Whenever we think of a Marathi bride, only one picture comes to mind: her wearing a Paithani saree with a uniquely designed border, having her hair tied in a bun adorned with gajra, and wearing beautiful Maharashtrian jewelry. This divine look of hers attracts a lot. But in other states, the bride mostly wears a red sari at her wedding. In Maharashtra, the beauty of the bride is enhanced by her jewelry. These ornaments play an important role. So here is a list of some traditional Maharashtrian jewelry for the bride-to-be.
- Lakshmi Haar: Lakshmi haar is also called a coin necklace because it is made of small coins on which the picture of Goddess Laxmi is engraved. This necklace is available in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be customized to meet your specific needs. It is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the family. Hence, the Laxmi haar is gifted to the bride at her wedding.
- Tanmani: Tanmani is the classical Maharashtrian necklace of pearls. The pearl set has a very beautiful design consisting of stone pendants that are studded with zari. This traditional jewelry is from the Peshwa period, which goes well with the Nauvari Paithani saree. This style represents the typical Marathi family.
- Kolhapuri Saaj: The Kolhapuri Saaj necklace is named after the city of Kolhapur, which is in Maharashtra, India. This necklace is traditionally made of 21 leaves or pendants, but nowadays people prefer necklaces with only 10 to 12 leaves. Although it used to take a week by hand, now, due to the lack of skilled artisans and its high cost, its work is done by machines. This design depicts an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
- Vaaki: Vaaki is an armlet that is worn on both hands, but nowadays most people wear it on only one hand. It consists of 23-karat gold wire. It looks very nice in red and makes every Maharashtrian bride look attractive after wearing it.
- Nath: At Maharashtra weddings, the nath is the most essential part of the bride’s attire, which signifies her upcoming married life. There are thousands of designs of nath to select from. Also available is a traditional nose ring for Paithani sarees. There are many beautiful nath styles worn by brides at their weddings, such as Karwari nath, Moti nath, and Brahmani nath.
- Mangalsutra: A mangalsutra is a must-have ornament for any Indian woman’s wardrobe. But if we talk about the Maharashtrian mangalsutra, then here its design is slightly different. Instead of the pendant, there are 2 small vaatis, which are made with gold string and black beads. These two vaatis are the forms of Shiva and Shakti.
- Ambada: Ambada is a hair ornament. The bride ties her hair in a bun and decorates it with jewelry, a hair clip, and a gajra. This hairstyle is made only on special occasions.
- Jodvi: A jodvi is a toe ring that is gifted to the bride by her mother-in-law. This signifies that the bride is entering her new life.
If you need information about Maharashtrian jewelry in the future, this list will be of great assistance to you.