Jhumka earrings - from the Great Moguls to Hindu dance to the present day

Why are jhumka earrings the favorite jewelry of Indian women? In India, there are several pieces of Indian jewelry whose beauty has not been damaged in the slightest over hundreds of years. Just such are jhumka earrings - one of the most commonly worn ornaments by Indian women. Jhumka earrings are a firm favorite in India.

They have gained their popularity mainly because of their style, the unusual combination of different designs and the wide range of decorative elements in the earrings. Contrary to what you might think, these earrings are not heavy, so Indian women like to wear them for everyday outfits. Over the years, jhumka earrings have become some of the most recognizable earrings throughout the Indian subcontinent. Jhumka roughly means "bell-shaped earring." And indeed, these unusual ear ornaments resemble bells.

Where do jhumka earrings come from?

The amazing bell-shaped earrings originated during the time of the Great Moguls, who were the Islamic rulers of northern India between the 16th and 19th centuries. It was the Moguls who were first seen wearing jhumkas. Women wore traditional versions of jhumka earrings on a daily basis because they were much lighter and also easier to wear than, for example, karanphool - we'll talk about them later. During the time of the Moguls, jhumkas made of gold and oxidized silver were often offered to deities in Hindu temples.

With the passing of the Great Moguls, jhumkas were given to prominent dancers as a tribute to their art. When the Mughals ended their reign, they gave the jhumkas to the bharatanatyam dancers. From then on, the earrings were thus part of the dancers' clothing. They often attached a small teardrop-shaped piece of metal to the earrings, placing it inside the bell - right in the middle. Sometimes they also attached small strung balls of pearls to the edge of the inverted bell. During the bharatanatyam dance, all the attached trinkets would clink against the bell, making amazing sounds. This perfectly emphasized the oriental atmosphere of the bharatanatyam dance.

Karanphool - a heavy variety of jhumka earrings

One of the most popular varieties of jhumka earrings are the so-called karanphool, originating in Rajasthan. When translated into Polish, the word karanphool roughly means "flower for the ear." Indeed, inside the earring there are stones arranged in a beautiful floral motif. As a rule, they are set with various types of stones, while they are supported around by a row of pearls - to hold the entire weight of the earring on the ear. At the back of a typical karanphool earring there is also a hair attachment to minimize the weight of the ornament in the ears. In the past, in order for the ears to bear more of this type of ornament, the ear was pierced in as many as.... four different places.

Jhumka earrings in the fashion of the 21st century

The beauty of jhumka earrings has gone beyond Indian dance. The ornaments have captivated women to such an extent that they have become part of their daily attire. Earrings have become firmly entrenched in Indian culture - so much so that today it is hard to find an Indian woman who does not own at least one pair of such earrings. Precious jewelry of this type is even passed down from generation to generation - usually as an heirloom. Traditional jhumka earrings have undergone a number of changes over the years, transforming into a completely new piece of jewelry. Every day it attracts more and more women - no longer just from the Indian subcontinent, but from all over the world. Thus, today you can find different variants of jhumkas in ethnic jewelry stores. It is worth noting that almost every pair of jhumka earrings differs from each other in ornamentation. The most opulent versions are marked with engravings, enamel, paint and additions of gemstones or decorative glass. So every woman is sure to find the perfect ethnic earrings for herself.