South Indian Bridal Head Pieces

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Brides in South India take great pride in their glossy black tresses and using the right headpieces for a bride on her special day not only makes her look beautiful but also draws attention to her hairstyle. While Christian brides are usually content to wear a single decorative piece in their hair, Hindu brides are more likely to have an elaborate hairstyle decked with heavy jewellery. Here is a brief look at the headpieces which South Indian brides love to wear even today:

Thalaisaamaan- This traditional headpiece comprises of three ornaments- one is worn on the middle parting whereas the other two are worn on both sides of the head. In ancient times, this important headpiece was made from precious stones like diamonds, emeralds and rubies although intricate designs in gold are also a hot favourite.

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 Naga Jadai- Brides who love temple jewellery look regal wearing one of these on their wedding day. An authentic Naga Jadai is made of gold and has engravings which depict Lord Krishna dancing on the head of Kaliya. In Hindu mythology, a cobra is an important symbol of fertility and sexuality, which is why this hair-piece is also worn at other religious ceremonies and family functions. Brides who prefer to opt for a more modern hair piece can opt for chotlis which are long jewels in a range of stones and colours which look just as gorgeous.

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Billai- This popular jewellery head-piece comprises of nine hair clips which are circular in shape and which are arranged on braided hair in a descending order, with the biggest clip being worn at the beginning of the braid itself. Although red, green and white are the most common colours used, they come in a range of designs such as floral, raised circular patterns and even spirals.

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Chandrasuryan- An important part of temple jewellery, the Surya and Chandran decorative pieces are also worn by Bharatanatyam dancers while performing. The jewellery piece depicting the sun is worn on the left side of the head and is a symbol of health and power whereas the piece depicting the moon which is a symbol of romance is worn on the right side of the head.

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A Jasmine Garland- The humble yet lovely jasmine flower with its strong sweet aroma holds a very special place in most Indian ceremonies and functions. No South Indian ceremony, in particular is complete without the heavy smell of jasmine in the air. Jasmines are associated with love, sensuality, elegance and grace making this is a hot favourite with many a bride. Hindu brides usually entwine jasmine flowers in a bride’s braid or pin a small garland to the bun allowing the strands to fall gracefully on either side.

 

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Photos from:

Jewellery-indiaa.blogspot.in

Thebigfatindianwedding.com

Bharatmoms.com

Telugufilmmall.blogspot.com

Tamilandvedas.wordpress.com

Myharusi.com

Toddpelloeblog.com

Marrymeweddings.in

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