Hathphool/Panja (Slave Bracelet with Rings)

Hathphool is a beautiful piece of jewelry that adorns the wrist as well as the fingers of the bride. It comprises of a bracelet, with one of the more strings attached to it, having rings(s) at the other end.

A 'Haathphool' - literally translated as 'Hand Flower' is a piece of jewellery traditionally worn by Indian brides. It consists of a ring that flows into a delicate bracelet combining the two ornaments into one fluid design.

Gajara or Veni

Most Hindu ladies adhere their; hair style with flowers i.e. Gajara and Veni and it is one of the important floral ornament which will and grace to their beauty.

A g`ajra is a flower garland which women in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh wear during traditional festivals. It is made usually of jasmine; in South India,crossandra and barleria are also widely used in gajras. It can be worn both on the bun and with the braid coiling. Women usually wear these when they wear sarees.

The gajra is an ornament that is purely meant to decorate a hairstyle and does not generally aid in holding a bun in place.

Jhoomer (passa)

What is Jhoomar?

Jhoomar or Jhoomer is a fan shape hair ornament worn on the left side of the head.

It is a very popular accessory for Indian Bride for Head / Hair Decoration.

Jhoomar is also known as Passa or Side Tikka.

It is made of Gold,Silver, Pearl,Kundan or Crystal materials.


How to wear a Jhoomar:

There is a hook at its end which is to be attached in the hair.

As per latest fashion trend, Jhoomars can be also creatively worn on center of the forehead like a maang tikka.
In these days, Girls hesitate to wear it.

The Significance of Bangles or Chudi in India

Bangles are a type of ornament worn by women in India. Also called Kangan or Chudi in Hindi, Valayal in Tamil, Gaaju in Telugu, Bale in Kannada. Bangles are part of traditional Indian jewelry. In India, bangles are very popular and with growing fashion trends, have become a highly popular in their various designs and forms. They are usually worn in pairs by women, one or more on each arm. Most Indian women prefer wearing either gold or glass bangles or combination of both. Inexpensive Bangles made from plastic are slowly replacing those made by glass, but the ones made of glass are still preferred at traditional occasions such as marriages and on festivals. Bangles hold great value in Hinduism and tradition. It is considered inauspicious for a woman to have bare arms. Traditionally, married Hindu women always weary bangles around their wrists. Today, the modern day women may not wear bangles with their daily attire, but only on occasions and festivals. This is because to them, bangles have a very sentimental value. In fact, to the Hindu woman, bangle is not only an ornament, but also an important part of womanhood and honor.

Indian Bridal Jewelry

Jewelry forms a very important part of the overall attire of an Indian bride. In fact, the bridal look is believed to be incomplete unless the bride wears each and every piece of the jewelry meant for her. In majority of the Indian weddings, you will find the bride wearing yellow gold jewelry. However, depending on the budget, some people might opt for silver, platinum, white gold or diamond jewelry as well. Precious stones, such as ruby, jade, garnet, emerald, amethyst and pearl, are also widely used in Indian bridal jewelry. While you might see some variation in the bridal jewelry, depending on the particular region of the country where it is taking place, the basic items remain the same. Let us know more about the jewelry for an Indian bride.

Types Of Indian Bridal Jewelry

Shringar Patti
Shringar patti can be described as a kind of tiara, usually in gold, which adorns the forehead of the bride. It is placed along her hairline and has a circular plaque in the middle, which hangs below the hair line (on the forehead).

Maang Tikka
Maang Tikka can be said to be a shortened version of the shringaar patti. It comprises of a string, with a center piece attached to one end and a hook to the other. It is worn by the bride in center parting of the hair.

Bridal Set (Necklace & Earrings)
The outfit of a bride is incomplete without the bridal set, which comprises of a heavy neck piece, along with matching earrings. It is usually selected keeping in mind the color and overall style of the bridal dress.

Nath (Nose Ring)
Nath forms yet another important part of the bridal jewelry. It comprises of a studded nose ring, which has a long chain attached to it. The chain is hooked up in the hair of the bride, above the ear.

Chudi (Bangles)
Chudi (bangles), of gold as well as in glass, makes up a part of the overall jewelry worn by a bride. In some of the cases (like Punjabi weddings), the glass bangles are replaced by ivory ones, in red and white color (called chuda).

Hathphool (Bracelet with Rings)
Hathphool is a beautiful piece of jewelry that adorns the wrist as well as the fingers of the bride. It comprises of a bracelet, with one of the more strings attached to it, having rings(s) at the other end.

Anguthi (Finger Rings)
While wearing hathphool is not compulsory for a bride, anguthi surely is. Apart from the engagement ring, in the ring finger of her left hand, she wears one or more gold/diamond rings as well (in the other fingers).

Bichhua (Toe Ring)
An essential part of the bridal jewelry, in many states of India, bichhua comprises of a toe ring, usually in silver. It is also regarded as one of the signs of a married woman and is worn in pairs only.

Payal (Anklet)
Along with the toe ring, a bride is always required to wear payal, also known as pajeb, as a part of her wedding jewelry. It adorns the ankle of a bride, is made of silver (mostly) and has meenakari, kundan or beads as decorations.

Mangal Sutra (Necklace with Black Beads)
The most important part of the bridal jewelry is mangal sutra. However, it is not worn by the bride before the marriage. Rather, it is tied by her husband (around her neck), as symbol of their union. It comprises of a string of black beads, with a gold or diamond pendant.

Kamarband (Waist Band)
In the earlier times, the bride used to wear the kamarband around her waist. A heavy piece of jewelry, it was meant to support the wedding dress and keep in place. These days, it might or might not be worn by the bride.

Baaju Band (Arm Bands)
Baju band used to be a necessary part of the bridal jewelry, at one point of time in the past. However, these days, wearing it is optional. Some brides might wear one in each of the arms, while other may go for a single piece only

Ghungroo

A Ghungroo (Urdu: گھنگرو‎), also known as Ghunghroo or Ghunghru or Ghungur(Bengali) or Salangai (Tamil) is one of many small metallic bells strung together to formGhungroos, a musical anklet tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers, and also Pakistani dancers. The sounds produced by Ghungroos vary greatly in pitch depending on their metallic composition and size. Ghungroos serve to accentuate the rhythmic aspects of the dance and allow complex footwork to be heard by the audience. They are worn immediately above the ankle, resting on the lateral malleolus and medial malleolus. A string of ghungroos can range from 50 to greater than 200 bells knotted together. A novice child dancer may start with 50 and slowly add more as he or she grows older and advances in his or her technical ability. Ghungroos or Salangais are worn in traditional performances of the classical Indian dance forms: Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, and Odissi etc.

Bichhua - toe ring

Wearing of toe rings is highly practiced in India. It is worn as a symbol of married state by Hindu women and is called bichiya  in Hindi, mettelu in Telugu, metti in Tamil & kalungura in Kannada. Toe rings, also known as bichwa, are a must for married Hindu woman.

They are usually made of silver and worn in pairs on the second toe of both feet. Traditionally they are quite ornate, though more contemporary designs are now being developed to cater to the modern bride. Some 'bichiya sets' may have pairs for four of the five toes, excluding the little pinky. 'Bichiyas' may not be made of gold, as gold holds a 'respected' status and may not be worn below the waist. Hindus believe that gold is the metal of the Gods; it symbolizes Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and therefore considers it inappropriate to wear gold below the waist.

 Toe Rings or Bicchwas were considered to be symbolic of married woman, Hindu religion prohibits unmarried girls from wearing Bichhwas. Even in present times, girls refrain from wearing toe-rings before marriage.Toe rings also symbolize a womans dual status as sister and wife. She wears two sets of toe rings on each foot one for her brother and one for her husband. When either the husband or brother dies, one set is removed. The symbolism is that if her husband were to die then her brother would offer her protection.

In great Indian epic called 'Ramayana' toe ring plays a vital role. When Sita was abducted by Ravana, on the way, she throwed her toe ring (kaniazhi) as the identification for lord Rama. This shows that toe ring is used from ancient time. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, bichwa or toe rings is one of the most important symbols of marriage and women are encouraged to decorate each toe with different rings with myriad motifs ranging from paisley, to fish to flowers.

During the Vedic times, Sanskrit texts laid down the concept of sixteen Shringaar or the sixteen traditional accoutrements with which every woman could adorn herself.

In South India too, toe rings are a symbol of marriage and women wear a heavy ring on the second toe of each foot.

Some men frequently wore a ring on the big toe for curative purposes or to augment their masculine vigor. Wearing toe ring to the second toe has sexual/erotic effect. The reflexology texts also mention about treating gynaecological problems by massaging the second toe. There is also a belief that the wearing of toe rings press on certain nerves that pertain to the reproductive system, keeping it in balance and healthy. 

It is said just because that particular nerve in the second finger from toe, also connects the uteruses and passes thru heart. Because of this, the constant friction caused while walking and doing all sorts of chores during a day, it revitalizes the productivity organs. Silver being a good conductor, it also absorbs the energy from the polar energies from the earth and passes it to the body, thus refreshing whole body system.

Payal - anklet

 Also known as pajeb, it adorns the ankle of a bride, is made of silver (mostly) and has meenakari, kundan or beads as decorations.

Anklets are worn by women of all ages and are popular for their exquisite styles and embellishments.

PAYAL, also known as anklets or ankle bracelet refer to ornaments that are worn around the ankle. Anklets are an important part of women's adornment in the Indian culture though they have also been found in other ancient cultures of Egypt and Middle East. 

Anklets are a part of ornamentation and has great spiritual and social significance. However, apart from their aesthetic value the basic motive of the anklet is to draw attention to the wearers legs and feet.

Anklets come in varying shapes and sizes in present times. From the traditional and rather delicate silver and gold chains, they have developed into beautiful threaded and beaded versions in wood, crystals, semi-precious stones and seashells.

Anklets are an important part of women s adornment in the Indian culture though they have also been found in other ancient cultures of Egypt and Middle East. 

Payal is a significant part of bride s jewelry in India. Traditionally, the new bride announces her entry into her husband s house with the tinkling of he payal. 

Mostly, Indians prefer to wear payal made of silver, as gold is considered to be the metal of the gods. People in India, therefore, consider it disrespectful to wear gold on the lowermost part of the body. Many people though go in for gold-plated payals these days.

Payals are considered to be traditional and auspicious gift for the new bride in India. Heavily carves payals or payals embellished with exquisite meenakari work are an all-time favorite gift for the newly weds. Ideally, an anklet needs to be at least two or three inches larger than the ankle size, so that the beads, bells and other embellishments fall right under the ankle bone. But then, there are exceptions, depending upon the outfit or footwear it must match with and the comfort level of the wearer.