Rani’s daughter is getting married next month. Rani has been working for me as a housemaid for a little over nine years. She is honest, committed and hard-working. I wanted to buy the mangalsutra for Rani’s daughter. She had shown me her own, and I knew the kind that I needed to buy. So here I was, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, browsing the internet looking for a gold mangalsutra online.
My search took me to Vaibhav Jewellers’ website. I quickly found the mangalsutra I was looking for, and the whole purchase online was a breeze. I must have barely spent twenty minutes on it. But I spent a further seventy minutes going through their bangles! The designs, the variety were mind-blowing. The afternoon just flew. And I had to wrench myself away from this activity, because there were too many choices, and I was not able to pick one as an unscheduled indulgence purchase!!
The Earliest Bangles
A 4,500-year-old statue of a woman, discovered in an archaeological excavation of Mohenjo-Daro, was depicted in the nude except for bangles that covered her entire arm. So, my guess is that this Dancing Girl, as the statue is referred to, and her contemporaries must have been the first ones to wear bangles! Wow! Bangles have been around as accessories for quite some time now!!
The Tradition of Wearing Bangles
Bangles are a mandatory part of a set of bridal jewellery.
Practices are different in different regions of India. In South India, gold bangles are considered sacred and auspicious. In other parts of the country, gold bangles are worn along with glass bangles, conch shell bangles and coral bangles.
Old-timers consider it inauspicious for married women to have empty wrists. Bangles signify longevity of a marriage, fertility,and a blessed state.
The Science Behind Wearing Bangles
Science claims that wearing bangles is not merely ornamental, but is good for the human body. The friction of the bangles on the wrist is believed to increase blood circulation.
In many parts of India, a pregnant woman is made to wear a stack of bangles in a ceremony that could be the domestic version of a baby shower. The sound of the bangles is believed to provide acoustic stimulus for the foetus.
The Many Names and Styles of Bangles
In Jewellery vocabulary, the term bangle refers to all jewellery worn on the wrist. However, there are several other names that mean the same. The words bracelet, wristlet and sometimes even armlet and slave bangle are used when referring to a bangle.
In India, it goes by several names too. Chudi, chooda, bala, valaiyal, bangdi, kangan, shakha, pola – these are some of the names that come to mind.
When it comes to bangle styles, I doubt if any one blog can do justice in describing them all!! So, here is a humble attempt that talks about a few gold bangle variations…
There are the most popular rigid bangles in varying thicknesses, and these are usually worn in stacks. They come in several designs – plain gold bangles, gem studded bangles, floral designs, geometric designs. They could be curved, wavy, swirled, spiralled – the combinations and possibilities are endless. And all these come in several finishes – yellow, rose, antique…
Then there are those thicker bangles that can either be worn one on each wrist, or as ends to stacked thinner bangles. Many of these, in addition to various finishes, also look divine in antique finishes. Antique jewellery looks regal and majestic, and comes in designs that’ll leave you speechless!! These bangles are either slipped onto the wrist, or have screws, hooks or clasps that allow ease of wearing.
And then there are the bracelets, which are popular with the men too. Bangle and bracelet styles have evolved with times, and the contemporary and trendy variations keep the youngsters wearing them too – happily and with pride.
The Best Way to Source Your Bangles
Get them at Vaibhav Jewellers. Their collection comprises of gold bangles in multiple designs, craftsmanship complexity and a wide price range. You will find bangles to satisfy every requirement.
At Vaibhav Jewellers, you can shop online or instore. They offer a state-of-art video shopping facility or live shopping experience where a customer can book a slot and request to view their favourite items.A Jewellery expert guides the customer through the process.
They also offer lifetime exchange, free 15-day return policy, free transit insurance on International Shipments, free Domestic shipping, customization services, EMI facility, and Smart Buy options.
And of course, their 25 years of legacy assures you quality that you can trust.
