From Shankha Pola to Dejhoor: Unique jewellery of married women across India

In Indian culture, jewellery holds profound meaning and importance. It represents not only beauty but also prosperity, protection from the evil eye, and blessings. The jewellery worn by a bride after marriage reflects the values and beliefs of different communities and regions in India. Let’s explore some unique jewellery traditions of married women found across the nation.

A married Hindu woman, particularly in North India, often wears a mangalsutra at all times after marriage. This sacred necklace symbolizes the marital bond and is believed to protect the husband from evil eyes. Hindus also believe that the mangalsutra represents the power of Lord Shiva and his wife, Goddess Shakti. Made from gold and black beads, the gold represents Shakti, and the black beads are considered the third eye of Lord Shiva, believed to ward off negativity.

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A Maharashtrian married woman is typically seen wearing a stunning nath, a type of nose ring, which holds great cultural and religious significance. The nath can come in various designs and embellishments reflecting the bride’s style and heritage. After marriage, women usually prefer a small yet unique design with a delicate style. The nath symbolizes marriage and fertility and is connected to the Goddess Parvati, who is often depicted wearing a round nath, particularly in her Kanyakumari form.

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Married Bengali women adorn their wrists with a white and red bangle set after marriage. Shankha is the white bangle, and Pola is the red one. These bangles represent Shakti, the divine feminine energy in the Vedic religion, symbolizing good health and prosperity. They are typically worn between the 'Lohabadhano' iron bangles, which give the husband strength and unity in life.

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Dejhoor is a dangling ear ornament primarily worn by married Kashmiri Pandit women from the day before their wedding. This piece of jewellery is placed in the inner-centre cartilage of the ear with a red thread, later replaced with a gold chain given by her in-laws. It symbolizes the union between two families and the hexagonal ornament represents a yantra denoting the union of Shiva and Shakti.

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Bichiya or toe rings are primarily adorned by Bihari women after marriage. They symbolize unbreakable love and devotion between the husband and wife, as Lord Vishnu once gave a toe ring to Goddess Lakshmi, which took a holy form. The toe ring is also considered a carrier of Lakshmi, and losing them is seen as inauspicious.

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Punjabi married women, especially newlyweds, wear chooda, which are sets of holy red bangles, after their wedding. Initially covered with a white cloth as it is considered unlucky to see them before the wedding, the chooda is worn by the bride for a full year after marriage. It is believed to bring prosperity and fertility to the married couple. This custom is now adopted by brides across the nation and has become a symbol of marriage for all newly married brides.

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