Object of Study: Rajasthani silver kada
Shape: Round and inflexible
Metal: Silver
Weight: 360 Gms
INDEX | S.NO | PARTICULARS | PAGE NO. | 1 | Introduction | 1 | 2 | About the Rajasthani kada | 3 | 3 | Silver anklets as investments | 4 | 4 | Anklets around the World | 5 | 5 | Benefits of wearing an anklet | 6 | 6 | Anklets in present times | 7 | 7 | Conclusion | 8 | 8 | Gallery | 9 | 9 | Bibiliography | 13 |
INTRODUCTION
In India, for women being decked up with ornaments from head to toe was that it is considered a woman’s duty to forever be at her best with pleasant appearance in front of her husband and relatives. Hence the elaborate regimen for various ornaments and equal importance is given to wearing anklets.
An anklet, also called ankle chain or ankle bracelet, is an ornament worn around the anklet. It may be worn tight like a leather strap or may dangle an inch or two. Anklets have been worn for thousands of years within different cultures. Sometimes the ankle bracelet has a significant meaning, while other anklets are worn just for beauty. Even today, people enjoy the sparkle of a dainty ankle bracelet and wear all types, from a slim silver one to a more chunky costume jewellery anklet.
Anklets have always enhanced the dainty and feminine side of elegance. They are an important part of women’s adornment in the Indian culture though they have also been found in other ancient cultures of Egypt and Middle East. Anklets are a part of ornamentation and have great spiritual and social significance. However, apart from their aesthetic value the basic motive of the anklet is to draw attention to the wearer’s legs and feet. These historically have been worn for centuries by girls and women in India, where it is commonly known as kada or payal. Other than its aesthetic value, anklets have health benefits too. It is even believed that when a bride enters her husband’s house, the tinkling sound is auspicious. So, one of the main jewellery of the bride during her wedding is an anklet.
Mostly, Indians prefer to wear payal made of silver, as gold is considered to be the metal of the Gods. People in India, therefore, consider it disrespectful to wear gold on the lowermost part of the body.
Metal anklets are of two types - flexible and inflexible. The former made by tying links in a chain. Subsequently, sonorous bells can be attached to the chain, so that the wearer can make pleasing sounds while walking. The latter, are usually created by giving shape to a flat metal sheet. Inflexible anklets does not require as much as skill required in flexible ones.
According to Fausset's Bible Dictionary, women wore ankle rings on both feet, joined by short chains, which "tinkled" as they walked, and which made them take gracefully short steps. Livingstone describes an African chief's wife similarly wearing "a profusion of iron rings with little pieces of sheet iron attached to make a tinkling as she walked in her mincing African style."
ABOUT THE RAJASTHANI KADA
The Rajasthani silver kada from the 1960, which was worn by Late Smt. Sayar Bai. This Rajasthani kada was gifted to her by her husband in 1960, which she wore every day, until her death. The anklet was bought for Rs. 75 in 1960.
The kada is inflexible and looks very simple and classical. It weighs 360 gms and is a solid anklet made of pure silver.
As said by Mr. Amarchand Chhajer, “Around that time it was compulsory for all girls and women to wear an anklet. It was meant to be tradition and the tinkling sound was a sign that there are women around. When the family members used to sit together, if they used to hear the sound of anklets, they would come to know that a woman is coming to them and they would welcome her with respect. For any family function, as a gift, silver anklet was always gifted to all women of the house.”
The kada has a very simple design, not too intricate to suit the everyday household wear. It is very plain with a little design on half a side. It is very heavy and usually symbolises the bravery of women. India has been known for its craftsmanship since ancient times. This kada is a typical example of excellent craftsmanship. The key to the success of silver anklet designing and manufacturing is the skill of the craftsman. These kinds of kadas were usually even worn by men in Rajasthan and so to suit them, kadas were designed very simple.
Ugam Devi, 70 years old, from Rajasthan says, “Kada was the main symbol of being a married woman. We could never be without wearing them as it was one of the compulsory ornaments worn by married women. There were various designs and we all women of the house used to get together and select each for ourselves.” She even added, “Even I got a similar kada gifted for my wedding by my mother-in-law as it is a ritual to gift to the daughter-in-law in our religion and it was considered auspicious. It is a main identity of a married woman. I have preserved the kada for many years, but these days no one prefers to wear them.”
Ideally, an anklet needs to be at least two or three inches larger than the ankle size, so that the beads, bells and other embellishments fall right under the ankle bone. The Rajasthani kada perfectly suits the requirement to fit all sizes of the ankle of women.
SILVER ANKLETS AS INVESTMENTS
For more than four thousand years, silver has been regarded as a form of money and store of value. Investing in silver undergoes the same kind of cycle as most other investment vehicles. Silver is hot right now. Whether its value will continue to raise making investors more wealthy is yet to be determined. There are simply too many factors involved to accurately predict what will happen in the near future.
Apart from being an ornament, these anklets are even an investment venture in Silver. The rate of Silver in 1960 was Rs.211 per kg and the present rate is Rs. 48,300 (approx.) per kg. The price has tremendously increased and is a tangible liquid asset, which can easily be encashed in today’s date. The Rajasthani kada was bought for Rs.75 in the year 1960, and in the present year 2014, the rate is Rs. 17,400 (approx.). The price has increased 250 times in 50 years.
It is believed that from the ancient times, people who were wealthy chose to turn their wealth into precious metal such as gold, silver etc. since there were no banks to keep their money into. Also in those days, a rigid code of conduct was followed where the honour and sanctity of women was concerned. Therefore, most of the wealth amassed was turned into ornaments that could be worn, which when bad times fell could be sold and the family could buy food and necessities with. Later on, this only became a sign of status and symbol in the community and more recently, only a fashion trend.
Since it is not so fashionable to wear these kadas in the present time, they can be preserved and retained as an ancestral property and mainly as an investment. It suffices the needs of both wearing the ornament and investing in silver side-by-side.
ANKLETS AROUND THE WORLD
Anklets have been an important ornament in various parts of the world. Anklets were worn as an everyday ornament by Egyptian women of all social classes in ancient Egypt from as early as pre dynastic times. The name for anklets was not much different from that of bracelets being menefret except by adding a phrase to denote connection to the feet. They were made of different metals and in multiple shapes, with more expensive metals like gold being more common among the rich, while less expensive ones like silver and iron more common among lower social classes. During the fourth, fifth, and sixth dynasties, anklets were usually made of beads threaded in several rows held together with spacer-bars. In the early twentieth century, anklets were commonly worn by Egyptian women of inner cities. They were called kholkhal and were most classically worn by women of Alexandria, along with a classic traditional dress. Today, anklets are not commonly worn by Egyptian women in public due to increased Islamic conservatism that has spread in Egypt where wearing anklets in public is generally perceived as being immodest.
Bronze anklets are visible as early as the Bronze Age in temperate Europe, in an area roughly along the Danube, in the Alpine foreland, up the Rhine to the Atlantic, and also down the Rhône. These were found among hoards in these areas, along with other bronze items characteristic of this time (c. 1800 BCE onwards), and are attributable to the Tumulus culture that spread across this region.
In India, anklets play a major role in culture and tradition. Rajasthani women wear the heaviest type of anklets, which are silver and signify tribal adherence. The women wear this for costume jewellery, but also to show their bravery as a tribe against other rival tribes. The fashion for heavy anklets is declining in India now, but is still common in the rural areas. Usually these are worn even by men. The word Payal is a word for the anklet in Hindi and Punjabi.
BENEFITS OF WEARING AN ANKLET
Wearing the anklets correctly is important. Anklets improve the womb, reproductive system, stomach, liver, and the feet. Girls who have to do a lot of running around or have to work standing up should wear heavy anklets as it increases activeness of the wearer. This is one of the reasons why in India, as soon as a child is born, he/she is made to wear an anklet in the feet.
Wearing of anklets or thick anklets made of pure silver around the anklets stops the inflammation of foot soles. It provides protection against swelling of the heels. It regulates peripheral blood circulation and activates lymph glands in the body and boosts immunity. It is beneficial in gynaecological disorders like menstrual diseases, infertility, hormonal imbalance and abnormal conditions of obstetrics. It regulates the flow of life force within the body improving health and looks and thus helps maintain health. It is widely believed that by wearing this, one's energy is not wasted but re-vibrated back to one's own body.
In Egyptian culture, wearing one is believed to bring good luck and fortune.
ANKLET IN THE PRESENT TIMES
The fashion for kadas is declining in India. Most women and girls don’t prefer to wear it due to the heavy weight. But these are still popular in rural areas and among tribes. These are still worn by women in remote villages in Rajasthan. But in the urban areas, these kadas are rarely worn for spiritual and social significance.
As said earlier, anklets are considered to be traditional and auspicious gift for the new bride in India. Heavily carved payals or payals embellished with exquisite meenakari work are an all-time favourite gift for the newlyweds and it is meant to be an auspicious gift to be given to a bride. With the various designs available these days, no bride would refrain from wearing an anklet.
Anklets come in varying shapes and sizes in present times. From the traditional and rather delicate silver and gold chains, they have developed into beautiful threaded and beaded versions in wood, crystals, semi-precious stones and seashells.
Young girls wear it for fashion. Traditionally in use, anklets have taken up the fashion world with a storm and they are being worn by both young and married women in India. They would even wear on just one foot in the name of fashion. Funky and chunky anklets can be seen adorning a woman’s ankle. But mostly, the reason why girls like to wear anklets is that they are simply beautiful and pretty with pleasing tinkling sound.
CONCLUSION
The Rajasthani kada of Sayar Bai is only an ancestral property now. Because of its weight, no one prefers to wear the kada. They would rather wear very thin silver anklet just to continue the tradition to wear it. These days young girls sport it for fashion and trend. Though the fashion for kada is declining, the fashion for anklet still exists.
Wearing an anklet has multiple purposes. It can be for religious purposes or because their culture demands. It can even be for health or material benefits and even a great source for investment. So it majorly depends on the person buying the ornament about how they would want to use it.
In the ancient times, anklets was a tradition and it was considered as an investment venture where most of the wealth amassed was turned into ornaments that could be worn, which when bad times fell could be sold and the family could buy food and necessities with. Later on, this only became a sign of status and symbol in the community and more recently, only a fashion trend. Anklets have been important jewellery for Indian women and even today it has not lost its charm.
ANKLETS FOR BABIES
RAJASTHANI KADA
BRIDAL ANKLETS
FASHION ANKLETS
BIBILIOGRAPHY http://jewellery-indiaa.blogspot.in/2011/07/indian-anklets.html https://in.answers.yahoo.com/ http://www.askyourfeet.com/foot-jewelry/anklets http://www.bible-history.com/faussets/A/Anklet/ http://www.ehow.com/about_5074601_history-ankle-bracelet.html http://bapujirishiprasad.blogspot.in/2009/05/importance-of-indian-traditions.html
Conversation with Mrs. Ugamdevi and Mr. Amarchand
