Tuesday, April 2, 2013

UBC 2 - AtoZ - Bangles and Bracelets

Day 2 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge and the letter B for the  AtoZ Blogging Challenge (thanks Arlee Bird for starting this challenge)


B is for ... Bangles and Bracelets

As soon as I thought of the letter B the words Bangles and Bracelets came to mind. I tried to think of other words but these were pretty persistent so I think I have to go with it.

I'm not sure what the significance of bangles is in Indian culture, but rarely do you see women and girls without bangles. It may be considered inauspicious to have bare hands.

On a personal note, I absolutely love bangles and bracelets and rarely have I walked out of the house without wearing one or the other. On the days that I have, I felt incomplete. I also like the tinkling sounds they make. Bangles make me feel happy.

Back in India, I also wore ankle bracelets (payals) but they always seem to be covered with socks now so have abandoned those. Payals are pretty too. When my daughter was little we lived in a large house in India and I would make her wear payals with little bells so I could tell where she was.

On every trip to India, I collect bangles.  It's great fun to go bangle shopping there. Unfortunately I haven't got any pics of bangle shops to show (note to self to take a pic the next time I visit), so here's one from Wikipedia.



Today I am grateful for bangles and bracelets that adorn my hands and make them look decorative and lift my spirits.

And here is a pic of one of my favourite bracelets made from paua shell. I love the blue colour of paua.


Wish you a beautiful day.

Warm Regards
Photobucket

64 comments:

  1. You must visit Jaipur and check out the variety of bangles available here... Right from lac to glass, brass, ceramic... with beads and stones, different designs and such vibrant colours... a shopping paradise indeed.

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    1. Thanks Shilpa, Jaipur is on my places to see list.

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    2. Oh ya Jaipur is one hell of a place too
      Also there is one on the way to Jaipur I guess ferozabad
      Famous bangles and other hand made stuff
      Cheap and amazing stuff they have

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    3. Thanks Afshan. Oh wow - bangles everywhere.

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  2. Replies
    1. Me too Vrndavana. I think they look so pretty and they make feet look pretty too.

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  3. How interesting bracelets, I had not heard about them being called paypal. I like your favorite also. Stopping by from UBC. Good lucky with your months journey!

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  4. Thanks Karren. Paua shell jewellery is beautiful.

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  5. When my oldest was born, one of my besties, an Indian, gave me some tiny gold payals with bells for her to wear. They were stolen along with the rest of my jewellery a few years later when we got broken into.

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    Replies
    1. We love to adorn ourselves with jewellery and we adorn our babies too. Sorry to hear all your jewellery was stolen. I hope they caught the person.

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  6. I love the looks of bracelets but the ding, ding, ding, and flopping around drives me nuts. :(

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. I think one has to be Indian to truly appreciate bangles.

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  7. Just stopping by from AtoZ. Great post, and I loved the picture of the bangles. I've always thought bangles had a language of their own. Beautiful!
    http://skaypisms.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thanks Sangita. Very nicely put - a language of their own.

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  8. Brought back middle school memories of "Bangle Sellers" by Sarojini Naidu. The blue bracelet looks interesting :-) <3 A fellow bangle lover!

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  9. Bangles are addictive, although I've escaped the addiction, my sister is totally hooked into it. She has at least 2000 bangles and still wants more :) Lovely bracelet too. Keep jangling!

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    1. Thanks Cuckoo. Oh wow 2000 bangles - my collection isn't that large at all - but bangles are bangles - always bring happiness.

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  10. Bangles are beautiful and they complement any traditional attire wonderfully.I love bracelets too.Traditional Indian Payals worn in pairs go well with ethnic wear while a single anklet looks good with skirts.As Shilpa said,lac bangles from Jaipur are really beautiful..
    Nice post Suzy.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sharmila. I love wearing my bangles with my Indian clothes. But I wear them with my western outfits too.

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  11. I am such a plain Jane-- or in my case, plain Jenn. I don't wear much jewelry and haven't worn bracelets since high school???

    They are pretty though!!

    Cheers, Jenn

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jenn - my bangles are all costume jewellery. I just love the colours and patterns.

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  12. Oh, so colorful and festive. I have to admit, though, that I have never been a bracelet person. Really, I'm not one for much jewelry at all, but certainly not on my wrists. I tried to wear bracelets in my youth, but they made me a little crazy. In my older age, I even gave up wearing a watch. (The cell phones made that much easier, since before I had to have a watch to know what time it was!)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Cheri. Yep, cell phones are a saviour - in more ways than just the time!

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  13. That's a pretty bracelet, Suzy! Nice post!

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  14. I love your bracelet. Such a vibrant colour ! I love bangles too but I prefer to wear one single bracelet or bangle instead of a whole lot of them !But I love the music they make :P

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    1. Thanks Ruchira. Sometimes I wear a single bangle as well. Usually at work so that they don't tinkle too much.

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  15. Hey suzy
    If u love bangles you would love visiting laad bazaar charminar Hyderabad
    I have many pics clicked there and many collections which I purchased
    Absolutely stunning place and they make bangles in ur fav color and design on order
    ;) blue one is bful

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Afshan. If I ever do visit Hyderabad I will definitely visit the bazaar. I like the idea of design on order. thanks for that.

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  16. I love the tinkling glass bangles and the tiny sounds they make :) lovely post btw :)

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  17. I can't imagine that I used to wear several glass bangles at one time, Suzy. Now a simple gold bracelet or a kada is enough for me. Love your braclet though. I must connect you with my friend who designs fantastic Hyderabadi bangles of the kind Afshan mentions.

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    1. Next time I'm in Bombay will meet up with you and your friend. Thanks Corinne. I love kadas too.

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  18. Hey Suzy, that was a superb idea. Making your daughter wear payals as a child so you knew exactly where she was. It was your very own GPS. Nice post on bangles and bracelets. I used to love bangles as a child too.

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    1. Thanks Cynthia - she was a master at hiding - only way I could find her.

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  19. U shoul definetely visit Charminar the next time! The pic u shared from wiki could as well be a shot of charminar :).

    Thank you for dropping in...

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    1. Thanks Meena - will have to remember all these places - might do a bangle tour.

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  20. That paua is lovely. You've inspired me to embrace my ankle bracelets again this summer. As it is, I'm on a search for lovely, floaty, long, light skirts for the summer. I want to feel light and airy. I do love the sound of the bangles.

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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    1. Thanks Shannon - oh glad I did. Yep, ankle bracelets go well with floaty long light skirts.

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  21. What a happy post Suzy! Bangles and payels are such happy li'l things. How easily they can uplift our spirit.

    like you, i too always make sure to wear bangles or bracelet and of course my watch too. without then i feel that something is missing.

    And what a Coincidence it is to find you writing a post on Bangles too.

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    1. Thanks Preetilata. Bangles and payals - pretty and joyful.

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  22. Loved your posts...Love bangles, bracelets and anklets and amulets indeed.

    This is my 2nd comment as the first one got vanished during sudden Internet balck off. Never mind.

    The gist is, bangles are considered auspicious for married women and girls too wear them as fashion totem. Starting from ethnic glass, bangles comes in all kind of material incl lite weight wood n plastics.

    Payal is anklet basically worn in both the legs...My father use to get few for me.

    have u tried wearing a payal with lots of "ghunghroos"? If no, pl do try them..they look awesome!

    ektakhetan.blogspot.in

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    1. Thanks Ekta. I used to wear payals when I lived in India - with the ghunghroos - but now here in NZ it is usually quite cold and the payals are just hidden under socks.

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  23. I love those bangles. I never wear bracelets or bangles but I do admire those who do.

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  24. That snap with the bangles is gorgeous! :) Look forward to the rest of your challenge posts!
    Damyanti @Daily(w)rite
    Co-host, A to Z Challenge 2013

    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge

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    1. Thanks Damyanti for visiting and commenting. Look forward to your posts too.

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  25. The bangles and bracelets always look pretty, but anything loose around my wrist(s) would drive me crazy!

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    1. And I'm just the opposite - bare hands make me feel incomplete! Thanks Paula for visiting.

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  26. I too had a whole collection of them...Hyderabadi, Jaipuri, bangles from Agra....I loved dressing up in traditional Indian style. A rarity these days. Nice post.

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    1. Thanks Janu. I love dressing up in my Indian outfits too - though I don't get to do that too often. Love love love my Indian clothes and accessories.

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  27. Payals are simply beautiful, what a lovely post. Thanks so much for sharing :)

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    1. Thanks Anita-Clare and you are welcome. Glad you liked my post.

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  28. If you love Bangles, you should visit Charminar in Hyderabad, the next time you visit India.

    Indians traditional stuff make you feel beautifully feminine, don't they!

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely Nandana. I love all things Indian. I live overseas but my soul belongs to India.

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  29. Love the bracelet, I picked up some lovely payals from Lucknow. These are made of thread and have tiny ghungroos on them. I adore them, you must check out shops which sell these.

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    1. Hi Sulekha - bangle shopping is one of my favourite pastimes in India. I'm homesick now!

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  30. I love bracelets more than bangles, but am too lazy to wear either ;)

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    1. Hi Shail. I have my bracelet days and my bangle days and some days it's a hard choice.

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  31. I am such a bangles fan myself. Though I don't wear the colourful bangles everyday, but you will always find me wearing at least a bracelet or a simple kadha (thicker bangle). If i get out of home without a bangle, i feel so weird! But after reading your post, I am definitely wearing a salwar kameez with lots of bangles tomorrow!

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    1. Hi Anuradha. I love kadha's too and have a few of those as well. oh cool, enjoy the bangles.

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  32. You have quite the collection! Awesome!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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