Along with all the outfit and accessories details of each Bollywood bride, one thing that catches the attention of the media is Kaleeras. With it’s unique way of designing and storytelling, they are the newest fashion statement for each Indian bride these days.
Kaleeras are a common wedding jewelry in each of the north Indian Weddings. The long gold ornaments hanging off a bride’s wrists are hard to miss. From heavy golden bunches to intricate single strings, there is a large variety of Kaleera Designs for a bride to choose from at present. We all are aware of the Kaleera fashion, but what’s the history behind it?
Traditionally, the bride’s sisters and her friends tie her the Kaleera as a blessing and best wishes for her married life. Later, the bride tries to drop a Kaleera on the heads of her bridesmaids, which is again a fun ritual to be followed. On whoever, the piece of Kaleera drops that person is considered to be the next in line to get married.
Kaleeras are meant to be edible! As per Punjabi and Himachali traditions, Kaleeras in those days were made out of coconut shells, and Fox nuts as a snack for the new bride. Due to the distance between the bride’s actual home and her new home, the Kaleeras were meant to hold snacks for her in case she got hungry on the way.
Even today, the designs of Kaleeras represent the shape of the food which are traditionally tied on a bride’s wrists. Till today the top half of Kaleera looks like half a coconut, and the smaller beads represent the smaller items like fox nuts.
On the other hand, some studies also suggest that Kaleeras represented a blessing for the bride that she may never run out of food at her new house. And if she did run out of food, for any reason, she was not allowed to live with her parents again. She would have to survive in her new home for the rest of her life.
Talking about the latest tradition of wearing Kaleeras as an accessory on the wedding day, is more of adding a fashion statement and more of sharing the love story of bride and groom through these statement beads on the Kaleera.
Now that you know the reason behind such a significant ritual, would you consider adding Kaleeras to your wedding outfit? Share us in the comments.
