TANAJORE PAINTINGS

Tanjore paintings have decorated the walls of temples, palaces and homes since the chola dynasty(17th century). Deeply rooted in tradition, Tanjore paintings depict divine Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon in rich vibrant colors. Notable for the adornment of semi-precious stones, pearls and 22 karat gold foils, creation of these paintings involves a lot of dedication and several stages of meticulous art work.

Man,s desire to decorate himself with objects of nature like feathers, seeds, and cowrie shells was the initial stage in the development of jewellery. The tribals took great pains to collect these items for their personal decorations. With the advent of the agrarian society, jewellery became associated with the status of a man in society and became a form of savings. In India, jewellery is counted as the wealth of a woman and she inherits it from her father or her husband as gift.
Jewellery is mostly associated with married woman in Indian society and a widow hardly displays any form of jewellery.
A special community of people called Sonars in India make the jewels. They are attached to specific groups and castes of people. Most of the jewellery items worn by Indian women are the same but for some regional influences
Nose ring
Nose ornaments are widely used throughout India. Different shapes and designs are involved, as also different materials are used in its making. Gold, silver, pearls and a variety of precious stones are used.
The nose ornament took shape only in the 10 the century, with the arrival of the Arab invaders. It is of different types like the simple Lavang, clove, to Phuli, the elaborately worked stud, or Nath the nose ring worn in the right nostril and the Bulli the ring worn in the center just over the lips.

Tikka, worn on the forehead
Bore is a head ornament, which is placed at the parting of the hairs. It is also called as Boldra in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The tikka is a round pendant at the end of a long chain and which falls on the forehead.
It is also commonly used throughout India. Bengal has a range of hair jewels, which decorate the hair tied as a bun at the back. In South India a variety of ornaments are available for decorating the loose plait.

A traditional Necklace
For the neck there are scores of chains, necklaces, and chokers available. Guluband is made of beads or rectangular pieces of metals strung together with the help of threads. Then there is the longer Kanthi. Under this can be worn a silver chain or a necklace of beads.
Golden Kadas
To adorn the hands there are of course a variety of rings from the cheap silver items to diamond rings, which are worth a fortune. The top of the hand can be adorned with the hathpool or Rattan Chowk. For the wrist there are the Karda, the Paunchi, the Gajira and the Chuda and these all together make up the bracelet category. Bracelets come in cheap mixed metal varieties to diamond studded gold ones. Above the elbow women wear the Bazoo, the Joshan and the Bank.

Anklet
Anklets for the toes come in different models of heavy metals and silver. The delicately worked paizebs ending in tinkling silver hollow bells is really a good piece to adorn oneself with. The bichua or scorpion ring for the toe is a symbol for married women.

Designs and the mode of techniques vary from region to region and the material used depends upon the status of the wearer in the society. Ornaments range from the simple metal collections to the silver ones, mixed metals, gold, diamond and platinum.

GENITAL PIERCING

There is nothing uncommon about going in for a genital piercing these days. The qualms and the queasiness that used to be associated with getting pierced down there are no more, and the motivations are mainly related to one's sexual life. Some people feel that a piercing might add that much needed spice to a flagging sex life. Others decide to get a piercing in order to feel in control. Many feel that masochism may be the spur that leads people to pierce their genitalia; this may be the exception but not the rule. A genital piercing is like a secret that only you and your partner would know about. However you may look at it, improved sexual relations is the goal that leads people into the workshops of genital piercing experts.

Genital Piercing: How It All Began

Although body piercing has been around in a number of ancient civilizations, the practice of piercing one's genitalia emerged far more recently and in Western society. It is common practice to blame a number of modern day trends on Eastern civilizations, but the credit or blame for genital piercing must lie with the European society of the nineteenth century. In fact, one of the most popular types of genital piercing, the Prince Albert, has been named after the husband of Queen Victoria who is said to have gone in for one of his own. Today, the Prince Albert is just one of the many kinds of genital piercing that people are going in for.

Genital Piercing for Men and Women

If you have decided to get a genital piercing, you will have to decide where exactly you would like to like to wear your new jewellery. Among the more popular areas for men looking to get a piercing done are the foreskin, penis and scrotum. However, men also have the option of getting pierced under the penile tissue. Plus, there is the ever popular Prince Albert which is supposed to be a great stimulator during intercourse.

Women do not have too much to choose from when it comes to getting a genital piercing done. The female genitalia lacks in tissue content, thus making it difficult to find a safe enough area for a piercing. Thus, most women prefer to get a vertical clitoral hood (VCH) piercing. What happens here is that the piercing is made to go through the tissue that is above the clitoris. It is believed that this can act as a stimulant during sex.

Battling the Risks of Genital Piercing

But the fact remains that piercing one's body is not without its risks. Even something as simple and straightforward as piercing one's ear lobe is a major issue. Why should the risks be any less for a sensitive area like the genitals? If anything, there should be far greater risks involved in the latter. That is why it is of great import to go to a reputed body piercing expert who is aware of the dangers of a piercing gone wrong. After all, if you have decided to get a piercing done in a sensitive area of your body, it is best to entrust the task to an expert.
Now, what are the risks involved in piercing your genitalia?
A genital piercing gone wrong can be very painful and may make you prone to infection..It is possible that you might even lose sensation in the area of account of the piercing. If you are supremely unlucky, the piercing might run through and damage strategic nerves thus leading to the inability to have an orgasm.
There can be no compromise as far as cleaning the piercing is concerned. If you slack off on the cleaning aspect, you could end up with a nasty infection.
Getting just about anybody to do the piercing is not a good idea. You never know whether or not the needles have been sterilized. After all, you would not want to end up with HIV or some other STD only because you were keen to save money on that piercing. In fact, you would also be running the risk of contracting hepatitis, tetanus, and tuberculosis among other things.
Sometimes you could even land up with permanent scars as a result of genital piercing..These are only some of the more obvious dangers that you may be susceptible to if you decide to go in for genital piercing. You need to ask yourself whether you are prepared to deal with the consequences if something goes wrong with the piercing procedure. Would you be willing to place your health in jeopardy in a bid to improve your sexual relations? Give these issues a thought before you get under the needle.

Aftercare for Genital Piercing
Even if you have decided to be adventurous enough to get a piercing down there in a bid to spice up your sex life, you will have to abstain from intercourse till the piercing heals completely. The point to remember is that the piercing is itself a wound, irrespective of how you look at it. Hence, you need to make sure that you protect it from infection.
A new piercing, whether on your ear, eyebrow, or genitals is bound to feel strange at first. As a result, you may feel the urge to keep touching the piercing. Fight this urge to keep fiddling with the piercing as this will only prolong the healing process.
Make sure you are having a balanced diet that includes all the necessary nutrients..
Wash your hands with an anti-bacterial soap to ensure that they are germ-free before you touch the piercing.
Stay as clean as possible. Keep your bedding clean. Wear clean underwear. Take the necessary measures to make sure that your piercing does not become prone to infection.On the whole, genital piercing needs a lot of care. If you are really keen to add to your sex life and are willing to take care of your piercing, you can go in for one. However, make sure that you keep the risks in mind.

TYPES OF JEWELLERY

Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal ornament, such as a necklace, ring, or bracelet, made from gemstones, precious metals or other materials.
The word jewellery is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" circa the 13th century.[1] Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewellery.[2]
Although during earlier times jewellery was created for practical uses such as wealth storage and pinning clothes together, in recent times it has been used almost exclusively for decoration. The first pieces of jewellery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone. Jewellery was often made for people of high importance to show their status and, in many cases, they were buried with it.
Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. While high-quality is made with gemstones and precious metals, there is also a growing demand for art jewellery where design and creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less-costly costume jewellery, made from less-valuable materials and mass-produced. New variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewellery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.

My Gold Jewellery – Is it Worth More Today?
As I write gold is worth about $630 US an ounce. Since August 2005 the price of gold has risen from $447 US which represents a whopping 43% increase.
So yes, your jewellery must be worth a little more if it is made of gold. Silver too has increased a good deal. However, don’t forget that the gold in your jewellery is made from an alloy of gold. That means that other, usually less costly metals, are mixed in with the pure gold to make its carat.
Chinese people like to buy jewellery made from 24 carat gold and some folks from the Arabic counties prefer 22 carat gold, but the rest of the world likes 9 carat which is the most used in Australia and a good deal in England, 14 carat and 18 carat which is used in the USA and Europe.
Let’s have a look at the factors that are important to the price of your jewellery. If your gold jewellery is made from nine carat yellow gold then it only has 37.5 percent gold in it, if it is 14 carat then it only has 58.5 percent real gold in it.
Now understand that an average ladies ring might have 2.5 grams of gold in it and at current retail rates that gold content might be worth say, $30 per gram. So if gold went up a further 50% then the gold in your ring won’t go up 50% because it is an alloy and not pure gold, and there is only a small bit of gold in the ring so your $600 ring might be worth another $30 or so.

MANGALSUTRA
MANGALSUTRA-The Sacred symbol of the Hindu Marriage
A mangalsutra is a Hindu symbol of marriage, consisting of a golden ornaments strung from a yellow threads, a number of black pearls or a gold chain. It is comparable to a Western wedding, and is supported by a married woman to her husband’s death. Mangalsutra in numerous designs. If a marriage is arranged, the pattern is usually chosen by the groom’s family according to their habits.
A Hindu marriage symbolizes not only a combination of two individuals, but also the commitment of understanding, commitment, mutual love and spiritual growth. In the Hindu tradition of marriage is not just about celebration and fun, but requires sacrifice, companionship, commitment and dedication from both partners. Each and every ritual and custom relating to the marriage portrays the real essence of the wedding.
Mangalsutra is such a symbol of marriage. It is not just a piece of jewelry. On the contrary, it has a lot of importance to a Hindu woman married. It is a sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by married women as a symbol of their marriage. Infact, Mangalya dharanam (literally “the wearing of mangalya”) is the most important part of a Hindu marriage ceremony.
The bridegroom ties it around the neck of the bride on the day of their marriage signifying their union. It is known by different names in different states of the country. In South India is known as “Thaali ‘or’ Mangalsutra” in the north India.In Tamil Nadu and in some other states, Thaali’s bound in a thick yellow thread. If the thread is worn out, they will be replaced by a new thread. Thaali’s of various shapes and sizes are available from several municipalities on the basis of their particular customs. Thaali are of different types namely: - embithai thaali, amathaali, kolunthu thaali, variven thaali and manikka thaali. Thaali This goes hand in hand with the weapon of Lord Mahavishnu. It is assumed that Lord Krishna was amathaali (form of the turtle) and kolunthu thaali (tender leaves). Thaali is considered favorable by the married women, and they contribute up to her death or her husband’s death.
Mangalsutra is the symbol of dignity and love of a bride from her groom. The most common form is two strings of small black beads with a medallion or trailers. It is also composed of small beads of gold and black beads with gold and diamond pendants. The black pearls mean protection against evil power. It is believed to protect their marriage and life of their husbands. It is considered auspicious for married women to wear mangalsutra after the wedding ceremony. Although today the trend is changing, as most of them do not bear mangalsutra.
Today is the concept of wearing a mangalsutra has changed. It is more a fashion statement as a symbol of the marriage. And Credit goes to the daily soaps and Hindi movies. The style has also changed over the years. Previously women use to wear simple design mangalsutra with a small trailer, but now the trend is to wear short length of each string and trailers instead of gold they prefer diamonds trailers. But the black pearls remain constant. But what may be the reason to wear it symbolizes the true essence and the concept of marriage.

India is fashion world due to its rich tradition and. well known and famous for its traditional jewelry. The types of jewelry that are available in India are as varied as the regions in India! Every state has its own style of traditional jewelry which is famous for its uniqueness and style. The traditional Indian jewelry becomes the obvious choice for any traditional or auspicious occasion. It provides a very royal and ethnic look to a person thus blending traditional look with the modern times.
The Indian ornaments have become popular in not just the Indian sub continent but also the world over. Their vast variety makes sure that there is one special ornament/jewelry for every occasion! These ornaments can be worn individually or can be combined with each other in accordance to the attire and the occasion. The uniqueness combined with the traditional quality and styling is what makes the Indian jewelry stand out among all other types of jewellery.Jewelry is said to be the integral part of every Indian and by seeing this passion jewelry for every part of the body is made in India. From the desire of self-adornment took birth the first jewelry of the civilization. Man had just completed his discoveries and inventions to accomplish his basic needs, when the desire of looking better struck him. The first step towards fulfilling this desire may have been the apparel but the very next place was reserved by the jewelry for every part of body. And then there was no end to the experiments, developments, creation and adornment. Apart from self-adornment, the need for personal talisman too was one of the main motivations behind amulet design ornaments.
Initially the objects from nature were directly used for making jewelry. And these objects included seeds, stone, grass, shells and pebbles. Various old paintings, sculptures and scriptures confirm the extensive use of ornaments in the early days. They also reflect on the creativity of those people who had very little or almost no resources and technology as compared to today’s world.