Jewel Posts

I am sure at some point in time, this question must have crossed your mind. Exactly, why do we wear jewellery ? In today’s context, it is worn mostly for style. With a desire to achieve a unique look, a look that reflects one’s inner self, women wear jewellery that best defines them. While it is an extension of their personality, it also allows them the freedom to express. Their belief, their choices, everything is beautifully manifested as a jewel and thus, what they choose, what they wear, does the talking for them. But that is it, why we wear jewellery . Actually, no. Especially in the Indian culture, you wear jewellery not just to add that extra bling to your look but also to honour the age-old beliefs. A married Indian woman is always loaded with jewellery from head to toe. Even if you come across those who subscribe to minimalist school of thought, at least the essentials would be on. With essentials, I mean to say the marital symbols. A Mangalsutra or i...

Think jhumka. What comes to your mind? I am sure the evergreen song – jhumka gira re… starts playing in your head. But as soon as you shake off the song from your head, the jhumka bells - from small to big-sized, pyramid as well as dome-shaped, pearl and diamond-studded, bedazzle your mind.   But how well do you know your jhumka ? Just so you know, the trendy pair that you flaunt to look your best, has a glorious past. Your beloved jhumka was originally a part of the most revered temple jewellery . Back then, along with other jewellery, it was offered to deities in the temples of south and later on, went to the temple dancers. Even as a Bharatanatyam costume, it is still worn in its original form by the performers. With the passage of time, the traditional jhumka not just evolve in terms of designs and mainstreamed but also travelled to different regions of India. But every culture put its own spin on its original design and started referring to it with di...

After Jhumkas , if Indian women are obsessed about any pair of earrings, it is Chandbalis . From page 3 and glossies to festivals, weddings and kitty parties, this crescent-shaped dangler is a common sight. Thanks to Deepika Padukone’s looks in Ram-Leela, the craze for this exquisite pair fuelled even further. Its potential to merge with traditional Indian wears and so seamlessly, was realised when every time the actress graced the 70 mm in a stunning pair of Chandbalis . It’s ethnic design, embellished with pearls and gemstones, caught the fancy of women from different walks of life and in no time, there were versions of it, big and small, to go with a variety of ensembles. Whether bridal, Indian traditional, Indo-western or even western, its elementary design is continually tweaked to create pairs for all kinds of looks. Here are some of the gorgeous designs that you would love to flaunt. Lavishly designed chandbalis for a bridal ensemble. A dain...

You cannot turn away from filigree jewellery without examining it closely. That’s the charm of this ancient art form that has travelled all the way from the western Asia to our country. Originated in Mesopotamia and Egypt, it popularised across the Asian continent during 2500 BC. Especially craftsmen belonging to Midyat city in Mardin province of upper Mesopotamia, carved out a niche for themselves for developing a filigree patterns called Telkari , using gold and silver wires. But as soon as this art form landed here in India, its popularity saw a new high. Already obsessed with jewellery, Indians zealously embraced its arabesque patterns . They not only started creating their own versions but with time, mastered it well enough to not just find takers across India but also become one of the prominent exporters of filigree jewellery in the world. Famous for their Cuttack Tarkashi from Orissa, they also spread their wings to other regions with West Bengal and Andh...

Indians are obsessed about jewellery . Even a new born child will have his/ her own trinket box. From a taviz, a waistband and a pair of anklets to even earrings and bangles, there is a range in baby jewellery too. But they do not wear them for nothing. Every jewel is conceived keeping in mind the child’s health prospects. Onlookers may sometime feel horrified at the thought of how on Earth someone can pierce a baby’s ears, but don’t we take them for  vaccinations ! Similarly, ear piercing too is one such painful experience that will go a long way in ensuring your baby’s well-being. Karna Vedha Sanskar Out of the 16 Sanskaars of the Hindu dharma,  Karna Vedha Sanskar  that involves ear piercing  is held on 10th, 12th or 16th day after the birth of the baby or in the odd years of the child like 3rd or 7th years. In some cultures, this ceremony is called Chhedan and is conducted in the first half of the day, followed by a feast. While performing the ritua...

Not everyone wears jewellery for style. For some it is a way of expression, while others look at it as a reflection of their inner-self. In fact, in some of the tribes in India, it is a mark of their identity. Also, since time unknown, by means of Mangalsutra in India and wedding rings in the west, women make known about their marital status.  Even through the history of India, the jewels of various eras reflect the time in which they originated. The Rajputs, the Mughals, the Marathas, the Mauryas…you can tell from the designs which jewel belongs to which dynasty.   Although since then we have come a long way in terms of design themes and technology and a lot of western influence is seen in our creations, the yearn to personalise our jewellery still persists. Sometime the desire is so strong that we go in for customisation. It may be a design that we have either seen somewhere or created on our own but all that matters is that we identify with it.  For man...

This time around, we saw the revered temple jewellery dazzling on our original desi girl – Priyanka Chopra. Just recently a picture of her has gone viral on the internet in which she looked terrific in an out-and-out desi avatar. Not sure if the picture was taken in India or abroad or whether it’s a recent click or an old one. But we are sure that it is worth a glance and after that, you won’t look away. Even from miles away, we could feel her desi vibes through her traditional ensemble that comprised of a golden zari saree, a bindi and to go with it, a set of temple jewellery. This is not for the first time we are coming across a celeb flaunting a temple jewellery set. Just married comedienne Bharti Singh too bejewelled herself with one on her bangle ceremony. Last Diwali, Shilpa Shetty was spotted dazzling in Ekta Kapoor’s Diwali bash in one. Earlier Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt too have donned these masterpieces in their movies Chennai Express and 2 States respec...