Ankle Bracelets Jewelry

Ankle bracelets or anklets are indispensable to Indian jewelry and to Indian history. Since the prehistoric times, the Indians have had a penchant for elaborately adorning their bodies with jewelry. Silver, gold, gems, and stones defined the intricacy of Indian jewelry. Indian jewelry exhibits a wide variety of styles and ornaments for almost every part of the body. During the ancient times, people religiously adorned themselves in stunning rings, necklaces, and anklets made of metals and crude stones. As jewelry making techniques advanced, Indian jewelry become more refined with gold, silver, and semi-precious stones. Traditionally, the wearing of an anklet is an important Indian custom used to express marital status and integral to wedding garments. Today, the anklet has evolved into stylish statements that can be worn by anyone. There are two basic types of this exquisite foot jewelry, the stiff and the flexible. Stiff anklets are either fabricated or cast by shaping and hammering sheet metals into various shapes. The artisanal techniques of chiseling, engraving, threading, granulation, chain techniques, and wire work make this handmade jewelry an exceptional piece of fine art. More commonly referred to as pajeb or jhanjhar, this flexible variety of employing a close interlocking technique is further enhanced with enticing jingle bells. It has been said that there is no better music to a lover’s ears than the seductive sound coming from the steps being taken by his beloved. This beautiful sound has been a constant subject in Indian poetry for several centuries now.

Ankle bracelets, anklets were probably worn from the very beginning of Indian history. Literary texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Puranas, Kalidas’s epics and Sangam literature refer in detail to the types of jewellery used by both men and women. Stone, terracotta and bronze sculptures from the Sunga period (second – first century BC) to the Nayak period (sixteenth – seventeenth century), illustrate women with anklets. From the visual depictions it appears that anklets were initially circular. Later, these rings became broader and acquired different names, depending on the place and language.

The desire to beautify oneself, and specifically to adorn the body with embellishments, was born about 5,000 years ago as it took root in the creation of Indian jewelry. India, being a mecca of gems, served as a treasure chest of stones that enticed traders as well as travelers.Over the years, Indian jewelry transcended simply being a craft and blossomed into a special kind of art, especially when it came to workmanship and intricacy of design. For ancient rulers, jewels were indicative of status, power, wealth, and prestige. For Indian women, ankle bracelets jewelry was, and continues to be, a way of enhancing beauty and establishing security through its accentuating value.The types of Indian jewelry vary depending on region, religious, or aesthetic purpose. They are not only crafted to embellish humans but their gods as well. The royal classes have patronized the art of jewelry making since ancient times, especially when the maharajas and rajas were vying to posses the most magnificent jewels.Indian jewelry comes in a plethora of styles and designs that carry various ornaments to be worn on almost every part of the body. In days of old, men and women used to adorn themselves using rings, necklaces, and ankle bracelets made of metals and crude stones. As artisans began to develop more advanced techniques in jewelry making, they mastered the skill of polishing metals. They also began to extract gems and semi-precious stones from the mines. Rulers and kings wore elaborate jewelry, hoping to make themselves look like powerful gods. Their various adornments were made of precious stones and gold and were proudly displayed in their crowns, chains, ankle bracelets, and rings.
The variety of jewelry pieces Indian women wear is quite wide. It ranges from necklaces and earrings to adornments for the hips, hair, and feet. They have adorned themselves with diamonds, pearls, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones for thousands of years.Indian jewelry is very stylish and not limited to just a single type of metal. Jewelers use many kinds of materials, ranging from simple plastic to glass and white metal and even cheap alloys and multi-colored fabric. India has long been known as a major producer and exporter of fine jewelry all over the world.In Indian culture, jewelry plays a significant role, as well. It is used to commemorate and celebrate important milestones, such as weddings. Jewelry is indispensable to an Indian bride’s attire. Most Indian brides wear yellow gold jewelry. Depending on the budget, some brides may also wear white gold, platinum, or silver. Also widely used are jade, ruby, emerald, garnet, and pearl.

In particular, a bridal set comprised of a necklace and a pair of earrings is commonly worn. The bridal set consists of a heavy neck piece with matching earrings. Its color and design are usually chosen to match the overall motif of the bride's dress.