South India has been the cradle of bountiful traditions since centuries. It is a place that has been historically rich due to abundance of resources. South Indian traditions and ceremonies are an excellent reference for this attribute and so is the bridal jewellery. A South Indian bride’s jewellery is both exquisite and classical with its own set of remarkable characteristics. Here we bring you 10 such beautiful items.

1. Vaddanam

Vaddanam is a waist belt made from 22-carat Gold with Precious Stones, pearls or diamonds studded on the front face of the belt. There are usually two variations, one which is a solid belt and an another variety which is made from independent decorated pendants linked together to form a belt. Traditional versions have illustrations of gods and goddesses etched on the front end of the belt. Vaddanam greatly helps in enhancing the overall bridal appearance.

2. Mango Mala

Mango mala is a classic example of the point that natural resources of a land are often showcased through the local attire and jewellery. Mango mala or Mango necklace consists of independent gold pendants each shaped like a mango, intricately linked together to form a necklace. The face of the leaf is covered with a Precious stone which is most likely to be emerald due to its green colour. The necklace ends with an elaborate pendant which is equally decorated with precious stones.

3. Guttapusalu Haram

Guttapusalu haram is a popular South Indian traditional ornament which is a heavy ornate necklace made from clusters of pearls and precious stones grouped along a golden necklace. Guttapusalu haram shows a rich mix of materials like pearls, rubies, emeralds and even diamonds. Some necklaces are interestingly reversible with different stones studded on either side.

4. Kasu Haram

Kasu haram is a necklace made from gold coins that are linked together to create a chain. The basic element of this necklace, which is linked together, is a pendant that is shaped as a group of three or two fused beads. Above this, there is a cluster of precious stones like emerald which is topped by a coin which can weigh as high as 2 gms. The considerable usage of gold makes it an expensive and bulky bridal ornament.

5. Vanki

No image of a South Indian bride is complete without the shimmer of a vanki (an armlet). The armlet can be worn either on the right arm or both the arms. They are made from gold with embossed design engraved on their front face. It can also have precious stones studded on it. They are commonly found in two design varieties, one with a simple circular design and another which has an elliptical shape.

6. Billai

The pride and beauty of a South Indian bride’s hair is the billai which is a set of nine exquisitely decorated clips. Billai are usually circular in shape but they can also be of oval or crescent design. They are worn on braided hair in a descending order, that is, the biggest clip is worn at the top followed by successive clips of decreasing size. The base is made from gold which is studded with precious stones. Floral and circular patterns are the most common design schemes.

7. Jhumkas

South Indian bridal jhumkas have a baroque look than their counterparts and are also more lavish in appearance. While the base of the jhumka is made of gold, the outward section is studded with precious stones. In fact, certain variants have significant bulk of their weight contributed by the studded stones alone.

8. Bangles

Bangles worn by South Indian brides are usually an assortment of gold bangles, glass bangles and pearl studded gold bangles. There is usually no fixed number for the each type of bangles but glass bangles are only of green or red in colour. Bangles of same number and similar assortment are worn by the bride on both wrists.

9. Rakodi

Rakodi is an ornate hair clip just like billai and usually forms a set with it. It can also be worn independently too. The thing that differentiates them is that they are worn on the bun or on either sides of the hair partition. Therefore they often come in pairs. They are also larger in size than the billai but have a similar design scheme.

10. Thalaisaamaan

It is a traditional headpiece comprising of three decorated chains that form the three sections of his jewellery. One section sits on the hair partition while the other two move horizontally along the hairline, flanking the forehead. The chains are made by linking individual pendants of gold and precious stones. The point of culmination of the three sections often features a large pendant with a single large precious stone.

So there you go. These are the 10 beautiful items that are part of the traditional South Indian Bridal Jewellery. Have anything interesting to share or add? Then do let us know in the comments.

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