8 Jewellery Essentials for a Traditional Indian Bride

8 Jewellery Essentials for a Traditional Indian Bride

By Namrata Chandra

Maang Tikka

This beautiful piece of jewellery had lost its charm until recently as it is back with a bang. It fills up the center parting, i.e., maang that a bride has to keep for her groom to fill in the sindoor later. You can choose a heavier maang tikka if you have a broad forehead and a light delicate one for a smaller forehead. Usually, the maang tikkacomes along with the bridal set so that it is of the same metal and colour scheme.

Necklace

Obviously the most important piece of jewellery, the haar or the necklace should be worn by every bride. Not only does it cover the bare neck area but if properly matched with your outfit, accentuates your look even more. Popular necklace designs nowadays come in Kundan, diamond and gold.

Earrings

Now, how can you wear a beautiful necklace but leave your ears bare? Your earrings and the necklace complement each other. It is your choice whether you want to wear huge and heavy or delicate ones. You have to wear them for the entire night, so this decision should be made cautiously. Heavy ones can cause much pain to your ears. Also, diamond and stone studded earrings go with lighter pastel tones of the bridal wear while gold pieces look good with reds and maroons.

Nose Ring

Wearing a nose ring, whether a small stud or an elaborate one with a string that connects the nose ring and the earring is one’s personal choice. Though it is the most beautiful element of Indian jewellery, it may not necessarily suit every bride.

Bangles

Bangles, bangles and lots of bangles are what a traditional bride needs to don. On the wedding day, a bride is expected to wear real gold/diamond bangles. Girls wearing a chudacan slip in a few gold bangles orkadas at the beginning of thechuda. Also, in some Indian cultures, the tradition is to wear no gold but glass bangles of vibrant colours.

Finger Rings

Finger rings are also an important component of the wedding jewellery set. The bride wears her engagement ring along with the one that she gets with her bridal set. Wearing more on each finger is a personal choice. Colourful stone studded rings, matching the colour of the outfit also look good.

Payal and Toe Rings

An anklet or payal is worn by brides of almost all the different religions and cultures in India. Some wear it out of tradition and some for the look. Toe rings bear a deeper significance. In India, toe rings symbolise the mark of a married woman.

Waistband

Just like the maang tikka, waistbands are back in vogue. A slim and elegant waistband not only forms a part of the jewellery set but also enhances the beauty of the bare torso area.

So all you beautiful ‘to-be-brides’ out there, get going and start collecting these 8 essential jewellery pieces and look traditional yet glam on your wedding!

Source: http://www.bollywoodshaadis.com

Mangalsutra

Mangalsutra - The Sacred Symbol of #Marriage

A Hindu marriage symbolizes not just coming together of two individuals, but also the bonding of understanding, commitment, mutual love, oneness and spiritual growth. Traditionally, #Hindu marriage is much more than just celebration and fun. It demands sacrifice, companionship, #dedication, and #devotion from both the partners. Each and every #rituals and customs associated with marriage portrays the real essence of #wedding. Traditionally, there are five signs of marital status of women, according to Hindu #culture- #mangalsutra, toe rings, #kumkum, bangles and a nose ring. Talking about Mangalsutra, the word denotes a significant meaning. While mangal means aupiscious, sutra can be deciphered as a thread.

Significance Of Mangalsutra In Hindu Marriage

Mangalsutra, as such, is not just a jewelry item, but a sacred thread of #love and #goodwill worn by #married #women, as a symbol of their successful marriage. An inevitable part of Hindu marriage ceremony, Mangalsutra refers to a revered symbol of wedlock. India being a land of diversity, different regions in the country have assigned different names for this scared symbol. While it is known as the thaaly or maangalyam in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India, people in the northern part of India calls it Mangalsutra. It is believed that the concept of this sacred thread had its roots laid down in South #India. Having immense significance and importance, it traveled to North India as well and today, forms an imperative part of the wedding ceremony.

Mangalsutra is the token of dignity and love given to a #bride by her #groom. 
On the wedding day, the groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, while the priest recites Vedic hymns and prays. It signifies the union of the bride and the groom, amidst the presence of deities, who are believed to be attending the marriage. In some regions, the groom ties first and his sisters tie the rest. Talking about its appearance, this sacred thread is made of two strings of small black beads with a locket or pendant. Sometimes, it is also made of small beads of gold and black beads, with gold and diamond pendant.

Considered auspicious for married women, mangalsutra is believed to have divine powers. Each of the black beads in the Mangalsutra, signify protection from evil power and are believed to protect the marriage of a couple, essentially the life of the husband. Hindu women feel superstitious, when this scared thread breaks or gets lost. In the present times, mangalsutra are boasts of various designs and patterns. While the Gujaratis and Marwaris often go for a diamond pendant, Maharashtrians have a pendant that consists of one or two vatis and Bengalis in the meanwhile, have coral incorporated in the designing of the Mangalsutra.

Present Scenario

Today, the concept of wearing a mangalsutra has changed considerably. It is more of a fashion statement than a symbol of marriage, thanks to modernization. With the progressive times, the wearing of mangalsutra in working women has considerably reduced. There is also a marked change in the style and making of mangalsutra over the years. Previously, women used to wear simple design mangalsutra, with small pendants, but now, the trend is to wear short length ones, that too with a single string. Instead of gold pendants, they prefer diamond ones. However, the black beads have still managed to remain constant. Whatever may be the reason to adore it, mangalsutra surely symbolizes the real essence and concept of a Hindu marriage. 

ref. - www.weddings.iloveindia.com