Jewellery patterns in Grandmas time took inspiration from nature: flora, fauna, birds and animals.
Recurring motifs included mango, lotus, swans etc.
Traditional gold jewellery in South India was preserved as temple treasures.
The art of closed setting was perfected in days of yore, making the jewellery more durable and usable, while preserving the precious and semi-precious stones set in it.
The Tamils settled in Burma, were a prosperous community. When they had to flee the country suddenly, they wondered how to transport their wealth across. They then converted their wealth into priceless rubies and fled the country. These were typical rounded rubies found in grandma's jewellery, called “cabochon" Hence the predominance of rubies in South Indian jewellery
The woman in South India is considered an embodiment of Lakshmi and was expected to adorn herself alluringly. She adorned herself with bracelets, necklaces, armlets, anklets and delicate hair ornaments.
Traditional pieces of wearable art from Grandmas treasure trove include:
Rakodi is a gently curved, disc - shaped jewel, attached at the top of a braid.
Odyanam is the embellished golden band South Indian women wear to clasp their slender waists
Jimkis are the traditional earrings, shaped like umbrellas, delicately suspended, worn by women ( commonly called “jhumkas" in the North)
Kaasumalai is a necklace made of fused coins, and a must for every self respecting South Indian family
Kempu kal ( red stone ) sits like a choker on the neck, it is set with graded, uncut rubies
Kadukan are the earrings were worn by men
Adigai is also a necklace made up of rubies, but has a pendant ( padakam) attached to it. The pendant usually has a large stone in the center, surrounded by smaller stones and finished with gold beads or pearl droplets
The temple jewellery of South India has as its inspiration, the jewellery engraved on temple sculptures. These traditional designs are replicated and treasured till date.
