In her entire bridal jewelry trousseau, a necklace is perhaps one of the most important pieces, if not the most, that a bride owns—a part of the Solah Shringar. A stunning piece can enhance the beauty of your bridal outfit manifold! For a contemporary Indian bride, who values her cultural heritage, there are several beautiful traditional Indian bridal necklaces that she can wear to celebrate her roots.
8 Bridal Necklaces to Choose From for Your Wedding
You might know the Satlada or the Guttapusalu bridal necklace that Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor wore for their weddings. But these are just two of the many that represent our diverse culture. To make the process of choosing easier for you, we’ve curated an entire list from which you can select one that would be perfect for your D-day!
Aadh
Image courtesy: Pinterest
The Aadh necklace is a traditional Rajasthani necklace made of two main components—the choker-like centerpiece and a curtain-like mesh. It was created especially to suit the luxurious tastes of the Rajasthani queens, but it later became a staple of Rajasthani bridal jewelry.
Guluband
The Guluband is one of the most popular necklaces due to its adaptability. It doesn't hang loosely like a rani haar or too tightly like a choker. It rests on or slightly above the collarbone. Also called the “princess necklace”, the design of the Guluband draws from the country's multiple influences and cultures. It became popular during the Mughal and Nizam rule with the design evolving to incorporate emeralds, diamonds, and enamelling work.
Guttapusalu
Image courtesy: Sonam Kapoor
A unique Indian wedding necklace from the Coromandel, the Guttapusalu Haram, as it is traditionally known, is a famous traditional necklace from Andhra Pradesh. The abundance of pearls it displays is its most prominent feature. Originally worn by the royals of South India, the Guttapusalu necklace is now a popular piece of jewelry. Bollywood bride Sonam Kapoor donned this regal Indian wedding necklace for their respective weddings.
Hasli
The Hasli necklace derives its name from the Hindi word 'hansuli' meaning 'collar bone' because it rests on the collarbone of the wearer. The traditional Hasli is rigid and tapers towards the end in the form of a collar necklace. While some are symmetrical, others may have a pendant. Some also feature enamelling on the back. Mira Nair, the world-renowned Indian filmmaker wore a Hasli on her wedding day.
Kaliganthi
The name Kaliganthi is derived from the form and significance of this bridal necklace which is that of an amulet, where the amulet or “dodi'' suggests the individual units made of gold filigree and decorated with pearls and gemstones strung into a necklace. The Kaliganthi is traditionally given to a bride on her wedding day by her in-laws.
Manga Malai
Image courtesy: Manini’s
Sometimes referred to as the temple jewelry of the South, the Manga Malai is a hefty wedding necklace made in gold, with precious gemstones such as rubies and diamonds set using the kundala-velai technique. The Manga Malai consists of 46 pendants in the shape of mangoes secured by two flat crocheted gold wire chains that fit through loops on the back of the pendants. A true pièce de résistance that is worthy of being worn by a bride on her wedding day.
Satlada
Image courtesy: Vogue
A seven-strand pearl necklace, increasing in length consecutively, the Satlada is made with pearls and pendants.The older versions have been known to include 465 pearls, but most modern versions have any number with diamonds and other gemstones, with each strand acting as an independent necklace with its own pendant. The Satlada makes for a gorgeous wedding necklace and was earlier typically gifted by the mother-in-law at the wedding ceremony. Bollywood actess Deepika Padukone gave us bridal jewelry goals when she chose to wear the Satlada necklace for her Mehendi ceremony.
Thussi
The Thussi necklace is one of a plethora of Indian necklaces that Marathi women traditionally don. Brides and married ladies wear thussis during weddings, festivals, and other celebrations. This choker-style Indian bridal necklace has a very local design and complements the traditional attire well.