Rajasthan Blog

Rajasthan Traditional Jewellery

In Rajasthan, men and women traditionally wore necklaces, armlets, anklets, earrings and rings. With the advent of Mughal Empire, Rajasthan became a major centre for production of the finest kind of jewellery. It was a true blend of Mughal with the Rajasthani craftmanship. The synthesis of Hindu and Muslim Art resulted in a period of gradeur and brilliance that dazzled the eyes of foreigners.

The jewellers of Rajasthan specialised in the setting of precious stones into gold and the enamelling of gold which was introduced by Maharaja Man Singh. A quiteessentially Indian technique and speciality of Rajasthan is the settings of stones by means of highly refined gold Kundan which is used to cover the lac; Lac is inserted at the back when the precious or colored stones are been set in the gold jewellery.

There were different breeds of craftsman involved in the whole process – chiterias made the design, ghaarias the engraving, meenakar the enameller and the sunar was the the goldsmith. These craftsman recieved patronage from the kings and the nobels. Many old style havent changet yet, for example, In Pratapgarh, a special type of quasi-enamelling is done in extremenly fine work on gold on green enamel. In Nathdwara a good deal of enamel work on silver and other metals is done to revive the age old craft.

Sarpech Turban Ornament

Men were as fond of jewellery as women in traditional Rajasthan. Turban Jewellery was the perogative of the king and his family. Kalangi or aigrette a gemset was fastened to the turbans. They also wore necklaces of pearls, precious stones, earrings jewelled sashes around their waists and several rings on every finger. Sarpech was worn in front of the turban.  Gold as considered a metal of gods is not worn on the feet but in Rajasthan, an anklet of gold was a sign of nobility.

Masculine jewelery was not only confined to the articles worn on body alone. The Rajasthani princes had gold epaulets, gem encrusted sword hilts, dagger sheaths, sword scabbards and hookah mouthpieces. Their horses were as finely bedecked as they themselves were, and it is said that the horse of a Rajasthani Maharaja was ‘worth more than our cities on account of the jewels he wore’.

Earrings, armlets and anklets of silver are still commonly seen adoring the rural Rajasthani male. Precious stones is worn as lucky charms even in urban rajasthan till today. This would complete our today’s blog on a brief on Rajasthan Jewellery and jewels worn by males. I would be writing on the female couterpart’s jewellery tomorrow. So come again and read about great things on what traditional and urban women worn in Rajasthan.