#Know your dharma

Why do Indian women wear bangles?

Women love jewellery. Eastern civilizations have a variety of colourful jewellery made out of beads, glass, ivory and semi-precious gems in addition to precious metals. One of the quintessential ornaments that most women possess are the bangles.

Bangles are a everyday jewellery items that Indian women possess. They are either loose around their wrists or made like bracelets or cuffs depending on the trends and fashions. Bangles assume particular significance during wedding and auspicious occasions and are symbolic too. So, what are the cultural reasons behind Indian women wearing bangles?

The tradition of wearing of bangles in India is very ancient. The jewellery worn by Sita during her marriage includes bangles and wrist ornaments. We cannot imagine our Devis and Devathas without ornaments especially wrist ornaments or bangles.  A sculpture excavated in MohenjaDaro shows a nude woman with her hand on her hip. The sculpture is dated 2200 years ago. It is perhaps indicative of the pervalence of jewellery in society as early as that.

   

Bangles are considered auspicious in most parts of India. Depending on the region and the culture, the type of bangle may vary. It is believed that married women should wear glass bangles along with gold bangles to ward off evil spirits and also as a blessing for the household. Bangles are used in many parts of the country for a baby shower. The tinkling of the bangles made of glass, gold, silver and conch in the hands of the mother is believed to ward of evil eye and spirits and protect the mother and the child.

Married women in Northern and Eastern India wear specific types of bangles. Some of them wear it for 21 days or longer depending upon family customs. The women in Bengal wear the red and white bangles after marriage. Women in Rajasthan wear bangles, usually made of ivory, upto their upper arm. Certain tribes in the Andhra / Telengana region also have the tradition of wearing bangles upto their upper arm. Glass bangles are considered auspicious and hence breakage of glass bangles has certain negative sentiments associated with it.

There are beliefs associated with the colour of the bangles. Here are some:

• RED………………Energy

• Blue………………Tranquility/Wisdom

• Purple……………Independence

• Green…………….Luck/Married

• Yellow……………Happiness

• Orange…………..Success

• White…………….New Beginnings

• Black……………..Power

• Silver…………….Strength

• GOLD…………….Fortune

The modern-day Indian women wear bangles as a beautiful addition to both traditional and modern outfits. Whatever be the reason, bangles are beautiful and bring a joy to the wearer and are aesthetically pleasing to the beholder.