The women take pride in their traditional jewellery and Rajasthani womenfolk cherish their heritage. The pieces of jewellery are often heirlooms and passed down in families. The Rakhri, Bindi and Borla are the main head ornaments of the women of the state. Besides these, they use an assortment of jeweled pins, clips and hair brooches. The Nath is a nose ring that holds a very important place in the woman’s adornments. It is considered auspicious and worn on every joyous occasion. The Karanphool Jhumka (a bell shaped earring), Toti (parrot shaped earring), Lathan (grape) and Pipal Patti (heart shaped ornament) are the most common earrings worn by Rajasthani women. Necklaces are of varied types but the favorites are the Chandan Haar, the Mohanmala, the Champakali, the Adah, the Mohrun, the Tussi, the Jugnu and the Hansli. Rajasthani women adorn their arms with a bewildering range of amulets, bracelets, bangles and rings. Baju Bandh, Gokhru, Bala, Kada, Chuda and Hathpol are common bangles and bracelets while the Arsi, a ring is considered a must have for the newly wed bride. Toe rings such as Anvat and anklets such as Jhanjhar or Pajeb are owned by almost every woman. Other favored ornaments include the Timaniyan, Gajra and Jod.
Kundan Work:
Kundan is a special style of jewelry making specially practiced in Rajasthan. The precious and semiprecious gems are set in gold and silver. The surface of the jewelry is crafted skillfully and meticulously leaving holes for the gems. The gems are then set with a lac base at the back of the ornament. kundan is the local word for gold which forms the interface between the lac and the gemstones. The pieces are often enameled giving them a bright look.
Meenakari Jewelry:
Meenakari Jewelry is another specialty of the states’ artisans. Precious and semiprecious gems are embellished into gold or silver jewelry and the meal itself is enameled with bright colors. Introduced to the state’s jewelers by Raja Mansingh of Amer, this style of jewelry crafting was originally discovered by the skilled workmen of Lahore. Honed to perfection by the jewelry makers of the state, Meenakari jewelry now bears the unmistakable stamp of Rajasthani expertise. Jaipur is the hub of this skill and the city is famous for the intricate and bright masterpieces produced here. Other places famous for enameled jewelry in Rajasthan are Alwar, Pratapgarh and Nathdwara. The cloisonné style of metalwork is practiced by the skilled workmen of Jaipur.
Thewa work is the famous art of creating golden patterns on glass. Chittorgarh is famed for such Thewa jewelry. The universal appeal of the intricate designs and the raging colors reflects in the popularity of Thewa pendants not only in India but all over the world. Brilliant greens, blues and reds and floral patterns of gold cast a spell over every woman’s heart.
In Rajasthan, unique ornaments are created by combining Kundan and Meenakari styles of jewelry crafting. The embedded stones stand out in the enameled pieces and their brilliance is set off by the intricate designs and superior craftsmanship. The various communities involved in crafting were the chiterias (designers), the ghaarias (the engravers), the meenakar and the sunar (the goldsmiths).
Jewelry For The Rajasthani Men:
Jewelry is not the forte of Rajasthani women alone. Men adorn themselves with a variety of jewels and jewelry. The ornaments men of this state prefer include a host of necklaces and chains, rings, armlets, anklets and earrings. The maharajas and royal and tribal men alike displayed a fondness for opulent adornments and their rich aesthetic sense reveals itself in the many ornaments fashioned out for the men of the state. The turbans of the royals were heavily beset with precious and semi precious stones and precious metal ornamentations such as pins such as Kalangis and Aigrettes. Thick gold chains and gems encrusted necklaces display the wealth and the stature of the kings and their male kinsfolk. Many strings of pearls ranging from the clear milky white to the sheer pink and blue ones were worn to signify the treasures their exchequers held. The Rajput men often wear earrings in which a single stone is set. Rubies, diamonds, emeralds and pearls were lavished on the sashes and Kamarbandhs and on the tiaras called Sarpech. The rings of the royal men folk were made of gold and set with gems of varying hues. These were worn for their beauty and for religious and astrological significance. The plush use of precious metals and gems can be seen in their entire ensemble. Belt buckles, clips, brooches, clasps and even the prongs of their shoes were elaborately fashioned by the goldsmiths with lavish additions of jewelry. Heavy amulets adorned their upper arms while thick bracelets were preferred for the wrists. In India, gold is considered a divine metal and hence not used in footwear and anklets. The kings, however, were considered representatives of God on earth and hence wore anklets made of pure gold. The anklets were hollow and hid precious stones in them. It is believed that the stronger the political clout of the king, the costlier the gems in his anklet’s cavity were. Their epaulettes and stoles were woven of golden thread. The heavily jeweled sword hilts and sheaths were specially cast by the royal artisans and jewelers. Besides the royals the ordinary men folk too wore jewelry as part of their common attire. Earrings and rings were ordinary accessories and chains, brooches and amulets were often worn. The commoners’ ornaments however were not laced with an extravagance of jewels such as the royals’ were. They were cast in silver and beset with semiprecious gems. Trinkets and talismans such as the tiger’s nail were often worn by men for religious reasons.
Tribal Jewelry:
The vast desert state of Rajasthan is home to the culturally rich tribes such as the Banjaras, the Bhils and theGayaris . These tribes deck up in a vast array of jewelry. The Banjaras are gypsies and nomads by nature. They fashion out their jewelry from beads, sequins, cowries and colorful threads. Glass beads and brass ornaments are part of their daily attire. The ornaments are made up of gold, silver and mainly brass. Animal bones and ivory are used too. The gypsy tradition demands that a prospective groom gift the bride huge quantities (about 25 kg) of ornaments before the wedding. Tribal jewelry of Rajasthan forms part of the rich handicraft heritage of the state. So much so, that these tribal ornaments have formed the mainstay of foreign exports from the state. Enameled brass jewelry and glass beaded ornaments of these tribal natives sell like hot cakes all over the world. The tribes use white metal and coconut shells to craft out their bangles and necklaces. Besides these, sandstone, limestone and marbles are also used in tribal jewelry. Like the rest of the state, lac jewelry embellished with stones and colored stones are very famous among these clans. The Rabaris of Sirohi region and Raikas of Jodhpur region are two communities known for their bulky and showy ornaments. The patterns created on most of these ornaments are floral or natural designs such as the sun, the moon, the stars, flowers and leaves and traditional motifs such as the swastika which is considered holy and auspicious. Bulky, hanging earrings, chunky necklaces and sleek bracelets are favorites among the tribals. Many bangles are worn by the women and shell bangles interlaced with silver are the best- loved adornments among these communities. A special community known as the Bharawa is famed for its jewelry making skills and the Bhawara clan specializes in the traditional tribal jewelry designs of Rajasthan. The members of this clan have earned a name for themselves both nationally and internationally due to their skill in this trade. The tribal jewelry is rarely solid metal. Very often it is hollow and has a core of lac or some other resin. Pieces of a necklace or bracelet are often found to be soldered together. The eternal appeal of glass bangles resounds through the state. In fact religious dictates among the Hindus and the tribes specify that married women need necessarily wear either glass or lac bangles at all times.
Precious And Semiprecious Gems:
Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Jade, Garnets, Agate, Amethyst, Pearl, Blue Sapphire, Tourmaline Topaz, Lapis lazuli, Carnelian...the kaleidoscopic hues of the precious and semiprecious stones used in Rajasthani ornaments flash and the brilliance of these are only rivaled by the beauty of the women who wear the ornaments. Rajasthan is one of the largest centers of hand-cutting of precious and semiprecious gems around the entire world. Not surprisingly, there is a high usage of these gems and stones in the local jewelry making industry. This forms the basis of the kundan ornaments of the state. Jaipur and Jodhpur are especially famed for their accomplished artisans and the glittering markets of sparkling and splendid jewelry. Johari Bazar of Jaipur showcases the exclusive creations in semiprecious, precious and studded ornamentations and these masterpieces are must-buys for the tourists of the state.
For the tourist of the state, the jewelry of the state is a collector’s pride and there are souvenirs to suit every pocket. The wide array of ornaments from tribal white metal trinkets to the premium kundan pieces will only spoil you for choices.
The yellow gold ring is probably the most purchased piece of jewelery in the world.
