Punjabi weddings are totally
upbeat in every aspect!
Chunky jewellery, peppy music, amazing
food & people that make every celebration larger than life. Every detail is well thought after & every
ritual/pre wedding ceremony is celebrated with 100% zeal & 200% enthusiasm.
Today’s blog is about one such
significant detail of a big fat Punjabi wedding, THE CHOODA CEREMONY & THE
GORGEOUS KALIRE!!
Chooda traditionally means a set
of 21 bangles in red & white/ ivory. While the Kalire is a beautiful golden
accessory that dangles on to these bangles. In the yesteryear s chooda was made
with haathidaant (elephant tusks) and are now replaced by plastic versions. The
chooda ceremony is held on the morning of the wedding day at the bride’s place.The
bangles are first purified with milk and rose petals, post which the maternal
uncles perform the ritual, all the close relatives touch the chooda as a mark
of their blessings. After that, the wrist is covered with a white cloth, as the
bride cannot see the chooda till the time of the wedding ceremonies.
In an Indian wedding, all the
rituals that are followed hold some cultural or religious significance for the
bride and groom & the same goes with the chooda ceremony!
The Traditional Belief
Chooda is an important part of a
Punjabi bride’s attire. Besides being an evident mark of a new bride, it is believed to bring good luck
for the newlyweds. Also, red is a very important color for a married woman as
it is believed to strengthen the bond between a couple. Fertility and prosperity
are two words that can be easily associated with the chooda, which is worn for
a minimum period of 40-45 days after the wedding day.
The Scientific Significance
Bangles are said to
increase blood flow in human body. Constant abrasion of ring formed circles
will power the veins to pump more blood. Here’s a wild guess that the bangles
have a role to play in the pre wedding glow & pink flush in your cheeks!
The Story of the “Kalire”
Don’t you love the
layers of pretty bouncy kalire adorning the bride’s hands? There’s some magical
glory in these dangling beauties. The bride’s sisters and friends tie the kalire
to her chooda. The significance is to provide good wishes to the bride and to
remind her of her cousins and friends whom she is going to leave behind when
she gets married. Also, the coconut-shape of the kalire is symbolic that she
never runs out of food in the new home, while the metal symbolize wealth and
prosperity. Often there are dried beetle nuts, dry fruits and coconut encrusted
on the kalire. These are available in various designs and sizes, and one can
pick according to their choice. The ritual is followed by the quest for t next
bride!! The bride shakes her chooda and kalire worn hands on the heads of all
the unmarried girls present. It is believed that if any part or leaf of the kalire
falls on the head of any girl’s head, she will be the next one to get married.
This is basically
akin to the bouquet toss in Christian weddings
Though
traditional, with multiple designers on the avenue & options for customization these beauties are now a raging trend. Traditionally, they
were three levels of umbrella shaped pieces on a string. With the kalire
trending these days, the good old kalire have undergone a massive makeover, the
sizes, shapes & colors have seen some major face lift. Right from kalire
with mirror work to ones with pompoms and tiny birds, all the quirk has made making
them a predominant hand ornament.
Whether
the bride is shaking a leg or animatedly taking during the wedding, the kalire
add a beautiful touch to her entire ensemble. If not for the tradition, we feel
that this is one accessory that should be worn for its unique style!
Celebrity Inspiration
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’
lavish wedding might be over but details about their dreamy wedding are totally
amusing!
Priyanka wore custom-created
kalire by accessories designer Mrinalini Chandra for the wedding—and each
hanging had a meaningful connotation that was special to the couple. Nick Jonas
had once played the part of Mr Chip Potts in a Broadway production of Beauty
& The Beast, and sure enough, one of the hangings featured the character.
An engraved silhouette from one of the couple’s most liked Instagram posts, the
steps of the MET, the Parthenon, cupid himself, and several signs symbolic of
Hindu and Christian faiths were spotted in the bride’s unique kalire.
Sonam Kapoor’s exquisite customized kalire were also designed by Mrinalini Chandra.
Sonam wore pretty traditional and
floral kalire and along with it, she sported pretty peacock shaped ones as
well.
For all you quirky brides who
would go out of the way get some quirky kalire custom made, here’s some
picturesque inspiration for you!!
Custom Kalire by Mrinalini Chandra
Floral Kalire by Prune India
