Maharashtrian Jewellery To Grace Your Attire

By Author: Aastha
Total Articles: 42
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Who doesn’t know about Amchi Mumbai/ Bambai Nagariya? It is a place where people turn up to fulfill their ‘Maha’ dreams. And this is why Mumbai is also called a city of dreams. But Maharashtra not only gives us Mumbai but has so much more to offer.

It has an immensely prolific cultural heritage and can be reflected through its numerous forts, caves, shrines, folk music, traditional dances, and jewellery.

Traditional Maharashtrian jewellery is luxurious and beautiful. Every state’s jewellery is unique and has a charm of its own. And so does Maharashtrian Jewellery.

It is not only famous locally but worldwide. Traditional Maharashtrian jewellery makes use of a lot of gold. And that’s because gold jewellery has always been a prominent part of the Maharashtrian culture for centuries.

Most of the designs used in making the jewellery are derived from the jewellery worn by the Marathas and Peshwas.

Now let’s look at some of the traditional Maharashtrian Jewellery ...
... shall we?

Nath
A Nath is a famous nose ring worn by a Maharashtrian woman on a special occasion like a wedding or a Pooja. A typical Maharashtrian Nath is woven with pearls and studded with pink or white stone in the middle. Bramhani Nath is one of the most popular Nath studded with basra pearl and emerald.

Thushi
Thushi is a beautiful choker necklace, usually made from 22 Karat gold. A traditional Thushi is composed of varying sizes of gold beads woven together. The choker has jowar seeds design and an adjustable dori so that the necklace sits beautifully on the neck.

Mohan Mala
A Mohan mala is a long beaded golden necklace that comprises many layers of golden bead strings. It can also be layered to look a little fancy.

Kolhapuri Saaj
Saaj originated in Kolhapur and is worn by married Maharashtrian women. It is as crucial as a Mangalsutra. The necklace has 21 leaves carved in 22 Karat gold. Each of the 21 leaves carries its own meaning, and the pendant in the centre is called “Saaj ghat”. 10, out of the 21 leaves, represent ten different avatars of Lord Vishnu, and 2 pendants have ruby and emerald stones in them. The remaining 8 pendants represent ashtamangal, and the last pendant is the Taviz to ward off the evil eye.

Bugdi
Bugdi is an ear ornament worn on the helix part of the ear. They generally use pearls, but today they come in beautiful designs to cater to the modern Maharashtrian brides.

Ambada
Ambada, also known as Veni Phool, is a traditional hairpin worn by Maharashtrian brides during the wedding. Today, Ambada comes in various modern designs, but the most famous Ambada is Sunflower with jowar seeds.

Mangalsutra
Mangalsutra is a traditional sacred thread worn by a married Indian woman. It is made up of tiny black and gold beads and plays a crucial role in Maharashtrian culture.

Tode
Tode is Kadas or bangles made out of 23 Karat gold. Each bangle has an intricate design and is made up of 200gm-300gm of pure gold. They require a lot of precision and time to be made, but the end result is beautiful tode.

Tanmani
It is yet another choker necklace loved by the Maharashtrians. It is made with pearl strands and has a stone-studded pendant attached to it.

Jodvi
Jodvi is a silver toe ring and is a crucial ornament in a Maharashtrian wedding. It is gifted by the mother-in-law to the bride and symbolizes the bride’s entry into her new home.

Chooda
Chooda is a crucial hand ornament worn by a Maharashtrian bride. They are a set of green bangles worn in both hands, in odd numbers. They are made up of glass, and the green color symbolizes fertility and prosperity. The bride is not supposed to take them off until sometime after the marriage.

So, which one of the traditional Maharashtrian jewellery are you going to get next?