Jewellery of Himachal
Pradesh is created usually with silver and gold. The jewellers who reside in the
districts like Chamba,
Mandi,
Kangra,
and Kullu were popular for their ornamenting skills.
In the past decades, Kangra
was considered as a kingdom of Rajputs,
who mainly used their enamelling skills in preparing silver ornaments by using
deep blue and green colours. The ornaments, they
usually prepare with silver are- egg shaped anklets, solid iron-healed bangles,
hair adorns, forehead ornaments, chandanhaars necklaces that comes as a bundle
of long silver chains linked by decorated silver pendants with motifs of some
goddess are the unique pieces, which are needed for proper craftworks and skills
as well.
Significance of
Jewellry in State
Himachal Pradesh is one of the regions of India where Tribal
jewellery are available. The area of this state is dwelt by the Buddhist of
Lahul and Spiti, also with the Hindu tribal families of Gujjar and Bakarwal
nomads, and even with the Hindus who reside in the districts of Kullu and
Chamba.
Many ornamental designs
found in an Indian origin are mingled with Tibet
designs, and various jewellery motifs are inhaled by the nature such as- a
lotus flower, pipal tree leaves, and tiger’s head. For Example- Side face
ornament ‘mulmentho’- a serially
linked chain pendants. While, Chudamani
is a head ornament designed in lotus shape, worn by parting the hair. Whereas, Kangan is another himachali bangle
which looks thin and plain in its shape, but broadens towards the two
ends and is engraved into heads of tigers, elephants, etc.
Amongst the most famous
ornament in Himachal Pradesh is a head ornament; and bindi is a most common central pendant that is put on centre of
the head, parting the hair; and silver chains extends on both sides till the
ears. While, a bunch of decorative called shringar-patti is used to decorate the forehead, a fringe that contains pipal leaves
or stars, moon or crescent shapes are enamelled on the middle forehead, are
worn.
Another jewellery of Himachal
Pradesh that attracts every woman is the necklace called choker or kach, formed by many silver beads and
two triangular silver plaques. Also, Chandramalang-
a coin necklace is very famous in this region.
Whereas, Chamba women
wear a long silver chain round the head called shangli. While, Gaddi women wear chak ornament on their head, which is a silver domed top-of-head
ornament that has across 12 varieties, few are namely- chak-boron-wala,
chak-meena-wala, and a chak-phul.
The other amazing
jewellery worn by married women, who reside at Kinnaur, is called khul-kantaie that contains many big
earrings that hang from their hairs, on to their ears are mounted on a strap of
cloth.
Materials and Tools are
used in this craft
Tools: Hammer, Jig, Bead Spinner,
Jump Rings, Drilling Kit, and Pliers.
Materials: To make jewellery out of gold, silver, bronze or copper, general
materials used are- beads (silver beads for silver ornaments, gold beads for
gold, even colourful beads are used), ear wires, pins, crimps, chains, metals, colour
parallelogram diamond pieces (square, triangle, and other shapes) etc. Even,
materials like ivory, wood, and mud are used in preparing handmade jewellery.
Popularity of Jewellery
Another most popular
art crafts that have great demand in the region of Himachal Pradesh is the jewellery.
The people, who live on mountain side, usually wear bead-styled jewellery that
have big lumps of metals like- gold or silver and bordered with metals. The
people of this region usually dress-up themselves fully with many types of
jewelleries and thus, make it one of the most demanded art-craft to the people
of Himachal Pradesh and the tourists as well.
The most popular jewellery of this region includes
amulets, pendants, necklaces, and daggers etc. that itself has the local royal look,
than the common gold and silver jewellery.
Himachal Pradesh which was ruled by the Rajputs long ago includes the jewellery
that highlights the traditional Rajputs style of designed ornaments enamelled with
gold and silver. The Rajputs were very popular for their designing skills and
hence, this style is visible in their local jewellery items. Also, the very well-known designed ornaments
include- oval shaped anklets, iron-steered bangles, forehead ornaments,
chandanhaars or necklaces, embroiled together into a beautiful design, and
other pendants. Another very famous jewellery item among the region’s women are
kach- chokers made of silver beads and collar type of jewellery called hansali
are also very popular ornaments.
Jewellry
Process
Firstly, jewellery makers will decide the ornaments
to be made, whether bangles should be created first, or necklaces or ornament
for head, etc. If necklaces are chosen by these artists, then, it becomes very
essential to plan or sketch the necklace in a piece of paper before making
design. The reason for sketching is that, it will be clearly known which design
suits best, and get the perfect model that is designed.
Once, the plan is ready, designers will get all the
essential items for preparing necklace, such as beads, metals, stones or
diamonds, silver wire, and the tools like- jewellery driller to make the hole,
bead spinner to spin and pass from the silver wire, jigs or pliers to bend the
metal, or to connect the chain linking to one another; also, and ivory to make an
ivory chain, even steel moulds are created as well.
These jewellery designers usually prepare materials
with their hands, through different types of moulds. They simply melt the
silver, and pour the liquid in a bead’s mould to make beads; or in wire mould,
to prepare silver wire, or use it to prepare silver plates, glasses or to make
crowns, bells and so on.
Once, the required
materials get ready from moulds, with the help of tools, the silver or metal chains
can be easily bent and linked in an artistic way. Silver or coloured beads are
attached if needed; sometimes even pendants are used to give glamorous look to
the necklace. This way, necklace is designed with the already sketched pattern.
Later, they use silver polish to make the necklace glitter. Similarly, other
ornaments are prepared.
In
livelihood
The jewellery of
Himachal Pradesh is very different from other jewelleries,
as people of this place, wear lumpy bead, and metal jewellery of the mountain people,
which is very common and most popular in this region. Like, many other tribal
groups, there are certain style of people who cover their body with ornaments.
The jewellery market of this state is always filled
with stalls that sell- amulets, necklaces, daggers and so on.
In the present days,
coin necklaces are extremely liked by Pahari women, who like to wear a chocker
or kach, made of silver beads and the collar-type hansali, which are very
common. All women wear bangles and silver bracelets, etc. which are usually seen
in the shape of crocodile or tigers heads.
Both silver and gold
ornaments are found in abundance at this place, where the womenfolk dress-up
with beautiful silver ornaments throughout their body. All these are the
examples of the different types of jewellery; wearing which, the tribal people
of Himachal Pradesh feel proud.
References
