Bangle jewellery function - Valaikaapu

This is another important function held in our state. Every girl who is pregnant will go through this function. This is called Valaikaapu and is conducted when she is 7 months or 9 months pregnant. Valai in Tamil means Bangle.
The name itself indicates that this is a function with Bangles.

In this function, elders bless the pregnant girl that her delivery should be safe. Lot of sweets, fruits and a silk saree are gifted to her. Most important are Bangles. She is adorned with dozens of glass bangles and depending upon the affluency of the parents, given gold bangles too.

The guests are all women and everyone are presented with glass bangles.
Recently I attended my cousin's valaikaapu and here are the pictures. You can see the gold bangles and the glass bangles in the picture.

This is how it is given to the guests. They can also wear them on hand in the function. In earlier days the girl's parents used to arrange for a bangle-seller to visit the house and give bangles to everyone

 Below is the close up shot of the bangle.

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Gold/Silver Melting in India

Though there are kilns and furnaces in all shapes and sizes to melt metal, but I found this method very interesting.

Earlier times they used to have the husk of rice, topped it with charcoal and then these crucibles. Then they used to blow with a pipe. And the fire surrounded the crucible with the metal in it. And in very few minutes they removed the molten metal and poured it.

Now instead of blowing manually they use a motor.
I have also done melting in furnaces, but this is really amazing. No hassles, just 2 minutes!

I requested one of the goldsmiths to allow me to shoot it, and he agreed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oDvItIUVDY

Bridal jewellery - Karugamani

This is a simple chain with black beads on it.  In our community in TamilNadu, the bride-groom's sister gifts it to the bride. Before even the bride-groom ties the sacred thaali on the bride's neck, this Karugamani is given by the sister-in-law to the bride. You also get this with pendants. There are also varieties where a single gold chain comes in between the two Karagamani line of beads.

Completely hand made with loops and black beads.

Again there are different customs in each state. In Karnataka, this Karugamani itself is worn as a sacred thaali with their custom pendants.

Thaali is a sacred thread or chain that is put or tied on the bride's neck which solemnises the wedding ceremony. The bride never removes it from her neck. Now due to safety measures, many carry it in their bags and later wear it.

Bridal Jewellery - Haaram

This is a jewellery that is worn by the bride along with the other jewellery. Basically the bride is decked with jewellery from the neck to her waist.

In Tamilnadu you can see a bride may be wearing a choker, a necklace, a haram, a Kaasumaalai on her neck.There are some gaps in between the jewellery worn.

But in Kerala, it starts from the bride's neck to her Ottiyanam, and there are usually no gaps. The arrangement of jewellery is beautiful. And also in TamilNadu they believe a lot in jewellery being heavy. They dont buy light weight jewellery. But in Kerala, you also get light weight jewellery.So, though you see the bride wearing so many, it might be weighing less.

This Haaram can also be worn by youngsters as a single ornament. It goes well with silk sarees, silk salwars suits. Again there are hundreds of patterns from simple to heavy Haarams.

Jewellery for the baby- Gajjal

In TamilNadu, even a new born child is adorned with gold (to the extent it can bear)

A chain with a deity stamped pendant, a small baby ring, anklets and an ornament called Gajjal.
It is sort of a belt made in gold, but in a beautiful pattern. It is worn on the baby's waist.

If it is a girl child then small bangles and bracelets are also given. I dont personally encourage it, because I feel it hurts the baby's skin. Especially the Gajjal. But as I said all jewellery are worn for a reason.
Mostly the affluent grandparents gift this to their grandson/granddaughter.

During the naming ceremony, all relatives and friends give gifts to the baby. (it is like a baby shower) It can be dresses, items in silver that the baby will use ( I will write about it in another blog) and jewellery.

In TamilNadu, the most valued gift is either in silver or gold. And people also like to gift in it, if it is in their means. Even people who have very less income like to gift either in silver or gold, because they feel its below their status to do lesser that. I have seen people borrowing money to gift others in gold or silver.

Gajjal

Karthigai Deepam - another reason to wear nice jewellery

Yesterday (17 Nov)  was Karthigai Deepam. In TamilNadu it is grandly celebrated. The entire place is lit with oil lamps on the streets, inside the house, etc. If the street is narrow its a delight to the eyes, because all the lamps are closer to each other, since the houses are also closeby. You need to see it to experience the feeling.

Karthigai Deepam is a festival for Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva. Sweets are made and poojas are offered at home and at temples. The kids enjoy by bursting crackers.

In the famous temple Thiruvanamalai, today the Maga Deepam is lit. Lord Shiva is the deity here, and today he manifests in the form of Fire.

The Magadeepam is a lamp that is 12 feet high which has 300 kgs ghee in it, and with the help of 1100 meters of thread in the ghee the lamp burns , not sure for how long. The lamp is set on a mountain.

The devotees can see the lamp on the mountain, from the plains. Lakhs of devotees throng the temple to see the Mahadeepam. At 6. p.m. in the evening the lamp is lit.

Since its an auspicious day today, thought will try a new thing in silver tonight. But I am stuck. I am trying to make a hollow box bead. I want to later set stones on it.

This is a photo of the Kolam(celtic wire design:)) and lamps are placed on it. This is how its kept on all houses; at the entrance and inside the pooja room.