Present Scenario of Temple Jewellery
The Srirangam temple has a huge jewel collection, which has historical significance. The names of the donors, mainly the later Nayakas of Madurai are inscribed in most of these jewels. check out Temple jewellery online.
Even the outer influences from far off lands, particularly from the Mughal court could not bring much change in these jewelleries. But its affect in few of the jewels was quite visible. For example the shape of crowns and necklaces changed to the tune of Islamic traditions with the passage of time. The 'conical kullah', a golden cap of the Mughal court was introduced in the temples during the Nayaka period. The crown gifted by Tirumalai Nayaka to the temples was called Mughal Mudi, which was named after the Mughal tradition.
Raja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III of Mysore gifted most of the precious ornaments studded with fabulous jewels, which can be now seen in various temples. He presented a 'Gandabherunda Padaka' (pendant) and the 'Ramapatta-bhisheka pendant' in the Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple at Melkote.
Many devotees presented gold pendants having a number of figurative representations of various gods and goddesses at the Mysore temples. The Pandu-ranga temple of Pandarapura in Maharashtra has a gold pendant depicting the figure of Sri Vitthala, another form of Lord Krishna. The border of the pendant is adorned with 'navaratna' stones. The jewelleries offered in the various temples of South India include the chains of coins (kasina sara), kadagas (bracelets), kankanas (wristlets), jjejjeranki (armlets), waist bands, tali (mangalasutra) and various types of headgear (kirita-mukntas).
All these jewelleries were attached to various parts of the body, such as the 'mukha kirithi' (masks), 'karnapatra; for ears, (chandra-bottu or surajaboitu), 'abhaya' and 'varada hastas' and padtnapithas, studded with glittering gems. These jewelleries were offered by kings and queens from time to time and now it can be seen in the various temples of Karnataka. Despite of all foreign effects the goldsmith of South India retained most of their traditional motifs and designs. One of such traditional jewel is a double-headed eagle, called 'gandabherunda', which was earlier the royal symbol of the Hoysala Empire and rulers. In all the South Indian jewelleries, this particular motif retained up to the Nayaka period. The temple jewelleries of South India have names based on the local flowers and birds. For example, one type of jewellery is known by the name 'Tamarappu' (lotus flower), 'Kallippu' and 'Nerinchippu', which are the names of flowers. Some of the jewelleries are also named after birds and animals, like kokku (crane), tavalai (frog), amai (turtle), makara (crocodile) etc.
All such jewelleries of South Indian temples are protected till today with great care. The temple authorities were given strict guidelines to protect the temple treasures. There are mainly two persons, who are assigned with the responsibility. These are then locked properly and sealed by the third officer, 'Mudradhikari'. During any festival time, when the deity is taken out for a procession adorned with the jewelleries, the temple guards called 'Meykaval' keep a watch over them. check out Temple jewellery in styles
he main 'Sivalinga' of any temple in South Indian is adorned with many costly jewels like necklaces, bracelets, armlets, bangles, rings and other ornaments.
Bharatanatya Jewelry - Temple
Thousands of pearls are embedded in the costliest jewelries of the Sivalinga. During the rein of Chola dynasty, the South Indian temples have contributed a lot in the growth of the art of jewel making. The temples in South India even maintained their own workshops, employed very much skilled goldsmiths and jewellers to fashion jewels, to test the jewels and evaluate them whenever it is required.
The master craftsmen were also been appointed and granted many royal titles on them for their mastery and excellence in the art. Till today much costly jewelries are still well preserved in the Madurai temple. The most significant jewels among them are the crowns made of gold and encrusted with the nine gems or navaratna. A very important jewelry of most of the temples is the 'Ratnachurmmandu', a golden jeweled turban. It is mostly worn on one of the festivals of Lord Sundaresvara, who is supposed to have worked as a casual labourer and carried the mud on his head on behalf of an old lady. During the rule of Vijayanagar kings, the heights of pomp and lavishness in offerings reached to the peak particularly at the time of Krishnadeva Raya.
The Srirangam temple has a huge jewel collection, which has historical significance. The names of the donors, mainly the later Nayakas of Madurai are inscribed in most of these jewels. check out Temple jewellery online.
Even the outer influences from far off lands, particularly from the Mughal court could not bring much change in these jewelleries. But its affect in few of the jewels was quite visible. For example the shape of crowns and necklaces changed to the tune of Islamic traditions with the passage of time. The 'conical kullah', a golden cap of the Mughal court was introduced in the temples during the Nayaka period. The crown gifted by Tirumalai Nayaka to the temples was called Mughal Mudi, which was named after the Mughal tradition.
Raja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III of Mysore gifted most of the precious ornaments studded with fabulous jewels, which can be now seen in various temples. He presented a 'Gandabherunda Padaka' (pendant) and the 'Ramapatta-bhisheka pendant' in the Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple at Melkote.
Many devotees presented gold pendants having a number of figurative representations of various gods and goddesses at the Mysore temples. The Pandu-ranga temple of Pandarapura in Maharashtra has a gold pendant depicting the figure of Sri Vitthala, another form of Lord Krishna. The border of the pendant is adorned with 'navaratna' stones. The jewelleries offered in the various temples of South India include the chains of coins (kasina sara), kadagas (bracelets), kankanas (wristlets), jjejjeranki (armlets), waist bands, tali (mangalasutra) and various types of headgear (kirita-mukntas).
All these jewelleries were attached to various parts of the body, such as the 'mukha kirithi' (masks), 'karnapatra; for ears, (chandra-bottu or surajaboitu), 'abhaya' and 'varada hastas' and padtnapithas, studded with glittering gems. These jewelleries were offered by kings and queens from time to time and now it can be seen in the various temples of Karnataka. Despite of all foreign effects the goldsmith of South India retained most of their traditional motifs and designs. One of such traditional jewel is a double-headed eagle, called 'gandabherunda', which was earlier the royal symbol of the Hoysala Empire and rulers. In all the South Indian jewelleries, this particular motif retained up to the Nayaka period. The temple jewelleries of South India have names based on the local flowers and birds. For example, one type of jewellery is known by the name 'Tamarappu' (lotus flower), 'Kallippu' and 'Nerinchippu', which are the names of flowers. Some of the jewelleries are also named after birds and animals, like kokku (crane), tavalai (frog), amai (turtle), makara (crocodile) etc.
All such jewelleries of South Indian temples are protected till today with great care. The temple authorities were given strict guidelines to protect the temple treasures. There are mainly two persons, who are assigned with the responsibility. These are then locked properly and sealed by the third officer, 'Mudradhikari'. During any festival time, when the deity is taken out for a procession adorned with the jewelleries, the temple guards called 'Meykaval' keep a watch over them. check out Temple jewellery in styles
he main 'Sivalinga' of any temple in South Indian is adorned with many costly jewels like necklaces, bracelets, armlets, bangles, rings and other ornaments.
Bharatanatya Jewelry - Temple
Thousands of pearls are embedded in the costliest jewelries of the Sivalinga. During the rein of Chola dynasty, the South Indian temples have contributed a lot in the growth of the art of jewel making. The temples in South India even maintained their own workshops, employed very much skilled goldsmiths and jewellers to fashion jewels, to test the jewels and evaluate them whenever it is required.
The master craftsmen were also been appointed and granted many royal titles on them for their mastery and excellence in the art. Till today much costly jewelries are still well preserved in the Madurai temple. The most significant jewels among them are the crowns made of gold and encrusted with the nine gems or navaratna. A very important jewelry of most of the temples is the 'Ratnachurmmandu', a golden jeweled turban. It is mostly worn on one of the festivals of Lord Sundaresvara, who is supposed to have worked as a casual labourer and carried the mud on his head on behalf of an old lady. During the rule of Vijayanagar kings, the heights of pomp and lavishness in offerings reached to the peak particularly at the time of Krishnadeva Raya.