Jewel Posts

India is home to several historical temples and that many religious practices. But what you will hear about this Mahalaxmi Temple will pleasantly surprise you! Here you do not get sweets or savoury as prasab but gold . Yes, the country looked upon as a poor nation has a temple that distributes gold as prasad amongst its devotees.  Now you must be curious to know the name of the temple. So here you go - Mahalaxmi temple in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. It  receives offerings worth rupees crores each year that include even gold and silver jewellery ! Every offering here made to the Goddess is kept note of, in order to know how much gold has to be returned in the form of prasad and around Diwali each year, a certain part of it is returned to the devotees as prasad.  It is said that devotees travel thousands of miles to come to the temple and receive this prasad. The travelling cost for the same is often more than the cost of the prasad!   Despite that, devot...

You must be busy putting together your festival ensemble. Gold definitely must be on your mind. But I suggest, it’s time look beyond the yellow sheen of gold. Agreed, gold is auspicious and therefore, you cannot do away with it completely. How about options that offers auspiciousness of gold as well as trendy shades. Yes, you read that right. This middle path takes you to the alluring world of gold alloys – rose gold is the one about which I recently posted and the other one is white gold; essentially a silver-coloured alloy of gold with nickel, platinum or another metal. While the former is in pinkish shade due to the content of copper, the latter mix achieves a white silvery tone. Impact? They are so versatile that go well with your causal, formal as well as traditional looks and therefore, are in vogue and resonate well with the millennial women too. As a result, jewellers  also sell rose gold as well as white gold version of each of their jewel available in pur...

A jewel of the year has to be extraordinary in every way. From its concept to relevance and design, everything about it has to be top notch and Bollywood actress Yami Gautam's this Chandbali pair deserves to be touted as one.  Zoom in to take a closer look.  It is essentially an Afgani Chandbali with a floral centre piece and a heavy-duty dangler. But the highlight of this iconic pair is the use of traditional Rajasthani Arsi finish . Even the design philosophy - the bigger, the better, has worked its charm. Surely, it will resonate with the fashion forward women of today.  What about those who prefer minimalism? Fret not! You can always go in for an understated version of it. Check out PNG Jewellers eclectic collection of Chandbalis . I am sure you'll find something that goes with your style and taste. Author: Deepa Mishra Disclaimer: All images used in the blog have been sourced from Google purely for the purpose of informative referen...

We all have a thing for gold . The reasons are many. To begin with, gold is looked upon as a symbol of Goddess Laxmi - the Goddess of Wealth, as per the Hindu religion. It is said that buying  gold , adds more to the overall wealth and considering its appreciation rate, it seems to be fairly true. No wonder, buyers go in for gold not just because it is beautiful to adorn but also a great invesment option. However, this obsession for gold has never affected silver's monopoly in the categories like anklets , waistband and toe rings . This holding of silver is also driven by the Hindu beliefs. As mentioned before, the gold is as revered as a deity, it is not worn below the waist. So, any jewellery  to be worn below the waist, such as anklets, waistband or even toe-rings, are therefore carved in silver. For this very reason, no matter times change, fashion evolves, your financial status upgrades, yet  silver's significance in a woman's treasure trove would remain unsc...

Rose gold is considered to be one of the most romantic metals and why not! It's pinkish shade when crafted aesthetically in beautiful designs and glistens to its full glory, the effect is extremely mesmerising. You can't not notice it's sheen and then, fall in love too. Now, do you still wonder why it is one of the most romantic metals . I am sure not! But that's not the reason enough why women these days are doting on rose gold. Pure gold alloyed with copper to produce the pinkish colour, rose gold refers to and encompasses the whole family of red, rose and pink gold shades. The more copper used, the redder the gold appears but if you ask, 75% gold and 25% copper by mass (18 carat) is one of the most commonly used proportion. The pinkinsh tone of the metal thus achieved allows other adornments like diamonds and gemstones pop up beautifully and therefore, make for sought-after jewels .   The best part is, rose gold can elegantly merge with any look. Whe...

So you love the heritage jewels from PNG Jewellers ' treasure trove? Me too! By that virtue, here's a piece of information that you would be delighted to know.  Just recently, our favourite jewellery retailer PNG Jewellers announced its IFO - (initial franchise offer) initiative. Through this initiative, it had invited like-minded entreprenures to start a PNG store under FOCO and FOFO models.  And guess what? I t's not even a month now after the first announcement was made and the brand is already flooded with tonnes of applications. Aspirants from India as well as overseas have approached PNG for its franchisee rights. However, as per CMD Saurabh Gadgil's Facebook post, in the first phase of this initiative, PNG Jewellers is mapping locations like  Badlapur, Barshi, Talegaon, Manchar, Nigdi, Pimple Saudagar, Srirampur and Malegaon and if everything goes as planned, Badlapur will soon hear the good news. Your city does not figure here yet? Worry not. Th...

Inhabited by the Buddhist of Lahul and Spiti, the Hindu Gujjar and Bakarwal nomads and the Hindus of Kullu and Chamba, the jewellery of Himanchal Pradesh is of Indian origin yet bear some Tibetian influence. Adorned by nature-inspired motifs such as lotus, peepal leaves, tiger's head, the head ornament is one the most popular style and are unique to each region too and therefore, let's take a sneak peek into the rich Himachali heritage in head ornaments .  To begin with, Bindi with a central pendant hanging from the hair parting and silver chains extending on both sides upto the ear, is a common sight. That apart, there is Shringar-patti which includes a pair of fringes worn on either side of the face, consisting of star or geometrical-shaped pieces strung together with pipal leaves, drops or stars hanging from it. There are also crescent-shaped plates, sometimes enameled, dangling from the middle of the forehead. Women in Chamba wear a long silver...

Every time I see a Bharatnaytam dancer, I definitely look forward to an exciting performance but even before that, it is their gorgeous costume that fascinates me. The stunning saree draped in a traditional way, the bedazzling jewels and yes, the stylish hairdo, completely awes the onlookers like me. But amongst all, it is the jewels that I would especially like to talk about today. Why? Adorning the performer from head to toe, it adds that well-deserved drama to the legendary dance form and therefore, needs to be extensively spoken about. As legend has it, the Bharatnatyam jewellery is essentially temple jewellery that were offered to deities and after that, went to the temple dancers. Since Bharatnatyam is a dance form that expresses South Indian religious and spiritual ideas, particularly of Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism, religious symbols too are a part of the design theme. Here's the checklist of the Bharatnatyam jewels :  1. Jumka (earring with ...

Every time we take up a Bollywood personality for style check but this time we have turned our gaze to none other than Jhansi's monarch Rani Laxmi Bai. Even after three centuries, she continues to inspire women of modern India and so does her styling. Not fond of grandeur, her simple approach towards life showed up in her sense of style as well. The legend of this stature and style, is worth reminincing for ages and kudos to Kangana Ranaut for paying a tribute to her with a biopic - Manikarnika. Let's do our bit in her honour and open her style file and adopt some handy tips too.  To begin with, the most unique aspect of her styling was her dressing. Even though she went out to battle wearing a sari, she dressed it up in a macho style. The sari was always tied close to her body in a Nauvari style. She wore cotton or muslin saris and she draped them in a practical manner, rather than a stylish one. During the battle, she also wore a scarf around her head in order to kee...

The Holkar dynasty of Indore is renowned throughout the world for their grand collection of jewels and the finest of jewellery. It was estimated that the entire jewellery collection of the Maharaja during the 1930s-40s was around 40 million dollars. Amongst all, it was said that Maharaja Yeshwantrao Holkar had the strongest penchant for jewellery. He had even invited French jewellers to the likes of Van Clef, Arpels, Chaumet and Moubassin to craft some masterpieces for him. The most popular jewellery pieces in the Holkar collection were the bejewelled dazzling peacock turban, the Indore Pears, the Jonker and Porter Rhodes diamonds, amongst many other such jewels . The fabled peacock bejewelled turban was crafted using rubies, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and pearls . In order to give the impression of a crown on a turban, European goldsmiths were employed for the job. Another fabled artifact in their collection was the bejewelled walking stick with elephant-shaped ha...

This is your birthmonth. Hope you celebrate it with a lot of fanfare and that it goes on to become one of the most memorable birthdays of your life. But how about ushering in some good luck this year? Yes, you read that right. Good luck! You do not have to do much for that. Just consult a professional astrologer and as per his instruction, wear your birthstone which is blue sappire . FYI, the blue colour of the sapphire is considered to have the highest light as compared to other similar coloured stones. It can be worn either in a gold or silver ring, as advised by the astrologer. Before wearing it, dip the ring in a bowl filled with honey, milk and pure water for around 20 to 30 minutes. After taking it out from the bowl, round up the incense sticks for 11 times while reciting the mantra Om Sham Shanicharaya Namah, following which you can wear the ring in the middle finger. You would be delighted to know that this birthstone is extremely beneficial for hard working people. S...

Gwalior has a rich heritage, history and tradition. In the past, it has been ruled by many kingdoms, each - from Tomars to Marathas and Scindias, influencing its culture and art. Even tribals living here contribute greatly in building the legacy that it boasts of. But predominantly, it is an excellent amalgamation of Bundeli and Braj traditions that reflects in its costume and lifestyle. This melting pot is therefore one of the most fascinating places in India. Especially the glitter of its unique jewels is hard to resist. FYI, if you visit the city today, you will find many jewellery shops situated near Jayaji Chowk, also known as Maharaj Bada. While shopping for jewellery , bead and metal designs worn by the tribes would mesmerise you no end. The Gwalior's speciality in Jalli (Lattice) work, Jabalpur and Tikamgarh's animals statues and human figurines and the majestic gold and silver jewellery , studded with precious and semi-precious stones and pearls, will also comp...

Bhopal is famous for its handiwork. From Zariwork juttis and Gond paintings to Chanderi fabric and traditional durries of Sironj, Jhabua and Jabalpur. But it is the T happa and Thussa jewellery that I suggest would make a great souvenier.  Here's why!     Thappa literally means stamping. This form of jewellery art is achieved by embossing sheets of gold, mixed with metals like copper, beaten into wafer-thin plates, with floral and geometric patterns. On the other hand, in Thussa work, goldsmiths braid together strands of gold to make elaborate jewels like neckpieces, bangles and arm bands .  Both - Thapa and Thussa, are dying arts with fewer locals practising them. You can only find shops around the Jama Masjid in Chowk Bazar that sell this rare jewels .  But take my word for it, it would be a great surprise for the lovely ladies back home. Gift it to your mother, sister, wife or girlfriend, I am sure they would love to flaunt these uniq...

Sarafa Bazaar, one of the main jewellery market of Indore, is up for a tranformation. Soon, there is a gems and jewellery park coming up here. Then, it has also been earmarked by the Ministry of Urban Development as one of the 100 cities under Narendra Modi's Smart City Mission. With so much going for it, in some years, Indore hoped to under go a sea change. Yet the uniqueness of this place will always be cherished and celebrated, not just amongst the locals but also tourists. Located in central Indore, it is the jewellery hub as well as a street food court. During the day, it is a jewellery market and as soon as the sun sets and stores close down, the same place tranforms into a foodies' paradise that is bustling with locals, tourists, foreigners... till the wee hours of the next day's morning. This does not happen anywhere in the world, except for Sarafa. Isn't it unique! How did this start?  From Indore's central marketplace Rajwada, Sarafa is barely...

Jhabua's histroy is quite eventful. While it was ruled by the Rathor dynasty for generations, the region was also hailed as a princely state during the British era and today, it is the administrative headquarter of the district. That said, the tribes – Bhils and Bhilalas, living here have a major influence on its jewellery heritage.   The jewels are not just adornment here but also an integral part of its rituals. Soon after the girl is born, she is adorned with a heavy silver locks in neck, hand and feet. These piece are not removed by them until death. Posthumously, the jewels are removed and kept in the family as her remains. Even when it comes to marriages, women are offered heavy silver jewels by the prospective grooms and if the girl accepts the offerings of a certain groom in the presence of the whole community, she gets married to him.  Although it is an age-old practice, in terms of design, there are not too many variations to explore. Manufactured by villa...

The answer is, it becomes clean. In fact, boiling the jewellery is one of the most handy hacks of cleaning jewellery. It has been practised since ages. A lot of you must have seen your grandmothers and mothers, using this technique to remove the grime off their old jewels . Here's the right technique of cleaning jewels with boiling water. First place your jewellery into a bowl and then gently, pour the boiled water over it. Keep pouring the water until the jewellery is covered. Wait till the water cools down. After that, gently scrub the jewels with soft-bristled toothbrush. Don't forget to dry it thoroughy post cleaning. But mind you, not all jewels can washed using this technique. It is helpful only in case of solid gold jewellery . Even when it comes to gold, make sure the gold is not cold before pouring the boiled water. Other than that, for gemstone-studded jewels and jewels with glued elements, this technique is a big no. Author: Deepa Mishra Disclaimer...

Yes you read that right! Toothpaste. For your information, is a very effective jewellery cleaner. Especially when you are hardpressed for time, this simple hack can come in handy. 3 Simple Steps   1. Mix an inch long toothpaste with a tablespoon of warm water 2. With a soft-bristled toothbrush, scrub the jewel thoroughly with this mixture 3. Rinse the jewel well with water, once you are done cleaning Note that, toothpaste is abrasive enough to remove the grime off the intricate patterns of jewellery while not as much to scratch its surface and hence, works best for jewels . Author: Deepa Mishra Disclaimer: All images used in the blog have been sourced from Google purely for the purpose of informative reference. The models, celebrities or products showcased in these pictures are not to promote any brand in any manner.