Trinkets
What’s that wrapped in shiny pink gauze?
On a recent trip to Delhi, a dear friend took me jewellery shopping. I am not a big fan of traditional desi gold jewellery, both for all the nauseating cultural importance it has in our society and for how literally hideous and excessive it can be. Like many Indian women of my class and generation, I have accumulated a lot over the years through various ceremonies, but have stubbornly resisted wearing it on a regular basis. I do confess to a severe weakness for earrings. But why go for gaudy gold, I say, when there is such superb, oxidised silver around?
I had long eyed the lovely jhumkas dangling on my friend’s ears over the years, and she finally consented to take me to this secret, favourite shop of hers, where she watched horrified as I went totally overboard and mopped up a good deal of it. Maybe it was the blistering, unforgiving September heat in Delhi, or our being rattled after the serial bomb blasts the evening before, but I got inordinately, obscenely fascinated by these earrings.
Before I knew it, I was practising my macro photography turning the lens love on them – for what’s a blogger to do if not to photograph something and upload it? I’m neither knitting nor cooking much these days – so here’s some stone-metal-pron instead, a few select pieces from the stuff I bought. I wish I’d taken my camera to the shop to snap the artisans deftly matching stone to pattern right in front of me. They are able to personalise your chosen pattern to a wide range of stones, and their intricate artwork is stunning.
Now I have a dreadful task ahead of me. This afternoon I have to give a few of these to my sister. She’s more fond of gold than I am – maybe she’ll just snort at these trinkets and say she doesn’t want any, you think (she asked, hopefully)?
What’s that you said about where I bought them? Alas, my friend (wisely, as it turned out) blindfolded me before taking me there. So excessive and proprietorial, I tell you! But, then again, maybe it was for the best…
Gorgeous earrings!
Lovely, lovely things.
It’s not remotely the same, I’m sure, but I always used to love going into the Oriental Institute at the U of C (my U of C, not yours!) just to visit its shop, which had quite a good array of earrings along these lines. Many, many of them came home with me over the years.
(Also, glad you’re OK–the bits of news about bombings always make me a little worried for you.)
So glad to hear from you! And with such lovely earrings.
Lovely pieces. I too discovered the shop recently by accident. The artisans were AWOL then, and I didn’t realize you could get them customized. Good to know for next time!
those green ones are stunning.
am a teeny bit regretful that i let the cat out of the bag and you will no longer be jealous of my collection! heh heh.
the coin ear-rings, dear readers are actually mine which dk pinched some time ago! not bought on the same trip, but from the same shop.
sigh, i should have bought those jhumkas, dammit.
Oooh! (I’m inordinately fond of silver too)
Those pictures with gold are blinding.
I have serious earring envy! My favorites are the peacocks, the pagoda-shaped ones, and the red double teardrops. Wow. And that second gold necklace picture is sort of horrifying
Thank you thank you – so dear readers, A is my forgetful friend of the blindfold – clearly she has forgotten that she gifted me those coin earrings with much lowe. A – the jhumkas you already had are nicer!
NSG, am amazed you stumbled on to the same shop! What are the chances??
Orata – the question that first struck me when I saw that woman laden with the gold is – how didn’t she keel over? Then someone pointed out that she was likely wearing the same amount at the back to keep her propped upright!
I love the double teardrop ones too – they’re my favourites.
Thanks so much, Gwen, Carishma and Amy! I think I am going to build quite a collection over the next year.
Spud – thanks for the headsup about the Oriental Institute – I am going to check it out when I’m there… although I imagine they’ll be a lot more expensive there.
Chances were very slim indeed. Didn’t know the name of the shop I had stumbled into till A enlightened me!
Agree with A; the green one is really nice.
Very beautiful.
Ohhhh!! Pretty Silver!! I’m so glad there’s someone else out there who prefers silver over gold. My mother is continually frustrated that I don’t enjoy gold jewelry as much as any of the other women in my family… the fact that I prefer handmade/handcrafted pieces makes it even more difficult for her.
SO smart of your friend to blindfold you… else I might have been forced to request an additional trip for a girl here back in the states who is totally enamored with those little peacock earrings… and the bells… and the lovely red ones.
All the earrings look gorgeous, I just love the combination of the stones with the antique oxidized silver. They are all fab!
I like the silver better too! Those are gorgeous! Good choices!
hey Prachi swalpa shop name enu antha tell me kane?
desiknitter, i’ve been resisting commenting on this particular post because i knew i’m going to be very very very undignified….
please please please please please tell (or ask your friend to tell) me where in Delhi is this wonderful store? think of sharing this information as a kindness to the artistes…you’re sending business their way, what could be better for them!?!
pleeeeeeease??
[btw, malini -- thank you for writing what you did....i haven't heard kannada in sooooooo long, just reading that one line made my heart skip a beat!]
desiknitter, these earrings are sooooooo lovely…..they do have a stunning collection at this store. (please?) i feel like buying a flight home right away, just to buy earrings.
glad you’re enjoying yourself
. your india posts are really making me miss being there (well, except for “honk”).
have fun,
vasudha
You people crack me up! Vasudha – good to see you here after such a long time – neenu kannada maataaDtiya? good to know…
accha, after much arm-twisting, I have procured the information that the shop is “Aakar” in Shahpur Jat village in south Delhi, just off Khel Gaon marg. It’s to your left on the right lane, once you enter the village from the Khel Gaon side. Very small shop and easy to miss. Enjoy!
Silver jewelry is a weakness of mine and you have me coveting, big time! What perfect taste you have–these are gorgeous!
OMG OMG OMG.. these earrings are absolutely stunning. I have a weakness for oxidized silver earrings. Thank u so much for sharing this