Bangles are an important and significant factor in every Indian weddings and festivities. Women are the most adored in bangles. Based on the cultural significance of bangles, vivid religion in India too gives it’s own significance to the bangles that the women wear.
The ancient record on the existence of bangles is learnt through the terracotta image of dancing girl, obtained from the excavations in Mohenjodaro, which is in modern day Pakistan.
Copper, bronze, gold, agate, chalcedony are some of the elements through which bangles were made. In the statue of a dancing girl, the women had her entire arm covered with bangles.
Bangles are the basic accessories for a women. Men too wear bangles. But unlike women the choice of bangle among men is minimalistic. In Punjab, kada a steel or iron bangle is given to the groom by the father of the bride. Throughout the length and breadth of the country, the bangle of black, red and green colour has it’s own importance. Where as, among the south Indian states, along glass bangles, gold bangles have its superiority too.
Bangles are also the symbol of ‘the complete woman’ as per certain Indian cultural believes. Where as, on the other side Bangles are also symbolically used in boosting the physical strength of a man. It has been a common usage to showcase the masculinity by disregarding women through the bangle she wears. When two men have a war of words they try proving the superiority saying, “ I too know to deal with you. I am not sitting home wearing bangles”. The statement not only defames and belittles women but also substandards her greatest contribution in making a home. Here the bangle she wears which was believed to enhance her feminine nature, seems like a handcuffs.
Men in the scenario, assume themselves to be the police who have all authorities over the movement of women through the hadcuffs.
Bangle, a style statement, an accessory with regard to society also served as the tool to belittling women.