| Aspect | Detail |
| General Characteristics | |
| Prevalence | Love for ornaments and jewelry is a universal phenomenon. |
| Origin | Likely began with the transition from nomadic life to settled agriculture. |
| Historical Evidence | Ancient scriptures (Ramayana, Mahabharata), archaeological excavations (Mohenjodaro, Harappa), and old temple art provide descriptions. |
| Purpose | Primarily for adornment; decorations often inspired by the region’s flora and fauna. |
| Preferred Metal | Silver is the preferred metal as gold is relatively rare; most ornaments feature heavy, bold designs. |
| Economic Indicator | The extent of one’s jewelry collection often serves as an indicator of economic status. |
| Body Parts Adorned | Crafted for the head, forehead, ears, nose, neck, arms, wrists, fingers, ankles, and toes. |
| Specific Ornaments (Examples) | |
| Head/Hair Ornaments | ‘Chiri’ or ‘Chak’ (fastened on the head, silver and gold, popular in upper regions); ‘Chilki’ (silver, fastened to the hair by a chain, also called ‘Shringar patti’). |
| Ear Ornaments | ‘Thumka’ or ‘Jhumka’ (often with a bell-shaped pendant); ‘Phulian’ (small, sometimes with a conical turquoise); ‘Dandi’ (simple earring with coiled wire); ‘Chhodku Jhumkas’; ‘Bundes’ (smaller tops); ‘Litkani’ (triangular Bunde); ‘Gol’ (large, favored by Gujjar women, with tinsel, hollow beads, and a wire-knit chain); ‘Chalik’ or ‘Kante’ (silver); ‘Kanbali’ (larger size); ‘Kan-phul’ (bunch of silver flowers, also ‘pharloc’ or ‘gokharu’, with a plaque and bell-shaped pendant). |
| Nose Ornaments | ‘Koka’ (small gold knob, often with a ‘thewa’ or shining jewel); ‘Phuli’ (usually star-shaped with a central jewel, gold face with a silver pin); ‘Laung’ (gold-studded nose top, disc-shaped, 5-10 grams); ‘Tili’ (small, about one gram, common for young girls); ‘Nath’ (large nose ring, often with a chain attached to the hair); ‘Nathni’ (smaller, for daily use). |
| Neck Ornaments | ‘Hansali’ (silver necklace, about 40 grams and ten centimeters long); ‘Jomala’ (simple garland made of coins, historically silver); ‘Himail’ or ‘Paoli’ (necklaces often with low-denomination coins, in Kinnaur known as ‘bitri’, ‘daroli’, or ‘chandrumalang’, sometimes studded with coral or turquoise); ‘Kantha’ or ‘Kanthi’ (silver beads on a thread, about 50 grams, also ‘mala’, ‘kandhri’, or ‘upalka’; heavier versions like ‘Kach’, ‘Patkachong’, or ‘kachong’ feature multiple silver strings and triangular plaques); ‘Chandrabhar’ (chains of star-shaped units with enamel work, now less common); ‘Locket’ or ‘Ranihar’ (popular among town ladies, often heavy and worn by the wealthy); ‘Tandeera’ or ‘Hansli’ (solid metal neck ornament, 35-50 cm circumference, with one thicker half); ‘Singi’ (pipe-shaped, with a bend, worn for good luck and to ward off evil spirits); ‘Dholl’ (cylindrical pendant). |
| Anklets | ‘Pajeb’ (silver, about a quarter kilogram, with varieties like ‘Shakuntala Chain’, ‘Gulshan patti’, and ‘Phulu’, featuring small and large drops). |
| Toe Rings | ‘Anguthari’ (silver ring for the toe); ‘Anguthure’ (silver ring for the big toe); and ‘Chhalle’ (including ‘Bkhhu’, ‘Phullu’, ‘Guthara’). |
| Influences | Many Pahari jewelry pieces show influences from Mughal style (e.g., ‘tabiz’, ‘talis’, ‘puzeb’, ‘chanki’) and are often inspired by the surrounding natural environment. |
| Display | Women proudly display their jewelry and ornaments during special occasions like marriages, birth ceremonies, and religious fairs and festivals. |
| Trends | While fondness for ornaments may be declining in urbanized areas, the hills and mountains are likely to retain these traditions due to economic stability from horticulture reducing migration. |
