journal

The Sparkling World of South Indian Wedding Jewelry: From Head to Toe
Dakshin Bharat, the Southern part of the Indian nation, is known for a lot of things, cultural jewelry being one of t... read more
Beyond the Vows: Exploring the Phera Ceremonies of Indian Weddings
Indian weddings are nothing less than a grand festival in their own right. They’re colorful; they’re lively; they bri... read more
Why Goldsmiths Still Use Crab’s Eye Seed to Measure Gold Jewelry (And Other Measurements)
In the past, the system of weights and measures for everything, including gold jewelry, varied from region to region.... read more
How Many of These Royal Vintage Necklaces Do You Know About?
The Indian royalty, just like its culture, was varied and colorful. But one thing that all its members shared was the... read more
Marco Polo’s Connection With India: What You Didn’t Know
On his visit to China with his father and uncle, the legendary Venetian explorer and merchant, Marco Polo met Kublai ... read more
The Story of Coin Necklaces You Didn’t Know Of
Using coins as jewelry objects, known as Gemme Numari—coin gems or nummary gems—dates back to Ancient Rome. As people... read more
From Wire to Wow: Filigree Gold Jewelry
Gold jewelry crafted in intricate metalwork; fine strands of gold used to make elaborate, eye-catching designs—what y... read more
The Two Things Without Which a Punjabi Bridal Trousseau Is Incomplete!
If you want to see what a grounded, simple Punjabi wedding looked like, you could give Mira Nair’s 2001 masterpiece, ... read more
The Mangal Sutra Is Much More Than Just a Wedding Necklace
Marriages, for a long time, are required to have some form of jewelry as a marital symbol that the woman never remove... read more
From Gold Foil to Gold Jewelry—the Magical Process of Thewa
Beautiful and elaborate, Thewa is a 2–3 centuries-old gold jewelry-making art form that originated in the Partabgarh ... read more
Sweets, Baths, and Fairs: How Indians Mark the End of Winter
The first fortnight of 2023 is almost over, and with it is going to be over the time of the winter. The Sun leaves th... read more
How a Punjabi Zamindar Became Robinhood in Rebellion Against Akbar
The sun has set; people have started around the bonfire that has just been lit. Plates full of popcorn, peanuts, rewa... read more
Square, Circular, Linear: What Is the Absolute Navaratna Arrangement?
The configuration of the Navagrahas and the Navaratna attributed to them creates a symbolism for the universe. As suc... read more
Thewa: An Open Secret of Gold Jewelry
Elaborate designs painstakingly handcrafted out of thin sheets of gold fused on molten glass—these breathtakingly bea... read more
Indian Weddings Are Evolving. What Has Changed?
If you were to describe Indian weddings in one word, what would it be? Grand? Vibrant? Jamboree? While all of these w... read more
Gold Jewelry Investment: How Indians Successfully Defended Their Centuries-old Practice
Gold has a strong ritualistic context in the Indian subcontinent, being an important part of several religious ceremo... read more
The Ultimate Indian Wedding Rituals Glossary You’ll Ever Need!
If you’re looking for something where you can find absolute fun and frolic, pumped-up music, vivid colors, scrumptiou... read more
1 Demon. 9 Gods. 9 Gemstones: the Story of the Navaratna
In the movie Bajirao Mastani, after Bajirao returns from a triumphant win in a battle against invaders in Bundelkhand... read more