Indian Bridal Jewelry | Payals

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A pair of payals or anklets is considered one of the items in a woman’s solah shringar or sixteen adornments, according to certain Hindu customs. While most bridal jewelry serves to bring the attention up to a woman’s face, payals tinkle merrily on the bride’s hennaed feet. A favourite accessory or jewelry to Indian women of all faiths and communities, the payal is a subtle way to accessorise your bridal outfit.

There are many Indian traditions associated with this pretty accessory; often payals with their little bells were worn by new brides to announce their entry into their husband’s home. Traditionally, the bride was gifted a pair of anklets by her maternal uncle before she left for her new home. This custom continues today too in many households where the parents or the uncle buy payals for the bride and of course brides buy them too for their wedding trousseau.

Payals are designed differently in different parts of the country. They may be in brass, silver or gold, with intricate designs and carvings or even simple metal ropes or chains and often with tiny bells attached. Brides often pick payals with some work like kundan, diamonds, crystals, coloured stones or meenakari work for their wedding outfits. You can even pick coloured beads and stones and customize your payals to match each outfit. Silver payals are often favoured by Indian brides because gold is considered a sacred metal and it is considered to be inauspicious and disrespectful to wear it on the feet, according to some customs.

Whatever the traditional stories behind this ornament may be, it looks super pretty peeking out from under the wedding saree or lehenga. All the more reason to pamper yourself with a fabulous pre-wedding pedicure!

Keep reading for more details on the various beautiful Indian bridal Jewelry, at Marry Me – The Wedding Planners in Mumbai.