Welcome to another edition of our series on
Jewellery – The Ultimate Accessory. It’s been quite rewarding writing this
series as many of our readers have appreciated the information shared and
thanked us for changing their perspective towards jewellery from a mere
adornment to something that is traditionally and physiologically vital. One of
our readers bought a pair of anklets and toe rings after understanding the
health benefits of wearing the same. She has sent us a thank you note for
helping her as she now feels more energized throughout the day and is much
happier. What more could we want! We would love to serve you better; so do keep
writing to us with your experiences, feedback and suggestions.
This
edition elaborates on the importance of Mangalsutra and Hairstyles as
adornments and Shringaar for the Indian women.
MangalSutra: ‘Mangal’ means auspicious and
‘Sutra’ means thread or cord. Mangalsutra is one of the most important ornament
of an Indian married woman as it symbolizes the inseparable bond between the
husband and the wife. Women of almost all the communities wear this traditional
ornament.
Historically, the practice of tying a Mangalsutra
on the wedding day appears to have become popular only after the 6th
century AD. Before this, a yellow protective cord known as ‘kanakabandhana’ was
tied around the wrists of the bride and the groom to signal their commitment to
marriage.
In
Southern India, the Mangalyam/ Mangalsutra in its traditional avatar is made up
of a yellow thread painted with turmeric paste. The thread is tied with three
knots around the bride’s neck. In some of the weddings the groom ties the first
knot, while the remaining two knots are tied by his sister. In North India the Mangalsutra
is a gold ornament having black beads and a gold or diamond pendant.
As
per the traditional belief, Mangalsutra is considered a talisman to ward off
the evil eye. The black colour of the beads is said to absorb all negative vibes
before they can reach the bride and her family. The stringing together of the
beads into one thread has its significance as well. It symbolizes how the bride
needs to blend and integrate seamlessly into the new household after marriage,
just as each bead contributes to making a beautiful necklace.
As per the scriptures, Mangalsutra
is not just an ornament or a symbol of marriage, but has a greater purpose to
it. The traditional design has two golden cups, hollow on one side and raised
on the reverse. The hollow side is to be worn facing the body so that the
positive energies are attracted towards the void of the cups. This helps to
keep the body and mind healthy and active. By wearing the Mangalsutra, the
woman gains energy and power as it connects the body to the divine Shakti that
resides in the body in the form of the element, fire. It is also said to
regularize the blood circulation and control body pressure levels as Indian
women do a lot of physical work. It is, therefore, meant to be worn touching
the body to gain maximum benefit.
The
designs of the Mangalsutra vary from region to region. The illustrations given
below show how different communities have adapted the designs as per their
religious beliefs. The traditional design of a Mangalsutra consists of two
pieces; one from each family, dangling on a yellow thread or the black beaded
gold chain.
This pendant with the Shiva Lingam design,
is common in Iyer community
This pendant with the Namam and Sudarshan
Chakra is preferred by the Iyengars.
This is a design popular with Kannadigas
This Mangalsutra design is known as Minnu, and is typically used by Syrian
Christian Community
This is the Lokaparo design of Assam. The
Assamese do not have the tradition of wearing a Mangalsutra, but this is a
very popular design adapted into a Mangalsutra
Like the Assamese, Bengalis too do not have
Mangalsutra as a part of their tradition. But with changing times, some have
adopted the tradition. The Bengali design typically incorporates coral stone as
well.
Designs of Chains:
The newer and trendier
adaptations of the Mangalsutra come in a plethora of designs with pendants in
gold and diamond. The chains too range from fancy and ornamental to the very
basic. The choices are a plenty, but do start wearing one as the benefits are
humungous.
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Kundan and pearl pendant
for Mangalsutra |
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Diamond Vati
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Eves24.com has elegant Mangalsutra designs that reflect both Indian
tradition and contemporary style. Visit www.eves24.com to discover that perfect Mangalsutra to adorn your neck.
Read about Hairstyles as an adornments here...
Read about all the Solah Shringaar here.....
Read about Hairstyles as an adornments here...
Read about all the Solah Shringaar here.....
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