Gemstones and Gold: How the Art of Jewellery Making Flourished in India's Rich Heritage
Grand weddings and festival days—jewellery has always been a part of every celebratory plan. Shimmering, glittering and donning that best piece of gemstone-studded or gold jewellery makes every Indian woman feel complete. But when did India start creating and wearing jewellery—the eras of the Mughal Empires or the time of the Mohenjo Daro civilizations? How did the art of jewellery-making and designing evolve as time squeezed by? From people to paintings, jewellery has always been a symbol of Indianness and just like the feeling of wearing it, its history also fascinates.
Raja Ravi Varma was an Indian painter who painted "Woman Holding A Fruit"—an artwork that gained fame all around the world. Even in these modern times, its finesse and artistry are still so memorable that even South cinema celebrities like Shruti Hassan and Samantha Akkineni have recreated his other paintings of Indian women with utmost grace. But what makes it so Indian and enchanting is the jewellery that delicately cradles beauty to even a simple sky-blue saree and warm golden-pink tapestry of colours. The pearls beaded together, the hair accessories and glass bangles—everything takes us back to the question as if from where the love for jewellery has emerged for the first time. How it gracefully evolved into different artistic designs that now represent the cultures of different states of India.
Pictures Sources: Vogue and Instagram
From Gulabi Meenakari of Varanasi to Kundan Jewellery of Rajasthan—over 5000 years since the first time people in India felt the urge to dress up in a way that made them feel more complete and attractive—the history of jewellery comes with a thousand tales of artistic expressions and exploring even a hundred of them will not saturate your curiosity. The blending of design and decorative stones makes it all exceptional. From yellow gold to rose-gold jewellery, several generations have crossed several decades. Today, jewellery is not just gold, it's silver, platinum, pearls and glass beads, varied colours, and chunky and statement-making designs. Earlier people used to wear it to feel pretty but today it is a way of self-expression. The language of jewellery styling has its own vocabulary and we own the one that speaks to us the most.
The First Trace Of Jewellery In India And The Evolving Sense of Aesthetics
Of all the Asian countries, India was the first to have begun making and wearing jewellery. Using metals and stones to craft a piece the way people desired and donned them. Indus Valley civilization was one of the primary places in India where the first sparkle of gold jewellery was discovered. Like an appealing fact, Indian women liked adorning themselves with metals and precious stones and then soon, it became a thing of tradition. Geographically, you can witness a change in the taste and tradition of jewellery styling across the boundaries. As the decades went by, rulers came by, and the art of jewellery changed by it.
Terracotta jewellery is one of the oldest jewellery crafts of India, dating back to the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro civilizations. A variety of terracotta ornaments like earrings, pendants, bracelets and forehead accessories were found by archaeologists. Those pieces were created from semi-precious materials including carnelian, agate, turquoise and hammered gold.
Picture Source: Harappa and iiad.edu.in
The image of a stone necklace and jade beads is the Mohenjo-daro necklace kept for display at Delhi's National Museum jewellery gallery.
Though these ancient Indus ornaments were not modern or aesthetically pleasing, they set a legacy of the craft of jewellery that inspired generations after them.
Then, the Maurya dynasty, the first ruler of India, set its feet in the country. The techniques of jewellery-making were upgraded as artisans made polished and thoughtful jewellery with a continuous design.
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Didarganj Yakshi is one of the hallmark jewellery pieces of Mauryan art. The engraved details and the motifs of man on the jewellery are extremely precise and pristine. Moving forward, this process of engraving on jewellery got some colours and more touch of uniqueness in its veins as the Mughals walked into India.
Enamel jewellery flourished during the times of the Mughals. The gold jewellery pieces had refined and well-engineered designs along with attention to minute details and enamelling parts. The use of fully polished precious stones and casting techniques to make different kinds of jewellery came into the picture.
Picture Source: Wikipedia
This Shah Jahan's thumb ring had a flair for both beauty as well as magnificent engraving design. A deep pink hue of lotus and tiny dot-like green leaves are in the chased yellow-gold frame together wielding such a powerful pattern of change in high-end jewellery manufacturing.
Even in the portraits and paintings of the Mughal emperors, gemstones like rubies, minute diamonds and emeralds could be seen. This thumb ring was also influenced by European motifs as it was crafted by a European artisan but in the Mughal buildings. Even the Jadau techniques were laden by the Mughals only but then Rajasthani and Gujarati artisans refined the techniques used to make Jadau jewellery.
Jadau jewellery consists of three strands where pearls, emeralds and sapphire are placed together on the heated and malleable pure gold. Sculpturing of motifs and designs is also done at the same time. Even the Meenakari technique was used to enhance the beauty of the piece by applying various types of colourful and bright paints on the surface of the metal after the gemstones were studded and gold is dried up.
For the Royal Mughal and Nawabi families of the Deccan, the ‘Satlada’, meaning seven strings, stayed as one of the finest Mughal jewellery. With every Mughal jewellery piece, the aesthetic of jewellery just got more appealing and luxurious.
Picture Source: Google Arts & Culture
This regal treasure was a symbol of wealth and prestige as it was adorned with 465 pearls. Over time, artisans also embellished Satlada with gemstones and diamonds for captivating and charming. One such everlasting thing of beauty was the diamond necklace given by Nizam of Hyderabad to Queen Elizabeth II as her wedding gift.
Picture Source: iiad.edu.in
The Nizam of Mir Osman Ali Khan was credited as the world's richest man by TIME magazine as he owned a luxury jewellery collection—which is to say that in India, jewellery defines status. After Nizams and even during their time, several other exquisite jewellery like Kundan jewellery in the royal courts of Rajasthan and the Kaliganth necklace of Gujarat (amulet-shaped units) were highly cherished and crafted with techniques like filigree.
Even Polki jewellery pieces are also considered trousseau must-haves and heirloom-worthy investments pieces, as seen in several celebrities' weddings and parties. In the modern times, the influence of Western culture has also shaped the artistry of jewellery designers. The old-school jewellery pieces are designed with a touch of modernity and even the techniques have garnered some changes over the decades.
Manufacturing Process
The centuries-old technique of hand-crafting jewellery has moulded into mass production of jewellery making. But still, in today's time, the heritage and heirloom jewellery stay close to the heart as they were created by the hands of skilled artisans. The demand for handcrafted is still high in the market, it is just the manufacturing process has become smoother and safer than before—leading to the making of more intricate and advanced jewellery—such as Chandbalis, jhumkas, nath, rani haar, gulbandh, glass bangles and more.
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Techniques and processes have improved to an excellent degree. While Lost wax casting including solid casting and hollow casting stayed as the main jewellery crafting technique, the former is practised more in Southern India and the other remained a crucial and common process in Central and Eastern India. The designing, cutting of metal, soldering, casting, gemstone-setting, enamelling and polishing of the jewellery are the basics of these techniques.
One of the greatest heritages from the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro civilizations is the Dhokra art, a non–ferrous metal casting technique that has been practised since 4000 years ago. An interesting example of the dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro is also attached to this process. So, as the name suggests, the process of non–ferrous metal casting process begins with melting the metal under a high temperature. Then with the help of a clay model and strings of beeswax, the molten metal is moulded into a desired shape and kept in the direct rays of the sun. When it's entirely stiff and strong, the pieces are examined for their smooth texture and alignment.
While gold jewellery has been created using melting processes even glass bangles almost share the same part of the process. These are the nuptial traditional jewellery that are even worn by women on the arms along with the wrists. Though the jiggling sound makes it a loving piece of jewellery, its process also takes utmost care.
Raw glass, as used for bangles and almost every glassware material, is collected from the furnace through the pipes. When heated under the utmost sweltering heat, the molten glass is beaten or hammered into pieces with equal size and dimensions. The pipe is yet not removed as the glass with the pipe is placed in another furnace which has an automated roller. When the molten glass comes in contact with the roller—it stretches like a thread into a very thin and sleek appearance and starts rolling around the roller. This creates a spring of glass, which is then cut with the cutter to make separate bangles.
Today, jewellery is made out of a variety of substances and with diverse manufacturing machinery and tools. The mirror work and use of decorative wires also adds to the process of handcrafted jewellery, which also brings us to a point of whether the value of artistry makes jewellery valuable or the use of gold metal?
What Makes Jewellery More Valuable: Craftsmanship or The Gold?
According to the World Gold Council (WGC), "the world’s top four nations for gold production are India, China, the U.S., and the UAE. With over 60% of global demand coming from just two countries, India, and China." The prediction also states that "the price of gold will continue to rise." But is it just the allure of gold that completes a piece of jewellery? We are drawn towards more artistic expression of jewellery, designs that narrates a story and leaves an indelible impression of beauty in our minds.
Picture Source: Asian Star Groups
While gold, under the umbrella of cultural perceptions and economic value, holds a significant financial merit, on the other hand, craftsmanship breathes life into a piece of jewellery with its intrinsic value as it highlights the quality in creation. Artistry creates a personal charm, it matches the emotional appeal and aesthetics, something that the world craves for. Handcrafted jewellery weaves a connection between an artisan and the wearer, as every piece of jewellery is made with precision and persistence—like sharing notes of love in every detail and that is what makes a jewellery extremely special.
