Hindu Mather Goddess in Harappan Civilization

Written by London Swaminathan

Post No. 15,885

Date uploaded in London –18 June 2026

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Research article- Part 5

Madurai Menakshi (Wife of Siva).

We get interesting information about jewels and ornaments from Sangam Tamil literature, Rajatarangini of Kalhana and Buddha Charita of Asvaghosa.

Tamil Sangam literature has many Sanskrit words like Valaya (bangles, bracelets) Nupura (anklet), Mani (gem stones) and Mukta (Muthu,Pearl). Mukta may be taken from Tamil. Pravala is used as Pavalam in Tamil.

Tamils wore ornaments from head to foot like their north Indian counterparts.  Only later epic Silappadikaram has full details. Sangam Tamils wore bangles made up of seashells a lot. Both men and women had anklets (Kazal for men; Silambu for women). Children had foot ornaments as well; later literature mentioned Kolusu; but Sanskrit word Kinkini is in Sangam poems. As I mentioned earlier all the Five Tamil Epics are named with ornaments, but with Sanskrit words!

Most interesting thing is the mention of Makara rings (shark shaped) worn by the Sangam Tamils. We find such rings until today.

Kalhana who wrote the history of Kashmir in Sanskrit says in his work Rajataarangini,

“Now, gentle friend! Drink freely, your ears serving the mother of pearl glasses, of this River of Kings (raajatarangini) delightful with the flow of its sustained sentiment- 1-24”.

For this sloka R S Pandit (India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s brother-in-law) has given the following detail in the footnote:

Kalhana hoped his poem would be recited like the great epics in time to come. Mother of pearl glasses for drinking wine must have been in use among the people in his day. In Taranga V verse 169, there is a reference to jewelled glasses for liqueur which were used by the nobility.

Bernier speaks of Tibetan jade presented to Aurangazeb in Kashmir, which was “in great estimation in the court of the Mogol; its colour is greenish, with white veins, and it is hard to be wrought only with diamond powder. Cups and vases were made of this stone. I have some of the most exquisite workmanship, inlaid with strings of gold, and enriched with precious stones”– Bernier

***

Hindu woman in Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK.

Asvaghosha wrote four books Saundarananda, Buddha Carita, Vajrasuci and Sraddotpada  Sastra.

Jewellery is mentioned as

Bhuushana,

Aabharana ,

Mandana

It included the following ornaments: various kinds of necklaces called Mala (maalaa), Hara(haara), which sometimes were long enough to dangle up to breasts, special necklaces called Yoktraka, Suvarna Suutra and Kantha suutra.

Dangling earrings-Kundala and Mani kundala (studded with precious jewels);

Anklets (Nuupura), bracelets or armlets called Keyuura, Bhujapaasha;

Valaya- bangles and Angad;

Girdle called Mekhalaa, Kaanchi and Jhaghana Vibhuushana. Some of them had jingling bells.

Mahaavastu also mentioned these ornaments.

While ladies of high pedigree used gold, silver studded jewellery, common people used white shell ornaments.

From Begran in Gandhara region a beautiful collection of fragments of ivory toilet boxes have been found from the ruins of Kanishka’s palace.

The kings and princes used a large number of ornaments. Royal tiara with strings of pearls hanging over their shoulders, armlets in the arms, diadem with blazing jewels and necklaces.

Q.Curtius Rufus (First century CE) writes:

“Indians hang precious stones as pendants from their ears, and persons of high social rank or of great wealth, deck their wrist and upper arm with bracelets of gold…. The luxury of their kings or they call it, their magnificence is carried to a vicious excess without a parallel in the world”.

***

Yakshi with head to foot ornaments

Some important Sanskrit Words in modern usage:

Angada- armlet like a coiled snake;

Anguliyaka- finger ring;

Arsi- thumb ring set with mirror;

Baahu- armlet;

Bali- ring type earring with pearl strung on it;

Bina- star shaped forehead ornament;

Bindi -forehead ornament;

Chaulari- four stringed necklace;

Chuudaamani- ornament for hair, lotus shaped, its petals ornamented with pearls and precious stones;

Ekavali- single strand pearl necklace;

Chungru- anklet with small bells (kinkini)

Hamsa mithuna- decorative motif consisting of a pair of swans;

Hiranya- gold;

Hirnyasraj- gold garlands;

Kaksha- red seeds for making ornaments;

Kanaka kamala – a full blown lotus design earring set in rubies, still used in South India;

Kancala- elaborate earrings with pendants;

Kaachis- hip girdle with bells;

Kangan- bracelet;

male and female jewellery;  Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK.

Kanta- short necklace broad and flat;

Karnika- earring;

Karnphul-flower shaped earring;

Kinkini- anklet with small bells suspended;

Kirita- crown;

Kundela- simple earring or circular;

Maangaa maalaai- gold coin necklace of south Indians;

Manjira- hollw anklets;

Mekhalaa- hip belt or girdle;

Mukta – pearl; muktavali-pearl necklace;

Nishka- necklace of gold coins;

Pattabandha- ornamented gold strip for holding the turban in position;

Phalaka- slab like gems;

Phalaka haara- necklace with slab like gems at intervals;

Phalaka valaya – bracelet with slab like gems set into it;

Rasana-girdle;

Ratnajali- a net of braid and pearls worn around chignon by women ;

Ratnanguliya- finger ringsl studded with gems; one of them is NAVA RATNA RING;

Satlar- seven stringed necklace;

Tilari- three  stringed necklace;

Tulakoti- heavy anklets with two ends enlarges at their meeting point;

Valaya- bracelet; bangles;

Yashti- necklace of gems and gold beads with large central head.

Tamils of later days also had a long list of ornaments but not found in ancient literature. The sculptures and paintings show this jewellery.

–subham—

Tags- Ornaments, Buddha Charita, Rajatarangin, :Ancient Hindu Jewellery,  You can get Ph.D., Part 5, Research article