Jewelry has been part of the lives of human beings since the very beginning and every piece of jewelry has almost always carried a symbol or meaning. In the ancient civilizations Greeks, Egyptians, Indians and Chinese wore jewelry as a status symbol and ranking in the society.
There were strict rules and regulations that one needed to follow when wearing jewelry and by which one could tell their class, status and wealth. Let us see how much of that has changed today in the Indian jewelry world and what are the meanings behind each intricate, stunning design.
The Beliefs And Superstitions Of Indian Jewelry
India is a country of mystique and unimaginable beauty; almost everything you do or wear there has a special meaning of its own. Gemstones were always believed to have supernatural powers and were carefully placed in jewelry that was worn by kings and queens.
Today, Indian jewelry has not changed much; it still carries the mystique, beauty and every bit of its intricate work as well as beliefs. It is safe to say that almost every single type of Indian jewelry has a meaning behind it and it still display a status symbol even if the class and wealth is not taken in consideration anymore.
Most of the Indian jewelry is made out of yellow 18K or 22K gold as, anything below is not considered good enough to make jewelry for wearing purposes. Married women still wear gold and black beaded necklace known as ‘mangalsutra’ and it symbolizes their married status; men however don’t have any traditional jewelry to wear to display their married status.
Other Symbols and Meanings of Indian Jewelry
Because India is a rich country in gemstones and precious metal there is specific Indian jewelry made to enhance their traditional dances and dramas such as, Bharat Natyam. Different parts of India have specific type of jewelry through which one will be able to be identified such as; Cuttack in the state of Orissa produces the best silver filigree work in the country, which in fact is also world renown.
Indian Jewelry Today
Both men today wear Indian jewelry and women with the same passion their ancestors wore it. Bangles are a must for women especially those who are married; usually gold bangles will be accompanied by at least a dozen of different types and colors of glass bangles that are normally changed as desired to match the color of the clothes one is wearing. Indian jewelry has a special mystique and style due to which it has become very popular with the top jewelry designers and people around the world.