 |
Bindi
The first of these 16 adornments or accessories is the Bindi, which in the Hindu religion is a symbol of the married woman. The bindi symbolizes the wife’s dedication towards her husband. For the wedding brides in certain regions may decorate the bindi with red and white dots around the forehead and along the eyebrows. This is specifically true of the Indian region of Bengal. |
|
|
 |
Haar
The bride’s neck is adorned with a haar or necklace. Another piece of jewelry, the necklace is usually gold and sometimes embellished with other precious stones. The necklace symbolizes prosperity. Hindu brides are also presented with the mangalsutra, which is a necklace made of black beads, during the wedding ceremony by the groom.
|
|
 |
Mangteeka – Long Bindi
The mangteeka is an adornment for the hair. It is usually made out of gold and considered part of the jewelry accessories. The mangteeka is worn on the central parting of the hair of the bride down to the forehead. | |
Keshapasharachana
This is the aspect of adornment of the brides hair with an elaborate up do and flowers. An Indian bride’s hair is rarely worn down because of the myth that a woman can enchant a man with her hair which is why it is respectful to tie the hair up during the wedding. Hair accessories, especially flowers are an important part of the Indian wedding and the bride usually will wear flowers in her hair.
Kamarband
The kamarband is a waist band that adorns the bride’s wait like a belt. It is usually ornate and made of gold as well. It is one of the most important parts of the Solah Shringar as it is used to hold the bridal outfit (usually the sari and pallu) in place throughout the wedding ceremony.
Choodiyan
Choodiyan are bangles which adorn the bride’s wrist. Depending on the traditions of the region of India, these bangles can be gold, metal, glass, or lac. Traditionally if the bangles are not gold, then they are red. Bangles of an Indian bride are considered to be protective bands and married women always wear them as symbolic guards for their husband. In Sikh and Punjabi culture the bride also wear kaliras along with the bangles. Kaliras are traditionally umbrella shaped ornaments made in thin gold or silver sheets. The bride then shakes the kaliras on the heads of the unmarried girls of the family and the popular saying is that the lucky one on whom a part of the kalira falls will be the one getting married next. It is said that the new bride is adorned with such heavy bangles so that she may not be given the task of cooking and cleaning when she first moves in, but is rather given an opportunity to rest. Itar
Mehendi
Mehendi is also known as henna. It symbolizes the essence or love and is applied to the bride’s hands and feet in intricate designs. It is said that the darker the color of henna turns out to be on the bride’s hands, the more her husband will love her. Mehendi ceremonies and henna parties are one of the most special and celebrated pre-wedding rituals in Indian weddings.
Itar
Itar is a special fragrance that is applied to the bride to help her stay fresh throughout the lengthy wedding ceremonies.
Sindoor
Sindoor is not applied to all religions and cultures in India, however it is a very important aspect of the Hindu wedding, thus it fits into the shringar of marriage. A sacred symbol of suhaag or marriage, sindoor or vermillion is applied on the center parting of the hair and is a part of the shringar of a married woman. It is actually a part of the marriage ceremony and applied by the groom on to the bride as symbolic of completion of their marriage.
|
|
|
Anjana
Kajal is the second adornment. The bride’s eyes are highlighted with kajal of kohl to make them look more attractive. This is the most popular solah shringar. It is basically black eye liner and today modern girls use a strong pencil eye liner or liquid eye liner to achieve the kajal look. The original kajal paste is said to have soothing effects on the eye. |
|
|
|
|
Nath
The nath is the nose ring and is a very traditional part of the decor of the Indian bride. The nose ring is also a piece of jewelry and is usually made of gold. It is worn on the left nostril and is supported by a gold chain which extends to the hair line just behind the left ear. The nose ring is a symbol of the purity of the girl and is said to have arrived in India with the rise of the Muslim culture. |
|
|
|
|
Karn Phool
Karn phool, translated is flower of the ear, adorns the bride’s ears and are earrings. The earrings are usually very intricate and dangling. |
Balon ka Har
Balon ka Har translates to necklace of the hair. These are flowers that adorn the bride’s hair. Flowers are symbolic of life and happiness and are an important aspect of Indian weddings. Flowers are placed on the bride’s hair to have a serene affect throughout the ceremony, as flowers are known for their cooling properties.
Payal & Bichus
The payal is like an anklet. It is a thick chain that is tied on the ankle and is embellished with tiny bells that will chime as the bride walks. Bichus are toe rings. These ornaments are usually made of silver, but they may be gold plated to match the rest of the bride’s jewelry. These items are a symbol of the bride’s marriage and traditionally worn until the husband’s death.
Baajuband
Baajuband are known as armlets and are worn on the upper arm. The Mughal, Rajasthani or Jaipuri are the most popular designs of baajuband. The armlet is supposed to protect the bride form any inauspicious events on her wedding day. It is given by the groom’s sister to the bride as a commitment on behalf of her brother to protect the bride all her life.
Bridal Dress
The Indian bridal dresses maybe a sari or lengha and come in a variety of colors: red, green, marigold, red/white and styles, navari, panetar, patani that represent the bride’s heritage. It is custom for the bride to wear a dress that hails from her region in India. The official garment of India is the sari and the seven pleats of the sari are believed to tie the husband with his wife for seven lives.
Aarsi
The bride’s fingers are adorned with many exotic rings and she wears a ring on all five fingers. The ring that is worn on the thumb is Aarsi, which has a mirror so the bride may sneak a peek at her husband as well as herself. As traditionally Indian brides are suppose to have a shy demeanor and look down, they tend to not look straight at their groom during the initial part of the wedding ceremony.
As can be deduced from the details and symbolism of each of the 16 adornments of the Indian bride, according to Indian tradition the Indian bride is adorned from head to toe. She wears intricate ornaments than decorate her entire body and each aspect has significant symbolism for her marriage.
|
|
