National Museum is showcasing the heritage of Indian ornaments since the Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilisations. Curator Usha Balakrishnan tells Neeti Nigam how India used to be the largest manufacturer of jewellery
The world knows how extravagant Indian royals were when it comes to luxurious lifestyle, especially the exquisite jewellery they adorn. From precious gold, diamonds to gem stones — craftsmen carved magic on them. Such intricate artwork continues to rule our fashion consciousness. The snake-motif gold bracelet of Kerala, kundan necklace from Rajasthan or the Mughal style earrings are never outdated. If you wish to see the original pieces, then head to National Museum where an array of ornaments dating from 2,900 BCE are on display.
Kept at the Alamkara gallery, the ornaments are arranged chronologically beginning with beaded necklaces from Harappa and Mohenjodaro. Curator Usha Balakrishnan points out at the beadwork that India exported to foreign nations like Mesopotamia (Iraq). She says, “During those times, India was the largest manufacturer of jewellery in the world. The craftsmen had the brilliant understanding of cut, polish and kneading them perfectly in a thread. They sourced the beads, jade and jasper from Rajasthan and Gujarat.”
Since Sirkap, an ancient city of Taxila fell on the Silk Road, a lot of Chinese, Greek and Roman traders brought precious stones and style. Emeralds came from South America, Greek introduced intricate style which can be seen especially in the bangles, bracelets and a girdle. Mughal rulers like Akbar and Jahangir were great connoisseurs and encouraged art in a big way.
The collection features 255 jewels and Balakrishnan has made sure to represent head-to-toe ornaments of kings, queens, priests and common people. “People generally underrate Indian jewels to some stunning gold pieces with intricate work of precious stones. But in this country, these ornaments have a wider and deep meaning. Right from childhood to death, each piece we adorn have some meaning. A new born wears black bead bracelet to ward off evil eyes. Maharajas wore the heaviest ornaments right from their turbans to their toes to show off their supremacy and prosperity. Although queens possessed the best pieces, they remained in purdah and henceforth wore them only during festivities, et al.”
But it wasn’t just rich people who could afford it, a farmer’s wife too would save money to purchase a small piece. Balakrishnan explains, “A small golden earring with least craft done on it would help them to save it for rainy days.” It is interesting that craftsmen would beat gold into sheets, put precious stones and engrave gods and goddesses in them. One of the necklace from Rajashthan displayed Krishna stories while other depicted Srinath temples. Even the rings have interesting stories to tell. One of them is a big ‘love ring’ called arsi from Rajasthan which is made of gold with glass inside it. “During those days, couples could not see each other before the marriage. A bride, hiding her face in ghunghat, would wear it on her thumb to see her husband’s face,” she says, adding that some rulers customised rings to hide poison inside it.
Several centuries have passed, yet the ornaments still shine and appeals to everybody.
photos Sanjeev Kumar