Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

LIFESTYLES

who wears always bent upon functioning with good deeds. The nine gems bestows longevity, health, good children and wealth and assured happiness and at the end will liberalise himself from the cycle of birth and death and attain salvation. With this philosophy the jewels made of nine gems were offered to temples and also worn by men and women after going through the process of relig- ious sanction. The temple jewellery is unique in appeal as it is defined in the first instance and most of the times un-cut diamonds, rubies and pearls were used. The designs suited so well studded with unpolished precious stones with closed-setting techniques filling with foils and lacs, when the images are decked with this classic jewellery, wreathed with flowers, lighted oil lamps, sub- dued effect of low light when the lamps are waved before the images, create a soul searching feeling in the devotees. The temple jewellery have highly estimated value and portray the philosophical merits of Indian jewellery heritage and they should be preserved at any cost. Some of the families passess the traditional jewellery worn by the members, since few generations. They also exhibit the tech- nique or setting and the un-cut precious stones embedded in gold and silver are with traditional patterns in an elaborate manner. These pieces of jewellery are usually passed on from mother to the daughter and mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law. Many con- temporary jewellers of merit are experimenting on the revival of Indian traditional jewellery, which remain fascinating for ages to come. The contemporary jewellery in India while comparing to the western world lag behind in variety, application of metal, quality and innovation. The costume jewellery of western approach make use of all the materials suitable to the taste and decor. The Indian traditional designs provide limited scope for the use or semi- precious stones and the precious stones are beyond everyone’s reach. As there are no adequate tracing and research activities in the contemporary jewellery, this area although rich in heritage lack in the application of designs and ideas to the contemporary taste. The art of jewellery has to receive a proper attention to make it more a living tradition in the contemporary sense. Sita is represented as arrayed for her marriage with Rama in a light sari-like garment of a rosy red colour embroidered with gold, and with jewelled butterflies and other bright ornaments in her raven black hair. Her ears are resplendent with gems, she has bracelets and armlets on her arms and wrists, a golden zone binds her slender waist, and golden anklets her ankles. She has jewelled rings on her fingers, and golden bells on her toes, that tinkle as she walks with naked feet over the carpeted floor. SELECTED REFERENCES Golden Treasury by Susan Stronge, Nina Smith and J.C. Harley P.12 Dance & Music in the Temple Architecture — Dr. Choodamani Nandagopal.

temple sculptures in a limited sense. Since the jewels are studded with choicest diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls, they go very well with the decoration of the deity. The principle deity in the sancto-sanctum is always decorated with brass, silver or golden masks with few pieces of jewellery. Often due to security reasons not much of the jewellery is used in the temples today. Some of the items given as votive offerings by the disciples are in regular use in the temples. But the jewellery of datable, symbolic, ritualistic, elaborate artistic settings are deposited either in the temple or Government Treasury. They are brought to the temple and used in

decorating the principle and processional deities on annual festival of the temple.

• The concept of anything that is holy, sacred, highly-priced and symbolic manifestations are treated with divine feelings and at- tributed to the temple. Thus temples received large grants from royal families and aristrocrats. Often the jewels with ritualistic prescriptions are specially made for the requirement of respective temple. Since the main deity is not allowed to go on procession due to religious prescriptions, in the processions and festivities to compensate the rituals, the bronze figurines are used in the temples. Due to the Bhakti movement, the devotional services in temples occupied an increasingly important place in all rituals. The royals and aristocrats to mark the various events in their lives donated valuable jewels sometimes even their personal orna- ments. But many rare specimen found in the temples are made to order for the ritualistic purposes. Great variety of necklaces, crowns for celebrating the events, head jewels, bracelets, massive pendents with temple insignia, belts of fine workmanship, cradle, objects while using for ritual bath, the moulded foot in gold and silver, the Bilvamala, Tulasimala, Rudrakshimala, garland of skulls, necklaces made of coins, pearls and nine varieties of gems all fall under the category of temple jewellery. India from time immemorial provide references of trading in nine-gems the Navarathnas. The significance of rotine offering of the jewel made of nine gems viz. vajra (diamond), vaidurya (cat’s eye), manikya (ruby), pache (emerald), neela (sapphire), Pushyar- aga (topaz), gomeda (lessonite garnet), pavala (coral) and mouktika (pearl), is highly sanctified when they are offered to the temples. These nine gems are treated religiously and ritualistically as regenuated pure forms in the three worlds. These nine gems are to be worn by the kings and these gems never become untouchable or impure. They remove sins in their lives. As a result the person

Vijayanagar Art — R.N. Saletore. Cultural Heritage of India - Vol-I.

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