Indian Arowana Breed

Jewelry Boxes For Women: Breathtaking Indian Royal Designs

If one has a chance to go back in time, one of the must-see things would be the jewelry boxes for women of the Indian royal families. India’s history with jewel making is one of the oldest and dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Gold earrings, necklaces as well as bracelets were already made at this time.

One of the most important eras of the jewelry making history of this country was that of the Mughal empire. Believed to possess divine powers, the Maharaja was central to the functioning of the state. And that was why it was believed that only he was worthy of wearing a lot of jewelry.

The Navratna (meaning nine gems) was one of the most popular jewelry forms worn by the Maharaja. Nine precious stones are used in the making of an amulet. Diamond, pearl, ruby, sapphire, emerald, topaz, cat’s eye, coral, and red zircon are the nine gems.

The diamond, the most powerful of stones is cut in many number of ways. Diamonds had a lot of significance attached to them by Mughal Emperors. They even thought it to be their path to immortality and even had their names as well as titles inscribed on to it.

Turbans were adorned with these and even used in the making of rings, necklaces and amulets. European styles inspired from the Renaissance period were how the kings’ rings were made. Thumb rings with a common pattern of scrolling leaves on the inside were common.

This was a time when turban jewelry made a debut. The jewelry of Emperor Akbar was a mix of Iranian as well as European cultures. Kalghi or turban plumes made of gold threads and seen in Safavid paintings were created at that time.

The king wore necklaces that were made only of pearls, sometimes mixed with gemstones and gold and sometimes of all elements. When Jahangir came to power, using a heavy stone of pearl or ruby along with the plume came into fashion. The emperors of those times even had gold slippers to wear.

Medieval accounts tell of kings from Tanjore who wore minimal clothing that was completely covered with jewels. The loin cloth worn by the King of Maabar had emeralds, rubies as well as sapphires. He also possessed a necklace of 104 pearls that would come down to his waist and had rubies woven into them.

Several styles have come about thanks to the amount of attention paid to jewelry among Indian royalty. The Meenakari and Kundan styles were created by the Mughal. Human head beads and funnel-like designs were some of the designs by the royalty among the Nagas.

The trousseau of women in Indian royalty had jewelry as an important component. These women came to their husband’s palace with their jewelry stocked in massive jewelry cases made of lacquer, marble, onyx and more. The jewelry cases were further decorated with hand carvings, precious stones etc.

Up to now, jewelry has an important role in Indian cultures. It is essential to every auspicious occasion.

This article was written by Ruth D’Souza Prabhu of MarqART Gift Shop. Our jewelry boxes feature evocative wood art designs, created from unique wood grain patterns and colors. A fine addition to your dressing table or as a gift. Please visit http://www.marqartgiftshop.com to browse & buy exotic jewelry boxes that will give you a lifetime of pleasure!
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