Indian Jewellery

India the country of rich culture and with each region there are different types of jewellery. These are a lot of techniques used and are mostly made with hand because of the cheap labour. These techniques are either originated here or brought in by the foreign invaders to India and later it became the part of it. Jewelry in India has been an unbroken tradition for over 5,000 years. Such is the skill of Indian jewelers that with time, the real flowers and leaves used by our ancestors inspired them to recreate the gifts of nature in gold and silver. Even today such jewelry is used by the different tribal societies.

Indian Jewellery Inspired from Natural mediums

 

Across the time and space the Indian jewellery has fascinated all. . Jewelry in different mediums like country-seeds, feathers, leaves, berries, fruits, flowers, animal bones, claws and teeth have been fashioned since ancient times in India. The ruins of Mohenjodaro and other sites of the Indus Valley civilization bear testimony to this craft.

History of phases of Jewellery making in India

In India jewellery is made for practically every part of the body. Such a variety of jewelry bears the testimony to the excellent skills of the jewelers in India. The jewellery made of gold , silver, copper, ivory, and precious and semi precious stone were wore by both men and female at that time . The Ramayana and the Mahabharata abound in descriptions of ornaments and the duties of the goldsmith were defined in the code of Manu. By the end of  third century B.C., India was the exporter of gemstones, particularly diamonds. India being an importer of gold which prevailed even in the mughal period. The range of jewelry in India varies from religious one to purely aesthetic one. Jewelry was handcrafted not just for humans but also for the gods, ceremonial elephants and horses. The craft of jewelry was given a royal patronage right from the ancient times because India jewelry is much more than just a tool of aesthetic appeal; rather it is the symbol of divine abundance and material blessings.

The rajas and maharajas liked to possess the most exquisite and the most magnificent pieces of jewelry. Temple and complexes supported many different styles of jewelry scented sandalwood bead necklaces, the prayer bead or the rudraksh (berry of the elaocarpus canitrus) necklace, multicolored silk and gold thread necklaces, and others.

In Hindus, jewelry play a very significant role in religious ceremonies, especially the samaskaras (stages of life) such as the namkarna (naming ceremony) or the vivaha (marriage). It is very much a part of traditional Indian life and custom.In Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities, jewelry was a major component of the streedhana (gifts given to a woman at the time of her marriage). Jewelry, because of its easy convertibility into cash, was thus regarded as security and investment.

Jewellery as investment and identity marker is evident in the plethora of ornaments worn by people from nomadic and migrant tribal communities. It is not uncommon to find Banjara women wearing a wide variety of silver jewelry. A profusion of earrings in various sizes, bangles of bone, shell and ivory extending from the wrist to the armpit along with silver bracelets, chokers, pendants and necklaces, nose rings, and heavy anklets are worn by most of the migrant groups, especially in Western India. The setting of precious gems and stones in rings, pendants, necklaces and bracelets gained prominence due to the belief that these stones are associated with certain powers.

In Bengal, it is common to find iron, silver and gold wires twisted together to form a bracelet, a combination that according to popular belief gives the wearer health and strength.

Traditionally, Indian goldsmiths are usually men and are referred to by a variety of names depending on the region-sonar, swarnakara, panchallar, or thattan. In the Vedic period, goldsmiths had a much higher standing than most other artisans, perhaps because they worked with a precious metal. The goldsmiths had royal patrons. Historical records show that Indian jewellers mastered quite early the various skills required to make fine jewelry-mixing alloys, moulding, drawing fine wires, setting stones, inlay work, relief, drawing gold and silver into thin wires, plating and gilding.

In smaller places, the goldsmith may perform all the processes involved in producing a finished piece. In cities, the different operations are undertaken by separate people-the goldsmith prepares the skeletal framework, the chatera engraves, the kundansaaz or jaria sets the stones while the meenasaaz enamels it.

The story of handcrafted Indian jewelry is long and absorbing. Inspired by nature, fuelled by beauty and belief, it is an eternal process of artistic imagination and fine craftsmanship. From prehistoric ages to the present day, the crafts of precious Indian jewelry is one of its kind in beauty and quality.

 

Goldsmiths of India

 

Sonar, Swarnakara, panchallar or thattan are the variety of names attributed to the goldsmith in India. Their artistry, skill and precision have won them accolades from the various parts of the world.  It is noticeable that The jewellery making technique like alloys, molding, drawing fine wires, setting stones, inlay work, relief, drawing gold and silver into thin wires, plating and gilding practiced by the goldsmiths from the ancient times. in small towns and cities of India, the goldsmith perform all the processes from A to Z involved in producing a finished piece. In cities, however the task is more specialized.

Styles of Jewelry in India

Every state in the country offers its own typical style, a reason the India jewelry range is wide and varied.  India jewelry in different styles, designs and techniques are popular all over the world. Jewelry styles of India differ from place to place Orissa and Andhra Pradesh are famous for fine filigree designs in silver, in Jaipur the art of enamelling has several connoisseurs. while the kundan work with other precious and semi precious stones embedded in gold are from Delhi. Meenakari and kundan styles of jewelry in India are influenced by the Mughals.  Silver beads are found  all over India especially rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.  In assam 24 carat gold is fashioned into necklaces and earrings which draw their inspiration from the local flora and fauna e.g. orchid and the lokaparo which consists of two birds placed back to back.  Jewelry from Tamil Nadu and Kerala has also been inspired by nature e.g. paisley motifs, cobra hood and rice grains. India wedding jewelry consists of sets of in gold, diamonds, pearls and other precious metals and stones. These jewelry sets consists of earrings, chokers and bangles.  It is customary for the bride’s family to gift these jewelry sets to their soon to be married daughter. In India, you could say, marriage and jewelry go side by side.

The notable examples of this style are the chokers and necklaces. The temple jewelry of Nagercoil consists of traditional gold ornaments studded with red and green semi-precious stones. These were used as offerings to the Gods and hence the name. Today, some of these designs are being made in silver and then washed with gold. In Assam, soft 24 carat gold is used to make earrings and necklaces modeled on the local flora and fauna-earrings. In Nagaland, gold is used to fashion imitations of the human head and long funnel shaped that are used in combination with shells, animal claws and teeth and precious and semi-precious stones. The designs in solid gold jewelry of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are inspired by nature. The paisley motif or the ambi, rice grains, the cobra’s hood, melon and cucumber seeds are some of the common motifs. Silversmiths of Himachal Pradesh make large ornaments, which have a very delicate and intricate appearance. Headdresses called chak, long earrings and large nose-rings with papal leaf or bird motifs are the specialties of the region. In Ladakh, silver charm boxes and headdresses called perak with rows of turquoise, cornelian, coral and agate stitched onto it are quite common.

India jewelry is exported in large scale across the globe for their international appeal, thereby india holding a versatile culture and been a land of diversities.