Indian bracelets
Unlike most modern accessories, Indian bracelets not only look beautiful, but also carry a deep meaning. Such jewelry, complemented by natural precious and semi-precious stones, looks spectacular and conveys the attitude of the inhabitants of the East to religion, traditions and life in general. You will learn about the history of these ancient jewelry and their modern incarnation from this article.
A bit of history
The word "bracelet" in Sanskrit means "an ornament that adorns the hand." In fact, that is exactly what he is. Such decorations appeared a very long time ago. This is confirmed by excavations. Archaeologists have discovered many figurines where Indian women are adorned with massive bracelets. Yes, and the decorations themselves were also found. Among the finds there are jewelry made from a variety of materials: copper, gold, silver, wood and even glass.
There were also decorative elements. The bracelets could be embellished with stones, designs, or animal designs. And the decoration itself could well be not just round or oval, but also made in the shape of some kind of animal.
Jewelry in India was worn and continues to be worn by all girls and women. It is a tradition based on ancient beliefs. Bracelets have always complemented the image of the bride. And then, after the wedding, married women are also required to wear jewelry on their hands. You need to wear 8, 16 or even 24 bracelets at once.Similar traditions of dividing women into those who still live under parental care and those who have already passed into the husband's family existed all over the world.
Today, accessories of this type are often worn just for beauty. Women try to instill good taste in their daughters by dressing them in colorful bright clothes and matching them with beautiful jewelry in large quantities.
Meaning
Regardless of whether a girl believes in centuries-old traditions, they still continue to exist.
For example, gold bracelets are traditionally worn only in combination with glass ones. Such a tandem, according to beliefs, brings good luck not only to the woman herself, but to her entire family. The only exception is widows, who are not allowed to wear glass accessories.
An Indian girl should always wear, if not a complete set, then at least one bracelet. Even when removing jewelry, you need to cover your hand with something. It can be a loose edge of a sari or a ribbon that has fallen under the hands.
An important role is played by the colors that are used to create and decorate the bracelet. So, for example, red color symbolizes energy, and blue - on the contrary, calmness. Green promotes good luck and yellow promotes happiness. Black color in the Indian tradition does not symbolize sadness, but power and great strength. The golden shade brings happiness to the owner's life, and the silver one supports her inner strength.
An important role has always been played by the symbols that were used in decorating.. So, for example, jasmine flowers were associated with fertility, such flower patterns adorned the bracelets of brides and young wives. The Indians associated snakes with courage. The lion was the symbol of greatness.
Elephants, which are very fond of the inhabitants of the East, symbolize reliability and confidence in the future.Wealth is associated with the image of fish, and love - with a pattern in the form of peacock feathers.
Now you know what the mysterious symbols on traditional and modern jewelry mean, and it will be easier for you to understand the meaning that the creators put into their accessories.
Another interesting tradition is connected with jewelry. This is the so-called "bracelet" ceremony. It is associated with motherhood. In India, it was believed that the ringing of bracelets protected from evil spirits, distracting them from their victim. Therefore, a woman who was preparing to become a mother had to put on a huge number of bracelets and not remove this set even during childbirth. So at the time of birth, the child was considered protected from evil forces.
Tradition in modern style
In general, for Indian women, bracelets have always been more than an ornament. But at the same time, because of their unusual and bright appearance, mysterious and richly decorated accessories have become widespread in Europe. Now many interesting bracelets in the style of Indian jewelry are being created, which are also available to you and me.
Such accessories are worn not only on the wrists. There are interesting models that are worn on the leg. Initially, they were created in order to scare away snakes with their ringing. From a quiet chime, they were frightened and crawled away without attacking.
Now they are worn just for beauty. This accessory allows you to draw attention to the graceful ankles and beautiful shoes. It looks unusual and very impressive. With us, such accessories are becoming more popular with the onset of the summer season. At this time, they can be combined with sandals and light dresses, reminiscent of traditional Indian saris.
Classic Indian-style wrist bangles are also a pleasant surprise.They are made of a variety of materials - from ordinary metal or wood to silver or gold. Decorate bracelets in Indian style in accordance with ancient traditions. It can be patterned decor, massive figurines or natural stones. It all looks very bright and impressive.
Traditionally, girls and women in India wore several of these bracelets at once, covering their entire arm from the wrist to the forearm. But in the wardrobe of a modern girl, such an abundance of jewelry may be out of place. Therefore, it is best to choose one or two accessories that suit your style.
Separately, it is worth noting the slave. This is another variation of the Indian bracelet, in which the decoration is complemented by chains fastened to the ring. Putting on just one such accessory, you decorate the whole hand at once. It looks very impressive.
Pounchy looks feminine and romantic - it is an ornament made of small flowers. As a rule, such bracelets were made of gold with pearls. From the outside, it looks like a thin golden stalk with tiny pearl inlays wraps around the wrist.
And on the forearm, you can put on a thin Indian bracelet resembling a golden thread. They were traditionally worn to ward off the evil eye. Now this jewelry will simply emphasize the beauty of your hands and complement an interesting image. Ideally, such a decoration should fit snugly to the hand. But, of course, it should not squeeze the skin too much and create an unnecessary relief on the forearm.
Indian-style jewelry, like other ethnic accessories, is now popular among girls. These bracelets can be worn both with everyday outfits, bringing a special zest to them, and with elegant dresses. But remember that jewelry should always be in place.You should not wear whole sets of bracelets for work or a walk, in modern realities it will not look entirely appropriate and will only spoil your image.
