The pride of Pahadi women

The Pahadi women love to flaunt oversize jewellery. Just like any other regions of India, they too do not wear jewellery just as ornaments but also a determinant of their social and financial status. While women from poor family flaunt silver jewels, gold jewellery is a privilege of the rich. To prolong the longevity of the metals, the Kumayoni and Garwali craftsmen overlay the designs with brass. 

But when talking about the Pahadi jewellery, it has to begin with the nose ring (Nathuli) as that is the most striking piece of jewel which is not just big in size but also has a cultural relevance. It is inherited by the bride on the day of her wedding from her maternal uncle. The weight of the nose ring and the number of pearls it has is an indicator of the status of the bride’s family. Although there are different types of naths such as Phuli, Beera..., perhaps the most enchanting of all is the Tehri Nath of the Garhwal region. Popular for its intricate stone work and use of Kundan, it is further embellished with floral patterns and festooned peacocks. However, the Naths from Jaunsar, Bawar and Jaunpur regions are much bigger in size as compared to Tehri. Even Bulaq, worn at the nasal septum, either made in gold or silver, is a must-have for the women from the Kumayon, Jaunsar and Garhwal regions.

Moving on to neck wears. A regal gold necklace, Chandrahaar comes with five chains of golden beads often held together with Kundan clasps. It can be either carved in pure gold or embellished with gemstones. That apart, there is the Sikka Mala, commonly known as Kaldaar, which is popular in many regions of the Himalayas and is designed by stringing together a series of coins. Hansuli is another neckpiece that rests on the collar and is worn in several regions of the Himalayan belt including Uttarakhand, Himachal and Nepal. A diamond studded choker, Gulibandh is not just popular in the Kumaon district of Uttarakhand but also in other parts of the country as well. Munra, Soota and Mala made of silver and Tominia made of gold are other neck wears originated here.  

Earrings? Kanfool or Karanfool, made of gold, is a classic Pahadi earring which literally means flower of the ear. Besides that, Murkhelai is a special kind of earring that comes attached with hanging beads either red or white in colour. You can choose the size of the ring as per your budget.

 

Talk about Pahunchi. It is a sort of traditional bracelet which comes with large golden balls. The balls are essentially hollow beads made of gold and studded with lac. Mostly worn by women in Garhwal, this bracelet can also be embellished with gems. While Pahunchi sits pretty on wrist, Atardan, Sooti and Shiv Sangal, all made of silver, are other jewels to adorn the upper arm. Even the waistline is beautifully adorned by women here to exude a feminine charm. Either crafted in silver or made of cloth, Kamarbandh is generally worn over the traditional attire. It is also quickly spreading its wings in the other parts of the subcontinent.

Paiji or anklets are extremely popular among here and variants available may have a chain attached to the toe-ring or even studded with gemstones. Bicchi or toe-ring, usually made of gold or silver but with or without gemstones, bears intricate metal work on the broad plate on the head of the ring. Jhappi, Tehri nath and Phulli are worn by both married and unmarried women but not by a widow who also never wears Guliband, Nathuli and Bicchi which all are symbols of living husband.

Author: Deepa Mishra

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