Gems & Jewellery in Rajasthan
Feminine Jewelery
Feminine jewellery is more complex than masculine jewellery. Jewellery in India
is worn as a complete ensemble and not as an accessory. It is thus quite acceptable
to wear more than one necklace around the neck, also in the ears, on the toes
and fingers, ornaments on the forehead, in the hair, and so on, any number to
be worn at the same time.
Gemstones
Rajasthan excels in wide range of precious and semi-precious jewellery. Exquisite
are made in Jaipur and Jodhpur using emerald, diamond, pearl, garnet, agate
and lapiz lazuli. Jaipur has been famous artisans specializing in cutting of
precious and semi-precious stones. The design and the way the stones are cut
in Jaipur represents he admixture of Mughal and Rajput styles.
Masculine Jewelery
Vanity, a love of opulence and deep aesthetic sense gave the Rajas and Ranas
of Rajasthan a great fondness for jewellery. The men were as elaborately and
dazzling dressed as the women, with jewelry that often rivaled that of their
wives. It was a status symbol and a portable display of wealth, and consequently,
power Turban jewellery was the prerogative of king, his close family or the
members of his entourage (including his horse).
Textile Ornamentation
Besides all this jewelry, the saris and the lehengas (long skirts) of the ladies
may be richly and heavily embroidered with gold and silver threads. A single
grain of gold could be drawn to a length of 500 feet.
Other Materials
Ivory was often used to make jewellery, especially bangles, which are considered
an essential part of bridal jewelry. The bangles are often overlaid with gold.
They are often dyed in various colours, though the most popular one is red.
The production of ivory bangles has now been stopped due to the ban on use of
ivory and has been replaced by plastic or bone. Lac jewelry, usually bangles,
are often worn in Rajasthan on all auspicious on all auspicious occasions as
a sign of goods omen.
Jewelery Centres
Rajasthan is a land where tradition has been imbibed into ecery aspect of life.
The jewellery of this culturally rich land reflects the distinctiveness of the
region it belongs to. Jaipur is the centre for gold kundan work and a world
renowned centre for diamond and emerald cutting .
