Indian Accessories

Mahsrashtra state in the western and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeastern regions of India are very famous for their fine and precious tribal jewelry. In Maharashtra the chief metal used to make ornaments is gold.

The tribes mostly developed the art of making jewelry during the periods of Maratha and Peshawar dynasties.

In Kolhapur, a place in Maharashtra, is known for its unique necklace, Kolhapur Saaj worn by lots of women. This important necklace is available in various types such as Har, Malas, Mohammel, boral etc. Halba, an important tribe adorn themselves with a beautiful lock of braid called ‘Khosa’. They wear a jewel piece ‘Khinwa on ear tops and ‘a hanging ring Phuli’ made of gold for the nose. Their jewelry include a heavy necklace, ‘Chapsari’, Garland of Karipot or black pearl and garland of coins called Muhar mala. They use metals like gold, silver, brass, aluminum, clay, lead and wood to produce bangles such as Chude, Chudiya etc.

Most tribal women wear Gathla and Putalimala, traditional style of necklaces made of gold coins and a bracelet called Toda. Sari, a tight fitting neck wear, is a real art made by twisting two wires together having a spiral design at each end. Another form of neckwear, Chandraharas, has circular rings joined together. The magnificent necklace Mahammal is made by stringing molded beads together. The Maharashtra tribes, it can be said, are fond of colorful jewelry.

The tribes of Arunachal Pradesh make exquisite jewelry from primary materials and adorn these ornaments with other materials like colorful beads, wild seeds, feathers of birds, green wings of beetles, brass, bones, ivory, silver and gold. Tribal women think that ornaments enhance their womanhood and so they create jewelry pieces like necklaces, headbands, bracelets, belts etc and embellish themselves with these charming trinkets. For the tribal women their jewelry is a sign of prestige. The jewelry of these tribes are famous not only in India but in other global countries as well.
These tribes make beautiful necklaces out of colored glass beads that form an important material in their jewelry. There are various types of tribes in this region and jewelry form a special differentiating mark of each tribe. The Sancho tribe makes earrings out of materials like bamboo, cane, glass beads, seeds, and reeds while the Karka Gsllong tribe wear necklaces embellished with heavy iron rings coiled several times. But the tribal folks of Apatani group use iron bracelets crafted by blacksmiths. Another tribe Nishi wears a peculiar headdress on the forehead by rolling a big knot of hair into a bun decorated with feathers of Arunachal Pradesh’s signature bird the great ‘Hornbill’.
Thus for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, only long standing tradition and simplicity are required to live a complete life. They use only the available natural resources to make their jewelry and will continue to stick to it in the years to come.