Story behind glass bangles and wedding chura

BANGLES are in fashion. Gone are the days when they were worn by few and matched with traditional wear. Today, jean glad girls are wearing it with as much style as what their mothers and grandmothers wore as part of ritual, tradition and occasion. The festivals of teej & karwachauth, which are coming on 5/august/2016 & 18/October/2016, are such occasions when bangles are worn as a ritual.

Be it for their enthralling colours, their lovely designs and patterns, ornamental appeal, their musical tinkle or the traditional value, bangles have survived the test of time. Indian women still consider bangles to be fashion accessories that enhance the way they look, while also helping them remain faithful to long-established customs.

It might surprise someone to know that bangles were worn as decorative accessories during the pre- and post-Vedic periods, and they had little or no ceremonial association.

The excavated remains of the Indus Valley civilization bear proof to the fact that women wore bangles on their arms and forearms to make themselves look more attractive.

It is said that medieval India included bangles in various customs and gave the ornament- A ritualistic significance.

As a result, married women and young girls customarily wear bangles today.

It is considered inauspicious, by those who choose to believe so, to have arms bereft of the colourful adornment.

And yes, it is coloured bangles that are deemed to be more propitious than the gold or silver ones. Green and red glass bangles are auspicious for married women. In Maharashtra, women wear these on all important and special occasions in the family. As a matter of fact, pregnant women are given green glass bangles to wear on both their arms.

Many gynecologists have believed that due to the tussle sound of glass bangles in the hands of pregnant women, it makes her easy to give birth to the child. It is the inbuilt quality & significance of glass bangles which is now even scientifically proved.

In Northern India and in the South, red assumes ritualistic relevance.

In Bengal, married women wear red and white bangles.

While the red and white ones are quite important as a symbol of matrimony, what is crucial is the loha or iron kada that is worn along with them. Some Bengalis get the loha gold-plated rather skillfully, giving it a more contemporary look.

The custom of the bride wearing ivory bangles extends from Punjab to Gujarat and Rajasthan. In Gujarat, the bride receives an ivory bangle from her family just before marriage.

The saptapadi (or the seven rounds around the sacred fire) cannot be carried out without her wearing this bangle. Rajasthani brides wear ivory bangles on their arms and forearms, right up to their shoulders.

In Punjab, the bride is given very slender and delicate red and white bangles in ivory, in multiples of four. These are called by different names; which are- wedding chura, bridal chura, chooda, Punjabi chura, chuda & shaadi chuda etc. Of course, these have now been available online & customers can buy these bangles or churas online from the manufacturers & big brands like- banglehouse.com

Bangles are vital not just during weddings, but also on the occasion of baby shower, which in the Indian context can be referred to as the bangle ceremony.

It is believed to be an event held to ward off evil spirits that might be lurking around the mother-to-be or the baby in the womb.

The mother-to-be, full of health and radiance, diverts the evil spirits' attention to her arms full of bangles (glass, silver, conch, or shell bangles, depending on the region and community), thereby deflecting danger to her or the baby.

The only time that a married woman removes her bangles is either at labour while having a baby or when she is widowed.

While the former is significant of an easy delivery, the latter has tragic connotations.

That is why, when glass bangles break, it is thought to portend ill luck.

Bangles (the word having been derived from the Hindi bangri or bangali, which in Sanskrit means the ornament which adorns the arm) have become a fashion statement today.

Young women wear bangles for its jingling sound and for value as a trendy accessory.They wear them by the dozen and even match bangles with their saree, suit or lehnga. This is also called matching bangle set.

Bangle material is not restricted to glass, gold, or silver, but it also comes in lac, metal, beaded, stone, terracotta, wooden, pearl, and plastic bangles, as well as those studded with gems and precious stones.

Hyderabad and Firozabad are the favorite haunts for those looking for an amazing variety of strikingly beautiful bangles. If you happen to visit these places, you just might chance upon Kasars there, who specialize in the art of making bangles.

If you don’t get a chance to visit these places, you can also go to online stores like- banglehouse.com and purchase bangles for your wedding.

So, when you see beautiful arms with strikingly pretty bangles resting delicately on their wrists, make sure you give them a second look. You might just be inspired to wear some yourself.