The Clink of Bangles: A Study

An integral part of jewellery sets and women’s accessorizing elements, bangles have a special place in a jewellery box for their ability to add the finishing touches to ethnic attire. Predominantly worn in the Indian subcontinent and specific to the Hindu culture, bangles hold importance not only in the departments of adornments and jewellery but also have religious and spiritual connotations.

History

The first reference to Bangles is believed to have made an appearance in Mohenjodaro in 2600 BC and history is scattered with evidence of bangles made from conch, copper, gold, agate and other such materials. The Mauryan period has also yielded quite a lode of bangles leading us to believe that this particular ornament could have been preferred by the ladies of the period. The name ‘bangle’ itself is derived from the Hindi word ‘bungri’. The clink of glass or metal bangles is said to ward off evil and bring prosperity and good luck to the household of the woman wearing the bangles.

In Cultures

Bengalis, Punjabis, Gujaratis and other people in India believe that a married woman should adorn herself with bangles and other jewellery and have very specific designs for newly-wed brides to wear. Punjabi women sport ivory bangles or ‘chuda’ right after their weddings, they team it with red bangles, thereby giving it a very typical look. Brides are never to go bare-wristed for bangles are a sign of their ‘suhaag’ and are therefore auspicious. Usually, the mother or the mother-in-law gifts the girl with specific bangles to sport.

In the southern part of the country, green bangles are worn by women to signify fertility and prosperity which are of special significance especially when the woman is pregnant. Ultimately, wearing bangles hold a special place in the beauty ritual of every Indian woman.

Design and Types

Bangles are generally circular in shape and inflexible and are worn on the forearms and wrists. Bangles can be divided into various types based on the material of their construction like glass, gold, wooden, silver, plastic and many others. The fad these days is wooden bangles in geometric shapes that complement western attire well to adorn the wrists without the hassle of a whole set of bangles.

A wide variety of bangles crafted from alloy, brass, enamel, fabric, leather, silver, sterling silver, wood, stone and other materials with gemstones like cubic zirconia and topaz set on them are available online. Brands like 925 Silver, Juvalia, Antiformal, KhoobSurati, Rein Lifestyles and such create beautiful bangles with intricate designs that can set the mood to any kind of outfit you choose.

Shop for online bangles on e-commerce websites wherein you can get extremely good prices during seasonal sales. Use refiners to get the right size and fit and pick out your favourite color. Payments are made easy – use your debit or credit cards or pay via net banking as well. You can choose to pay cash when the bangles are delivered to you.