The Significance of Traditional Indian Wedding Jewellery

Meaning of wedding ornamnets - She Knows Her Mind

By Scindhia Hallan

Ornaments are an integral part of an Indian wedding. It is such a big deal in India, that purchasing bridal jewellery is actually an occasion of sorts with all the brides relatives being invited by the bride’s parents for selecting the jewellery that the bride would wear on the wedding day. In a country as diverse as India, with so many bridal customs and bridal wear, the jewellery too varies with different states.Some of these pieces are worn regularly after wedding. Though these are common ornaments most of us have never really understood the importance of it. My focus is mainly on jewels used by Tamil women after marriage but the same jewel can have a modified version in some other part of India. After all India is a country full of cultural richness. We are similar yet different in so many ways.

The ornaments given here not only make the bride beautiful but also bring her good health, safety and luck according to ancient Hindu beliefs. Unlike today, almost all jewels in ancient India were custom made for the bride. There are different jewels designed for different parts of the body. Some are outdated and are not seen regularly while some are common even today.

In Tamil culture, the Tamil goddess is said to be adorned with five ornaments – Seevagasinthamani (for the head), Manimeghalai(for the waist), Valayapathi(for the hands), Kundalakesi(for the ears) and Silapadhikaram (for the legs).

Nethichutti ( Forehead)

Chutti is the ornament which is worn on top the forehead. The place where it falls loosely on the forehead is believed to have the intellectual chakra. The pressure of the ornament stimulates the brain and thinking. Traditional chuttis are round and they are made of stones or pearls and are heavier than what is available in the market today. The modern woman prefers various models in the design instead of the traditional circular one.

Mookuthi (Nose)

Mookuthi is otherwise called as nose ring. In some cultures it is used to symbolize the virginity of the bride and is worn only before marriage. But in the culture of the south, mookuthi is the symbol of a wedded woman. It is said to remind the wife that she must learn to master her anger since her anger can destroy the whole family. Tamilians associate nose with the virtue of anger. Today, mostly mookuthi is worn on only one side of the nose unlike the ancient times where it was worn on both sides.

Kammal (Ear)

Kammal or earring is an auspicious ornament of the bride. It is a symbol to ward off evil spirits. The location is also a pressure point and serves as an acupuncture point. Traditional women wore Jimkis (round umbrella shaped earrings). Today earrings are easily the largest diversified ornaments with thousands of new designs releasing every year.

Thali (Neck)

Thali is the holy thread that pronounces a man and woman as husband and wife. It is also called Mangal sutra in the northern part of India. Mangal means holy, sutra means thread. It is an ornament that is tied close to the heart to remind that the heart belongs to only her husband. It is synonymous with wedding rings in the west. There are a lot of designs of mangal sutra depending on the caste of the person. Even in Tamil Nadu each sub caste has a different design of mangal sutra. This is the most important piece of wedding jewellery. The tying of the mangal sutra is a staunch declaration of the couple being formally pronounced as man and wife.

Valayal (Hands)

Valayal or bangles is another jewel which is closely associated with the well being of the husband. It symbolizes that the husband and wife belong to each other and their love is divine. Just like the bangle is one circle with no divisions, the couple too must be of one heart and soul. In the south, green colored bangles are believed to bring prosperity to the bride. In certain other culture glass bangles and ivory bangles are preferred.

Modhiram (Fingers)

This is the Tamil version of the wedding/engagement rings.It is worn on the ring finger and is usually a thin band of gold. It is believed that wearing a metal on the ring finger stimulates the connectivity of the brain. In some customs, multiple rings are worn in the fingers and a joined by a palm ornament. This can be seen especially in north Indian weddings. In certain cultures silver rings are worn along with golden rings during the wedding day.

Ottiyanam (Hip)

Ottiyanam is an ornament worn around the hip. It is a symbol of authority in the household as women hang their wardrobe and house keys in this ornament. During the ancient period, all married women wore this. But this is not a common ornament today. It can be seen only during weddings as part of the ceremony. Some girls even wear it on family occasions other than weddings too. In reality, it is no longer associated with a wedded woman.

Kolusu (Ankle)

Kolusu or anklet is worn around the ankle as a loose chain of silver. It used to be a single silver thread. But today it is made out of silver and mixed gold and is also used as a casual ornament. In the olden days, the husband knew when the wife was approaching him from the sound of the bells from the kolusu. It is even available in two tier and three tier designs. It can be made as a hefty or light ornament according to preference. Wearing it in pure gold is not allowed in many of the cultures.

Metti (Toes)

Metti or the toe ring is a symbol of a married woman next to the mangal sutra. It is presented by the husband to the wife during the marriage ceremony. It is usually worn in twos in silver metal. The toe next to the big toe is said to have a nerve passing through uterus. Wearing a metti keeps that particular nerve safe. Nowadays this toe ring is worn as a fashion statement and is available in a variety of metals.

Image credit: Pixabay

Liked this article? What are your thoughts on this topic?