Famous Kashmiri Jewellery Styles That You Should Know About

Kashmir is called the second heaven on the earth due to its unimaginable beauty. The essence of Kashmir’s beauty is reflected in its culture and tradition. 

Kashmiri jewellery is known for its detailing and uniqueness. The artists of the state are extraordinarily talented in the art of jewellery making which makes it impossible for others to re-engineer those designs. The traditional dress of Jammu and Kashmir is very famous all over India. 

The designs of Kashmiri jewellery have a blend of Persian, Afghani and Hindu culture. Due to its geographical position and history, no doubt Central Asia has a tremendous impact on the traditional jewellery of Kashmir. 

It is believed that at the time when Mughals ruled India, a Mughal Queen Noor Jahan introduced the convoluted variety and she has introduced a lot of styles of jewellery to the state of Kashmir. Gold and silver are used as a base metal with studded precious and semi-precious stones like jade, agate, rubies, turquoise, emeralds etc. 

The designing of traditional Jewellery are inclined more towards nature-based things like- almonds, grapes, cherries and birds like bulbuls, sparrows etc. It has a peculiar style of its own. 

Ornaments for the head: jiggni and tikka are worn on the forehead. They are triangular and circular in shape. They have beautiful hanging pearls and beads attached to them. It is usually worn in weddings with proper traditional attire. It is made of precious metals like gold and silver.

 

Ornaments for ears: Bala, Dor-hor, jhumka, Deji-hor. They are very famous amongst the Kashmiri woman and are highly worn by them. If Deji- hor is worn by a woman, it symbolises that she is married. Deji- hor is worn on the ears. It glorifies the conjugal bond shared by the couples. Kana-dor is generally worn by young girls; it is made up using gold and silver and is embedded with colourful stones and pearls.

 

Ornaments for neck: tulsi, halqa- band.

Halqa band is a traditional chocker. It is usually made of gold. They are studded with ruby and emerald. The complex craftsmanship makes every choker elegant and unique.

 

Ornaments for wrists: Bangar, gunus and dula. The base metal used is either gold or silver. Unlike gunus and dula, Bangar is studded with colourful stones which display a blend of very subtle colours. Gunus has a very unique design; it has the head of a snake or a lion at both ends of the bangle. It is clearly inspired by wildlife.

  

Some other famous Kashmiri jewellery:

Sondus or Branshil: It is mostly worn by Ladhaki women. It is an ornament a mother passes on to her daughter at the time of marriage. This piece of jewellery is usually born on the shoulder.

 

 

Though the technique of making jewellery is still traditional and old but it has a unique style which is hard to copy. The work is done using metal moulds and usually, the jeweller carries out the process of making on his own without anyone’s help.