Puli nagam or tiger's nail

This jewellery was worn by rich landlords in those days. The zamindars especially wore them and this jewellery was related to autocrats! This is a pendant and it is said that it contained the tiger's nails that were encased in gold.

May be because they hunted a lot in earlier days, they wore this as a way to show their bravery.

Nowadays its banned, but still the jewellery is sold, I guess with the plastic sheet inside.

All levels of people wore this, even the bird-hunter, but then he wore it with a cheaper metal or silver.

In Yester year Tamil Movies, all bad men wore this Puli Nagam pendant. So this is always associated with villainy type roles.