A nose chain is a type of facial jewelry that originated centuries ago in Indus Valley Civilization as part of women's fashion in India.
A nose chain is a type of facial jewelry that originated centuries ago in Indus Valley Civilization as part of women's fashion in India.
Simply put, the nose chain is a link between a nose piercing and an ear-piercing. Typically, these "chains" are just that: chain links, usually (though not always) made of some kind of metal. Yet, besides actual chains, the term "nose chain" can denote other types of connecting materials between the nose and ear piercings, such as the common alternative of rosary beads. Other connectors can be used as well.
The nose chain has been commonly worn by women in South Asia and North Africa (Sudan) for centuries. Women in India have been wearing them since before 6th century. It can be evidently seen in many indian sculptures. [1] It is especially significant during wedding ceremonies. Hindu tradition dictates that on the wedding night, the bride wears a nose chain which is hooked by a chain to either the earring or hair. The nose chain is worn by women for two reasons: Firstly to show respect and devotion to Goddess Parvati as she is considered the Goddess of marriage. And secondly but of equal importance is to signify devotion and subservience to her husband. This practice dates from the early 12th Century when the bride was considered property and would be led by the chain to adorn the husbands rooms as he saw fit, as a decoration and object of pleasure.
Today the nose chain has risen to prevalence as a recent introduction of Gothic fashion and is now known for its use in several different subcultures around the world. [2]
Jewellery consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a western perspective, the term is restricted to durable ornaments, excluding flowers for example. For many centuries metal such as gold often combined with gemstones, has been the normal material for jewellery, but other materials such as glass, shells and other plant materials may be used.
An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself. During this period, a couple is said to be fiancés, betrothed,intended, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged. Future brides and grooms may be called fiancée (feminine) or fiancé (masculine), the betrothed, a wife-to-be or husband-to-be, respectively. The duration of the courtship varies vastly, and is largely dependent on cultural norms or upon the agreement of the parties involved.
A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent in different forms in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The practice of veiling is especially associated with women and sacred objects, though in some cultures, it is men, rather than women, who are expected to wear a veil. Besides its enduring religious significance, veiling continues to play a role in some modern secular contexts, such as wedding customs.
These ornaments are attached through a piercing in the nostril.
A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is a newlywed.
A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. It is usually forged from metal, traditionally gold or another precious metal. Rings were used in ancient Rome during marriage.
Nose piercing is the piercing of the skin or cartilage which forms any part of the nose, normally for the purpose of wearing jewelry, called a nose-jewel. Among the different varieties of nose piercings, the nostril piercing is the most common.
A tiara is a jeweled head ornament. Its origins date back to ancient Iran, which was then adapted by Greco-Romans. In the late 18th century, the tiara came into fashion in Europe as a prestigious piece of jewelry to be worn by women at formal occasions. The basic shape of the modern tiara is a (semi-)circle, usually made of silver, gold or platinum and richly decorated with precious stones, pearls or cameos.
An earring is a piece of jewelry attached to the ear via a piercing in the earlobe or another external part of the ear, or, less often, by some other means. Earrings have been worn in diverse civilizations and historic periods, often carrying a cultural significance.
Sindoor or sindura is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent, usually worn by married women along the part of their hairline. In Hindu communities, the sindoor is a visual marker of marital status of a woman and ceasing to wear it usually implies widowhood.
A bindi known as pottu and teep is a coloured dot or, in modern times, a sticker worn on the center of the forehead, originally by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists from the Indian subcontinent.
Hindu texts present diverse views on the position of women, ranging from feminine leadership as the highest goddess, to limiting gender roles. The Devi Sukta hymn of Rigveda, a scripture of Hinduism, declares the feminine energy as the essence of the universe, the one who creates all matter and consciousness, the eternal and infinite, the metaphysical and empirical reality (Brahman), the soul, of everything. The woman is celebrated as the most powerful and the empowering force in some Hindu Upanishads, Sastras and Puranas, particularly the Devi Upanishad, Devi Mahatmya and Devi-Bhagavata Purana.
A gauntlet is a type of glove that protects the hand and wrist of a combatant. Gauntlets were used particularly in Europe between the early fourteenth century and the early modern period and were often constructed of hardened leather or metal plates.
A mangala sutra, or tali, is a necklace that the groom ties around the bride's neck in the Indian subcontinent, in a ceremony called the Mangalya Dharanam during a Hindu wedding. The necklace serves as a visual marker of status as a married Hindu woman.
A headband or hairband is a clothing accessory worn in the hair or around the forehead, usually to hold hair away from the face or eyes. Headbands generally consist of a loop of elastic material or a horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal. They come in assorted shapes and sizes and are used for both fashion and practical or utilitarian purposes.
A kebaya is an upper garment traditionally worn by women in Southeast Asia, notably in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Southern Thailand. It is also worn in parts of southern Philippines and Cambodia.
Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn, or where an implant could be inserted. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice. It can also, by metonymy, refer to the resulting decoration, or to the decorative jewelry used. Piercing implants alter the body and/or skin profile and appearance. Although the history of body piercing is obscured by popular misinformation and by a lack of scholarly reference, ample evidence exists to document that it has been practiced in various forms by multiple sexes since ancient times throughout the world. Body piercing can be performed on people of all ages, although most minors are only permitted to have earlobe piercings.
Tulasi Vivaha, also called Tulasi Kalyanam, is a Hindu festival, in which a symbolic ceremonial wedding takes place between a tulasi plant or holy basil and a shaligrama or an amla branch. Tulasi Vivaha signifies the end of the monsoon, and the beginning of the wedding season in Hinduism.
Attire of Mangalorean Catholics refers to the traditional clothing of the Mangalorean Catholics from the Mangalore Diocese on the southwestern coast of India.
Tamil people have historically been connoisseurs of fine golden jewellery, which has a history predating the Sangam period in the Indian subcontinent. Ancient Tamil literature lists out the different types of jewellery worn by women historically from head to toe. Apart from gold, jewellery was also fashioned out of silver, copper and brass.