Temple Jewellery – The Heritage Of India

 The Heritage Of India 

Temple Jewellery in South India has a timeless camaraderie with the land itself. Tradition has its roots deep delved into the soils of South India and as obvious result temple jewellery is of paramount vitality in the Dravidian land and even the foreign invasion could not cater any significant amount of loss of them. Most of this jewellery was donated by the people to adorn the deities of the temples.

History of Temple Jewellery in South India

Indian jewellery art is at times divided into three kinds’ temple jewellery spiritual jewellery and bridal jewellery.  The statues In India were ornamented with chunky necklaces that were either strung with beads or crafted with intricate filigree. Amongst the other ornaments that adorned statues of deities were large chunky bangles, usually studded with gems. In addition, earrings, nose rings and anklets were also used. The jewellery used to garnish the idols was later worn by temple dancers and at a snail’s pace; the designs became a branch of the Indian woman’s nuptial jewellery trousseau. Though the idols in an unremitting way began to be highlighted with jewellery, a rehearsal seen even today, the jewellery of Indian women also came be made on the prototype. Today, temple jewellery has become unfastened to the most accepted crafts of India. At some stage in festivals and occasions of worship of Gods, women wear temple jewellery believed to be auspicious and offer good luck . check out Temple jewellery in Bharatnatyam Dance.

Jewellery items like pendants, bracelets, belts and brooches based on temple jewellery are very popular amongst women, during auspicious times, and wearing these is believed to bring fortuity to the person. The darling design for pendants is that of Ganesha the elephant headed divinity known to bestow good luck and good fortune. The other emblem, which is also, very much in claim, is that of the sacred syllable OM. These days, the temple jewellery of India is finding an aroma and quintessential zest amongst foreigners too.

Temple Jewellery

With its roots in the epics and history, temple jewellery was initially made to adorn the deities of temples. Made in pure gold and studded with rubies, uncut diamonds and emeralds, they were a sight to behold. As life revolved around temples in the those days, and with the classical dances, especially Bharatnatyam, evolving in the temples,this jewellery, often called as the Kemp set, were patronised by royalty and the court dancers . The stones used in Indian temple ornaments are called Kemp stones.  Un-cut polished stones in red & green, along with precious and semi-precious stones. They stones are used in necklaces, pendent’s, hip chains, earrings, chokers, nose rings etc. Temple jewelry made a grand comeback a few years ago . Temple jewelry is either sold by the ancient family clans or is replicated. Temple jewelry is a huge hit among the female buyers of all ages and graced the appearance of brides and guests at weddings. My mother has a pretty collection of temple jewelry which she has inherited and acquired over the years. The current trend of wearing temple jewelry has piqued my interest and ignited my deep admiration for them. check out Temple jewellery Online

The Traditional Jewellery Of South India  Thereafter, in the 13th century AD, the Pandyas also contributed a number of jewelleries to various temples at Madurai, Srirangam and Chidambaram. But most of the existing gems in South Indian temples today can be traced back to the Nayaka period. Many Nayaka rulers renovated the old temples and built new temples as well as adorned them with gems and jewelleries. They also offered dresses and jewelleries in the names of the famous saints of Tamil Nadu. During the Chitrai festival at the temples of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Alagar of Alagar Koil many types of jewellery were obtained as offerings. Most of these presents are still used at Madurai and Alagarkoil. The Nayaka period finest of gems and jewelleries can still be seen in temples at Mannargudi, Nachchiyarkoil, etc. of Tanjavur district.

Temple Jewellery History

A Brief Golden History Of Temple Jewelry

Temple jewelry was prevalent during the celebrated historical periods in South India such as the Chola dynasty, the Pandya dynasty and the Krishnadeva Raya rule from the 9th century till the 16th century. Temple jewelry was popularly worn by the kings, queens and other people of important positions. They had assigned the experienced goldsmiths and craftsmen to chisel the temple jewelry accessories for them. Also these jewelry pieces were presented to the temple by the royal figures, goldsmiths and devotees as offerings to the Hindu deities and this is how it got its name. Temple jewelry pieces were created out of finest gold and embedded with precious stones of rare value and the owners of these jewelry pieces decided to donate them to the temples in order to preserve them more carefully. These antique jewelry pieces are still seen today in temples due to the cautious protection and discreet scrutiny by the temple authorities for numerous years.

temple jewellery

South India is famous for its plethora of rich traditions of ancient literature, classical music, conventional dance, customary arts, tantalizing cuisine and above all, majestic temples, which are collectively considered as the “jewel in the crown” of South India. Temple jewelry, noted for their regal look, added another feather in the cap of South India’s preserved cultural heritage. Temple jewelry dates back to the 9th century. These divine looking jewelry beautified the appearances of gods and goddesses in temples. Later they was extremely popular among the women. Temple jewelry is often patronized by many classical dancers and highlighted their unique look. Temple jewelry has continued to impress the people for several centuries. Temple jewelry is now in vogue and is customised to suit the diverse taste of buyers.

List Of Temple Jewelry Pieces
Temple jewelry consist of several pieces which are distinguishable from each other and are created in their peerless forms that enable them to gain instant recognition in the entire market of Indian jewelry. These temple jewelry pieces are most commonly used by Indian female classical dancers and hence they are also called dance jewelry. They range from tiny nose rings to heavy anklets.
Temple Jewelry is categorised under two groups:
(i) Regular temple jewelry : Women wear temple jewelry on any ceremony besides weddings such as temple pilgrimages, baby showers, festivals, etc.
This list of regular temple jewelry pieces are listed as below:

1) Chains
2) Necklaces and chokers
3) Earrings
4) Bangles and bracelets
5) Rings and toe-rings.
(ii) Occasional temple jewelry : These ornaments are used especially by classical dancers for dance performances and brides on wedding days.
This list of occasional temple jewelry pieces are:
1) Armlets
2) Anklets
3) Hair accessories
4) Nose-rings
5) Waist belt and hip chain.

Finally, your wedding chura should not just be the traditional red and white ones. Add some glamour according to the kind of jewelry you are wearing. Add some bangles in the intervals of the chura so that your jewelry is in sync with the rest of the pieces. Diamond bangles in case you are wearing a diamond set and polki bangles in case you are wearing a polki set. There are various colors of chura available but mostly red and white looks the best and most traditional.
Recently treasures worth $20bn were found in Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Six vaults piled with gold and jewels have been discovered in the temple that belonged to Travancore royalty. There were sacks of diamonds and tonnes of gold coins and jewellery that were lying untouched for hundreds of years. This makes the temple the richest in India.

Temple jewellery Buying Tips , Material Used & Timeless Value

Temple jewellery buying tips 
Temple style of Jewelry has stood the test of time and its timelessness has captured the hearts of many! The stunning pieces were initially donated to the temples to preserve them and later, these were worn by the royals and people of important stature. This style of jewelry is known to be auspicious and bring luck to the wearer. The brilliant play of colors, like green (pacche) and red (Kempu) give the jewelry its unique brilliance besides signifying prosperity and royalty.

Temple jewelry has evolved into an art – both in terms of design and workmanship and Pink Luxury strives to make it both accessible and affordable by replacing gold with silver.

Source : http://www.jewellerypics.com

Temple Jewellery in Silver Are used by Bharathanatyam Dancers And as Bridal Jewellery.Temple Jewellery in Gold is made using Real rubies, Emeralds And Diamonds.
Here are some tips, which can help you decide how to go about buying your jewelry for your wedding celebrations.
1. You don’t want to look like a walking piece of jewelry, so as per the rules, its important to balance your act. While choosing the statement necklace, make sure the earrings are not bigger than thesize of your ears. There are various options for choosing the statement necklace, but by far, the best investment is gold. But diamonds and polka are making a mark in the wedding collection. A polka set gives a pure traditional touch to your attire.
It’s like you representing the Indian heritage through your ostentatious jewelry. A Polki set looks fabulous with lehenga colors like pink, red and golden.
Also, Temple jewelry is an upcoming trend, mainly inspired from gods and temples from the south of India. It gives a bold traditional image of the women, at the same time depicting royalty and respect for one’s cult.

2. The new additions to the tikka family have been trending quite a lot. The passa, matha tikka and the rajasthani borla have been worn like never before. These are available in diamond, gold, polki and even the precious and semi precious stone setting. Experimenting with the wedding jewelry is the way to go. Don’t go for the typical Indian standard jewelry. Wear different headpieces for the functions and make sure they suit your outfit.

3. We always emphasize the most on having heavy jewelry, but it’s important to have light pieces also for the various small occasions in between courtship period and the wedding date. For instance, occasion-based lunches, dinners, birthday parties, festival get-togethers, date nights with your fiancé, kitties, baby showers and announcements, anniversaries and many other non-bridal occasions. Cocktail rings and dangler earrings with pearls, rubies and sapphires are equally important as other pieces of jewelry. A lot of small jewelry startups have some breathtaking pieces of jewelry.

4. One of the latest wedding jewelry fads would be the coming back of the traditional nose ring, which not only looks extremely alluring but makes you look like a maharani from back in the ages. Another one would be the waist belt with your lehenga, which not only defines your outfit but also helps to hide that little extra you have gained due to your preparations stress.

Shilpa Shetty completely rocked her wedding outfit with the help of the traditional polka waist belt beautifully delineating her wait line. Even, Aishwarya Rai in Jodha Akbar looked mesmerizing wearing a beautiful mughlai nose ring.

Temple Jewelry And Their Timeless Value
Temple jewelry continues to play a significant role in the Indian jewelry market due to its priceless history and unique designs. Temple jewelry is sold by ancient family clans or retired dancers to the jewelry stores and is still on display. Hence temple jewelry is priced higher. South Indian women consider wearing temple ornaments on important festivals and auspicious occasions as a symbol of good luck. The current rise in gold prices did not stop women from buying these magnificent jewelry pieces as they are extremely exquisite and valuable. Temple jewelry got an aura of prestige and respectability about them that they got a great demand both in the Indian and overseas jewelry markets. Temple jewelry pieces are everlasting pieces of India’s crafted treasures and are most unlikely to go out of fashion for many more years to come!

Materials Used In Creating Temple Jewelry
Temple jewelry is chiefly made of pure gold though silver and base-metallic coating studded with second grade gemstones are other economical alternatives. Temple jewelry is studded with precious and semi-precious gemstones to endow them with a classic look. Rubies, emeralds diamonds and kemp stones are commonly used and can be in cut or uncut form. Uncut precious stones are epitomized as they add an unparalleled touch to the appearance of temple jewelry. Kundan stones and polki stones are other important precious gemstones of North India which are popularly used in temple jewelry. Kemp stones come in either reddish-maroon color or dark green color; kundan stones and polki stones both have white color and resemble uncut diamonds and meenakari is North-indian process of enameling . Temple jewelry come in diverse designs be it traditional such as waves, dots and lines; motif such as floral shapes like lotus flower and birds like peacocks and swans ; abstract such as zig-zag and interspersion of shapes; and temple designs such as gods and goddesses, dancers and royal figure statuettes.

Temple Jewellery in Tamil Nadu

What is temple jewellery ?
India is known for its intricate artwork, something which can be seen in jewelry too. There are several kinds of traditional jewelry artwork which is popular in India, one of which is temple jewelry.
JEWELLERY OF TAMIL NADU :
Tamil people are fond of golden jewellery, which has a history long before Sangam period. Ancient Tamil literature list out what are the different types of jewellery wore by women from top to toe on those days. That can be very well evidenced from the sculptures we find today. Apart from gold, jewelries were made of silver, copper and brass.
They have the tradition of decorating Hindu deities with gold ornaments that even followed today in all the temples. The deities are decorated and before going out for a procession they stood the deity in front of a mirror to show them the perfection. The jewelries are well designed with intrigued work and laid with diamonds and all kiinds of gems (navarathnam), not only gold but also silver ornaments. Gold is considered as very precious metal of all and Goddess Lakshmi. So they wore gold above their waist and use silver ornamnets below their waist.

Temple jewelry designs:
There are a variety of temple jewelry designs out there. Most often, you will find temple jewelry designs in motifs, dots or even ambiguous patterns. The designs are very intricate and very often, busy in nature. There are a whole range of ornaments available in temple jewelry designs.
There are temple jewelry earrings, temple jewelry pendants, temple jewelry chokers and a whole lot more.

Wearing temple jewelry:
You will often notice South Indian women wearing temple jewelry designs on auspicious occasions such as marriages, festivals etc. The intricate nature of the designs makes them ideal for such occasions. You can team them up with traditional Indian sarees.

TEMPLE JEWELLERY FOR HEAD :
1)Kreedam, golden crown worn by Deities and Kings, studded with precious stones and gems.
2)Kunjam : Nethi chutti or Vagupu chutti or Chutti, Jewel for the forehead.
3)Rakkadi,: used in the backhead, to hold the bunch of lengthy soft hair spun and tied.
4) Surya & Chandra Pirai, Sun & Moon shaped ornamental jewel used to decorate their forehead.
5) adanagam used to tie the hair band from back side.
6) Pattam, tied by both bride and groom during wedding on their forehead.
7)Kandasaram and Kechaparam are tied on the braid.
8)Thirugupoo, round ornament with screw like back used to wore on the backhead in the center.
9)Kunjam, women ties it at the end of braid. It stimulate long hair growth.

JEWELLERY OF NECK :

1) Muthumaalai or Muthucharam: Thaali or Suthuru or Mangalyam,[5] groom ties around bride’s neck during marriage that show the bondage between them. The shape differs accroding to the caste.
2)Addigai: necklace like ornament worn very close to neck.
3)Aaram or Haram, Necklace.
4)Maalai or Charam, Made of plain gold or pearls & corals.
5)Kaasu Maalai, long chain made of gold coins.
6)Maanga Maalai, long chain designed like mango(Paisley (design)) studded with stones and gems.
7)Vettrilai Kovai, bettel leaves shaped pendants on long chain.
8)Kodi Maalai, a chain made in the shape of leaves and plants of soft designs in plain gold.
9)Sangili, Chain made of gold only.
10)Kaarai, neck ornament
11)Contrakaram, moon shaped ornament for the chest. Listed out in Sangam literature ‘Silapathikaram’.

Temple Jewellery for Bridal Jewellery

TEMPLE JEWELLERY :
Jewelry items like pendants, bracelets, belts and brooches based on temple jewelry are very popular amongst women, during auspicious times, and wearing these is believed to bring fortuity to the person. The favorite design for pendants is that of Ganesha – the elephant headed god known to bestow good luck and good fortune. The other emblem, which is also, very much in demand, is that of the sacred syllable OM. These days, the temple jewelry of India is finding a flavor amongst foreigners too.

SOUTH INDIAN BRIDAL JEWELLERY :
It is the most beautiful traditional jewellery among all indian ornaments . South indian bridal jewellery has been associated with richness , grandeur & magnificence & this is one of the reasons why the south indian wedding fashion has not changed over the years. For a family or community , south indian bridal jewellery showcases not only the traditions & beliefs , but also a union of values , of families coming together & bringing two lives in perfect harmony , through the rituals of holy matrimony. With a little variation in ceremonies & custom, south indian bridal jewellery remain similar in most aspects across all southern states .
In south indian wedding jewellery , the things which clearly differentiates it from other hindu weddings are the gold indian bridal jewellery. Bridal range has been painstakingly hand crafted in 22 carat pure gold , using the traditional south indian ancient techniques of jewelerry making . The style of jewellery is knowns as temple jewellery. The design inspiration has been drawn from the various temple motifs across the south india .

The south indian bride is beautified in a ceremony of ‘pellikuturu’. The bride wears a rich silk saree & is adorned from head to toe with heavy yellow gold bridal jewellery with the help of her mother , sisters & close friends. The assortmentof south indian bridal jewellery majorily comprises of maang tika , earings , 2-3 layers of necklaces , bangles , armlets , sari waist belt , anklets & toe rings .

Jhumka Temple Jewellery :
jhumkas are an eternal favorite ageless design earings that are in vogue since years for a gorgeous look that can harmonize with any ocassion . Indian jewellery is incomplete with exquisite jhumkas .
jhumkas or jhumkis are striking & exotic very large size chandelier earings in circular or conical dome/bell shape. The jhumka is desgined in the form of a bell with a large golden drop found inside the outer cupola. The jhumkas end in a lace like row of tiny golden droplets.
Every region has a distinct designs when it comes to jhumkas . Gold , silver , pearl , or oxidised. you can get these in many options. jhumkas may have either semi precious gemstone beads or fine gold tassels dangling from the edge .
There are so many jhumka designs that shopping for the right pair of earrings can be mind boggling . This earing buying guide is designed to help you sort through available options with confidence.

JODHA AKBAR JEWELLERY :
It is inspired byt the signature painting on canvas of a tribal self confident lady done by an artist awarded by the government of india MR. GIRIDHAR(1920-60) & has beem displayed at even big auction houses of the world like christies.
200 Craftsmen worked for 600 days , moulded 400 kg of gold & precious & semi precious stones to recreate jewelleries of mughal era in ashutosh gowarikers historical romance hindi film “jodha akbar”.
Tansihq , the leading jewellery brand , unveiled the jewellery worn by aishwarya rai , who plays the rajput princes jodhabai & hrithik roshan , who features as Mughal emperor jalauddin akbar, in the movie.

Temple Jewellery History

TEMPLE JEWELLERY HISTORY :
The style of jewellery called ” temple jewelery” this is a unique style of jewellery making that is native to southern india . classical & traditional in its appearance , temple jewellery is commonly associated with dancers practicing the dance form of bharatanatyam or kuchipudi. Many of the designs are inspired from the stone carvings in various temples all around southern india . jewellery in this style has adorned the deities in the temples of tamil naidu , for over hundreds of years . Initially the jewellery was created as offerings to the gods & godesses . later the temple dancers , devdasis , wore the jewellery .
Temple jewellery is made with uncut rubies , emeralads , uncut diamond , pearls , sapphire & other precious stones with foundation in gold.
Temple jewellery is characterized by some of the finest hardwork , painfully crafted by skilled craftsmen & jewelers . Due to the finesse required in crafting it , the time required to deliver the jewellery may sometimes even go up to a year , depending on the number of pieces required . But one sight at the final product & most of the customers will forget the agony of their wait.
Temple jewellery that is custom made according to the measurements of the customers , is surely an enviable possession . The price range could be anywhere between rs 80,000 for a pair of jhumkas to several lakhs for necklace & other specialized items. A set of a dancer , meeting all her requirements for the perfect adornment could be between 8,00,000 to rs 15,00,000. The re ason for the expensive nature of temple jewellery is obviously the making charge , which itself is almost one third of the total cost . Even today , the original temple jewellery is made only by certain craftsmen , who have to follow stringent requirements during the course of making it, like mainting a cool temperature , total concentration on each set due to intricacy incolved & so on . Temple jewellery is mostly made by goldsmith located at malypore & nagercoil in tamilnadu.

TRADITIONAL MAHARASTRIAN BRIDAL WEDDING :
Traditional maharastrian bridal wedding jewelery is inspired from the jewels of Maratha peshwa dynasty & has some uniquely crafted jewelery pieces. Many of these pieces are made in kolhapur. some of the most famous ornaments are haar & malas like lakshami haar , chapla haar , moongachi mala, ghalsari , rudraksha mala  etc.
KARWARI NATH :
Karwari nath is a much loved ornaments in maharastra especially in konkan & western in maharastra . This piece is studied whith pearls called basra moti which are as beautiful as rare to find. Its beauty is enhanced with the help of ruby & emerald.
CLASSIFICATION OF INDIAN JEWELLERY ART :
Indian jewelry art is at times divided into three kinds – temple jewelry, spiritual jewelry and bridal jewelry. Temple jewelry of India initially used to be described as the jewelry used to adorn the idols of Gods and Goddesses. The statues In India were ornamented with chunky necklaces that were either strung with beads or crafted with intricate filigree. Amongst the other ornaments that adorned statues of deities were large chunky bangles, usually studded with gems. In addition, earrings, nose rings and anklets were also used.
The jewelry used to adorn the idols was later worn by temple dancers and slowly, the designs became a part of the Indian woman’s bridal jewelry trousseau. Though the idols continued to be decorated with jewelry, a practice seen even today, the jewelry of Indian women also came be made on the pattern. Today, temple jewellery has become open of the most popular crafts of India. During festivals and occasions of worship of Gods, women wear temple jewelry, believed to be auspicious and offer good luck.

Jewellery for the Beautiful You

What is Temple Jewellery ?

History

South India is famous for its plethora of rich traditions of ancient literature, classical music, conventional dance, customary arts, tantalizing cuisine and above all, majestic temples, which are collectively considered as the “jewel in the crown” of South India. Temple jewelry, noted for their regal look, added another feather in the cap of South India’s preserved cultural heritage. Temple jewelry dates back to the 9th century. These divine looking jewelry beautified the appearances of gods and goddesses in temples. Later they was extremely popular among the women. Temple jewelry is often patronized by many classical dancers and highlighted their unique look. Temple jewelry has continued to impress the people for several centuries. Temple jewelry is now in vogue and is customised to suit the diverse taste of buyers.

Origin of temple jewellery

Temple jewelry is believed to have originated somewhere in the 9^th century during the reign of the Chola dynasty. Back then, this kind of jewelry was used to decorate the idols and Gods and Goddesses in temples, and hence, the name.

Traditional temple jewelry is made of finest gold and embedded with several precious gems and stones. Since this kind of traditional jewelry making originated in the south, particularly in Chennai, you can see a lot of traditional South Indian dancers wearing it during their performances.

In fact, there are quite a few really old families in Chennai who have carried on the legacy of making traditional temple jewelry.

Temple jewellery

How my fascination of temple jewellery began?

I grew up in a South Indian family where the women in the family attached a lot of significance to jewelry as part of their lifestyle. They considered valuable jewelry as an ideal investment. I recall that throughout my childhood and teenage-hood, I often accompanied my mother and at times my grandmother and aunts to established jewelry stores with reputed brand names. I was dazzled by an enormous array of jewelry pieces of all kinds including temple jewelry displayed in such stores. I learnt a great deal about Indian jewelry, their worth, value and cost details from my mother. Temple jewelry made a grand comeback a few years ago . Temple jewelry is either sold by the ancient family clans or is replicated. Temple jewelry is a huge hit among the female buyers of all ages and graced the appearance of brides and guests at weddings. My mother has a pretty collection of temple jewelry which she has inherited and acquired over the years. The current trend of wearing temple jewelry has piqued my interest and ignited my deep admiration for them.

List of temple jewelry pieces

Temple jewelry is categorised under two groups:

(i) Regular temple jewelry : Women wear temple jewelry on any ceremony besides weddings such as temple pilgrimages, baby showers, festivals, etc.

This list of regular temple jewelry pieces are listed as below

1. Bangles and bracelets
2. Rings and toe-rings
3. Chain
4. Necklaces and choker
5. Earrings

(ii) Occasional temple jewelry : These ornaments are used especially by classical dancers for dance performances and brides on wedding days.

This list of occasional temple jewelry pieces are:

1. Nose-rings
2. Waist belt and hip chain
3. Armlets
4. Anklets
5. Hair accessories

conclusion

Imitation temple jewelry isn’t fake temple jewelry. Rather, it is authentic temple jewelry designs made of beads and metal other than silver and gold. Thus, with imitation temple jewelry, you get the intricacy of the traditional artwork without the exorbitant cost.