals, plants and
birds for inspiration. The goldsmiths here use 24
karat gold, which is softer and therefore, more
flexible. In tribal regions, gold and silver are
often used in combination with seashells and beads,
or ivory. |
Northern India gave rise to specific craft-forms
like Meenakari and Kundan. The precise origin of
each form is not known but Kundan and Meenakari came
to a high pitch of delicacy and beauty under the
Mughal regime. Very finely cut glass or crystal was
set into precious metals, for Kundan, while
Meenakari implied the setting of tiny stones of
green and red hue, a basic design gold. Both
continue to be a very popular form of traditional
design.
Jaali or lace-work was another intricate form where
gold or silver was drawn out into very fine wires
to make up a lacy, mesh-like pattern. A similar craft
is employed in filigree work which is common to certain
tribes in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.
Further down, in southern India, most of the jewelry
is chunky, solid gold and the designs are motifs like
the sun and moon.
At the other extreme, the north Indian traditionally
wore more silver jewelry. In states like Kashmir and
Himachal Pradesh, silver headdresses are common, as
is the use of turquoise, coral and other semi-precious
stones.
In India, gemstones have a special significance -
not only as objects of beauty and valuables, but also
as the source of supernatural powers.
According to myth and the ancient scriptures, it is
believed that some stones bestow special healing powers
on the wearer, while others ward off negative influences.
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