Jewellery is most often called a woman’s pride. It is like a married woman’s 2nd set of clothes. Jewellery is one such item that gets passed on from generations- from a mother to her daughter-in-law, and further. It is a family heritage that they treasure and hold valuable. In Rabindranath Tagore’s short story “Monihara”(English title- The Lost Jewel), we have to see how to protect her jewellery from her debt-ridden husband, Monimala ran away from her husband’s home to her paternal home, only to be deceived and looted by her evil cousin. Those jewels are what she used to call her babies, and through which she measured the worthiness of her husband.
The history of jewels can also be heard in stories of our independence struggle when many females gave away their jewellery to provide funds for the freedom struggle. Thus, jewellery has not only lit up the inner circle of a household, but also the outer circle of the nation.
Before we learn about the jewellery, we must know why they are mainly made of Gold and Silver.
Gold is said to react well and align with the body’s aura and energy. So, jewellery worn on the upper body is always made of Gold.
Silver is said to align the earth’s energy with the body and keep her grounded, hence, jewellery worn on the lower body is made of Silver
9 Scientific Reasons Behind Wearing Indian Jewelry
1. Maangtika
Starting from the head, a woman’s glorious crown is adorned by a maangtika during her wedding. Our body has many chakras which are located in different body parts that work to maintain balance in our bodies. On a woman’s forehead is located the chakra which relates to preservation. In religious scriptures, it is said to have two petals where the half-male and half-female deity Ardhanarishvara resides.
This signifies the final union of the male and female into one single entity. Thus, wearing the maangtika symbolizes the mental and physical union of the bride and the groom. It is also the place where the sindoor is put by her husband, further strengthening the union.
2. Nosepin
The nose pin is worn by both married and unmarried women nowadays, but the nose pin is an essential piece of jewellery for a married woman. According to Ayurveda, the nose pin aligns on the spot which is directly connected to a woman’s reproductive system. This is also backed by Science, that having one’s nose pierced helps during childbirth since it is said to reduce labour pain.
3. Earrings
Earrings are one the magnificent pieces of jewellery worn by all women. If a woman is to choose to wear any one piece of jewellery for the rest of her life, she would definitely choose earrings. Earrings are nowadays worn by females more for fashion purposes by matching one with the outfit she is wearing. But the importance of earrings cannot be denied because of that.
In ancient times, it was believed that evil spirits would enter a human body through any opening, hence, wearing earrings and nose pins was started. It was believed that by wearing earrings, she would be able to ward off any evil spirit or negative energy around her and prevent them from entering her body. Scientifically, it has been seen that the ear has a nerve that connects the brain to the cervix and kidney to maintain good health.
4. Necklace/Mangalsutra
Along with the Sindoor on her head, wearing a mangalsutra is a sign of a married woman. The placement of the mangalsutra is crucial as it is believed to control blood pressure and heart rate since it is placed so close to the heart. Adding to that, a mangalsutra that is bejeweled with precious stones is believed to align one with their true self. It attracts positive and divine energy towards the bride to keep the mind and body healthy.
5. Belly chain/Kamarbandh
Wearing a kamarbandh was started as a custom since it was said to prevent obesity in a female body by preventing waist fat accumulation. Having waist fat was not seen as ideal for married women since it could later cause complications during pregnancy. It also allowed the women to maintain their curvy figure, as the chain accentuates a woman’s curve and gives an ideal shape to her body.
6. Bangles
We have all seen Sridevi singing and dancing to “Mere haathon mein nau nau chooriya hai”, a song that anticipates the union of the bride and groom. Bangles are a piece of important jewelry to a woman since it often gets passed on to a bride from her mother-in-law when she showers her blessings. Bangles nowadays come in various colors and designs, but that does not take away their value from a woman’s life. Wearing bangles is beneficial since it is believed that bangles cause friction when they are constantly rubbed against the skin of the wrist, which helps to regulate blood circulation.
It is also said that it is through the hands that the positive energy of a woman’s body leaves, so wearing bangles stops the energy from leaving, and it gets reverted back onto her body.
7. Rings
One of the first pieces of jewelry that a woman receives when getting married is a ring from her husband’s engagement ceremony. The ring is worn on the fourth finger, which is now more popularly known as the ring finger. The ring finger is said to be directly connected to the brain cells. It is believed, that the constant friction being made with the use of the ring gives positive vibes and allows a woman to handle life with confidence.
8. Anklet/Payal
Anklets that adorn a married woman’s feet make us aware of her presence with the tinkling sound it makes, as she makes a swift move from the paternal home to her husband’s home. The position of the anklet plays a crucial role to ease joint pain, since, it is worn on the point where the leg joins the toe. It is one of the two pieces of jewelry made of silver, since, silver aligns the earth’s energy with the woman’s energy, and its sound helps in warding off any negative energy.
9. Toe Rings
According to scientific research, wearing a toe ring is linked to the regularization of a woman’s menstrual cycle. The nerves in our toes are directly connected to the reproductive system, specifically the uterus, which further connects to the heart. Hence, when a woman wears toe rings, the friction caused by it helps in regularizing her menstrual cycle and increases her fertility. Being made with silver, it also absorbs the earth’s energy and aligns it with the woman’s energy.
However, jewellery is not only worn for fashion purposes. Many ayurvedic and scientific types of research have shown the importance of wearing certain jewellery on certain body parts. Each one of them is said to serve a certain purpose that has a direct or indirect effect on the female body.
With all this jewellery to be worn along with hair and makeup and the numerous ceremonies held during her wedding, no wonder a woman needs so many hours to get ready during her wedding!
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