A sparkling tale of Tamil Nadu


Traditional Tamilian jewellery

The sunrise in Kanyakumari, the Meenakshi temple of Madurai and the Kanjeevaram silk sarees – what more can you ask for when in Tamil Nadu. But still without a glimpse of its jewellery heritage, you have not seen this place enough. 

With that, I do not mean paying a visit to jewellery exhibitions and shows here. For an authentic Tamilian jewellery spectacle, make it to a Tamilian wedding. Here women of all ages will show up in their best jewels. While the bride will sweep you off your feet, oldies will enchant you at their traditional best. 

The first thing that will strike you that just like in the north, even Tamilians consider gold to be auspicious and although they sport lot of gold jewellery, they do not wear it in their feet. Only gods and kings are allowed to wear gold jewellery in their feet here. FYI, it is also the birth place of the famous temple jewellery. Isn't our traditions so alike yet so unique?  

Let's delve into the unique side of this heritage.    

Chettinad bride


Head accessories
Studded with precious stones and shaped like sun and moon, Thalaisaamaan is worn on the centre parting of the hair along the forehead. Earlier it was worn by devdasis/ temple dancers who were considered wedded to the deity and therefore, came to be known as temple jewellery. 

Raakkodi orNaagar, a stone-embedded jewel, shaped like a five-headed snake with a swan in the centre, is worn behind the hair decoration. 

Below Raakkodi, Jadanaagam that is also studded with rubies and diamonds, is placed along the plaited hair in an intertwined pattern.

Tamilian Mangalsutra

Neckwear
Adorning the neckline of married women, Mangalsutra is worn in an auspicious thread or in a gold chain while its pendant indicates the community of the wearer. Shaped like a tulsi (holy basil plant), a conch and the discus of Vishnu or heavily stone-studded as worn by Chettinad women, it comes in various designs. 

Other then Mangalsutra, Tamil women are also fond of necklaces and chains adorned with rubies and emeralds.

Earrings

Earrings
In earrings, this tradition has a range to offer. From Kadukkan (single-stone studs) and Kammal (lotus-shaped with rubies or diamonds) to Jimikki (bell-shaped ear drops), Lolaakku (ear drops of any design) and Maattal(made of gold or pearls and is hooked to the earring and then attached to the hair above the ear), their treasure trove boasts of a variety. 

Older women in rural areas wear heavy gold ornamented ear jewellery called Paambadam made of six earrings.


Nose ornaments 
When it comes to nose ornaments, Tamil Nadu is one top of its game. Whether you talk of the single-stoned mookkupottu (the besari), the muthu studded with eight diamonds or the swan-shaped hamsa besari, you will be blown away by the options at your disposal. 

Tamilian armlet Vanki
Armlet 
An upper arm ornament, Vanki generally comes in intertwined shape with stones studded in gold.

Tamilian waistbelt Oddiyaanam
Waistbelt
Made of gold or silver and sometime stone-encrusted for a lavish look, Oddiyaanam is a waistbelt that comes in a variety of designs.  

Tamilian anklets Ganja Golusu

Anklets
Even in anklets, there is a variety. Ganja Golusu (heavy design with bells that tinkle), Thandai (stiff anklets with bells that tinkle) and Kaal Kaappu (worn mainly by children and said to protect their ankles)… to name a few.

Author: Deepa Mishra

Disclaimer: All images used in the blog have been sourced from Google purely for the purpose of informative reference. The models, celebrities or products showcased in these pictures are not to promote any brand in any manner.    

Comments

  1. Gold Jewellery Online11 June 2024 at 03:02

    gold necklace jewellery are versatile tools used for shaping and forming a variety of materials into specific designs or patterns. Made from high-quality silicone, these moulds are flexible, durable, and heat-resistant, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. They are commonly used in baking for creating intricately shaped cakes, pastries, and chocolates, as silicone is non-stick and ensures easy release of baked goods.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sleep Solution21 June 2024 at 04:02

    very impressive blog.
    Turquoise Stud Earrings

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Long live the jewellery heritage of Haryana!

Image
Don’t look at Haryana the way Bollywood wants you to view it. It’s much more than what their limited understanding of this state’s rich culture permits. The cows, the hookahs and the khaats definitely form the indispensable element of a traditional Haryanvi household. But that’s not about it. For the uninitiated, Haryana’s history is replete with myths, legends, valour and glory. The sacred Vedas were written here, it is the birthplace of the Universe, Lord Krishna narrated the sermons of Bhagwad Gita here and the great saint Ved Vyas wrote the Mahabharata in Sanskrit. A state with such a glorious past cannot be conversed in the 70mm of cinema. You need to have a special vision to behold its beauty. Talk about jewellery, in this domain too Haryana does not cease to overwhelm you. While the rich and affluent bejewel themselves in gold fineries , silver still remains the ornamental choice for many. Check out what the state’s treasure trove holds for you. Just lik...
Read more

The treasure trove of Andhra Pradesh

Image
You cannot sum up India’s jewellery heritage without paying a special tribute to Andhra Pradesh.  Home to diamond mining, pearl harvesting and jewellery traditions, the state boasts of a glorious history with a virtual monopoly in the global jewellery industry till 1826 (until founding of the diamond mines in Rhodesia, Africa). What’s more! Eight of the 10 most valuable jewellery pieces on Earth today were found from the mines located here. With the ancient Golconda mine in its crown, the state is also the mother of the several legendary gems such as the Kohinoor and Hope Diamond. A grand salute! Another feather in its cap is Karimnagar’s silver filigree . But that does not mean, it lags behind in the gold jewellery game. Mainly comprising of Vaddaanam, Aravanke, Kashulahaaram , Buttalu and various other customary gold jewellery designs, it is a continuously evolving ancient tradition. However, brides from different communities have their own unique bridal jewellery ...
Read more

The rich and varied Tulunadu treasures

Image
First let’s make it clear. Not everyone living in South India is Mallu and particularly, not everyone living in Karnataka speaks Kannada. There is a culturally rich clan of Tulunadus living in Mangalore who are distinction in every way. Their rituals, their language and their lifestyle reflect the uniqueness of their culture. But still, its jewellery heritage is something that connects it to the whole of India.   Just like other cultures of India, Tulu women too are bejewelled from head to toe. From armlets, bracelets, bangles, necklaces and earrings to finger rings, toe rings, nose rings, anklets, pendants and waistbands, their trinket box is replete with jewels . Just that they call it by different names. For instance, for them diamond is Vajjira, while coral is Pakala. Similarly, pearl is Muttu, ghungroo is referred as Gejje and hand-made gold coin goes by the name Nanya. Knowing the names of the jewellery elements, you would be able to guess the type of ornamen...
Read more