Solah Shringar- The Sixteen Accoutrements

Indian women have always been encouraged to make the most of their looks with cosmetics and herbs. Even in the vedic times, Sanskrit texts laid down the concept of Solah Shringar or the sixteen traditional accoutrements with which every women could adorn herself. These were designed for every part of body, and irrespective of class, many of them can be fashioned out of wood, glass, fresh flowers or precious jewels.

For an Indian bride, the wedding day is the most important day of her life. Every Bride wants to look like a princess on her Wedding Day. Most of the girls in our country have lots of dreams for this day, since it marks the beginning of their journey into womanhood. Different kinds of beauty rituals are associated with the wedding day, as her female friends and relatives gather together to prepare her for the most special occasion of her life. Almost all the girls wish to look their best and epitomize beauty on their wedding day. In India, the beautification of the bride consists of sixteen parts and covers almost every part of the body, right from the head to the toe.  Solah Shringar is representation feminity and our culture. The bride’s solah shringar starts from the top with her hair and ends at her toe. Solah shringar(literally meaning sixteen decorations) is traditionally marked by the sixteen items of cosmetics and jewelry. Female relatives and friends of the bride participate in the process of adorning her.

In India, the beautification of the bride consists of sixteen parts and covers almost every part of the body right from the head to the toe. The term shringar is also associated with Goddess Lakshmi, who is a model wife and the representation of female beauty, good luck, prosperity and fertility.

Here are the detailed information about the solah shringar of an Indian bride—

Bindi
The first shringar of the bride, bindi has a strong religious implication and is a sacred symbol of a married woman which is put on the bride’s forehead and decorated with red and white dots around it and along the eyebrows.

Sindoor
A sacred symbol of suhaag, sindoor or vermillion is applied on the center parting of the hair and is a part of the shringar of a married woman.

Maangteeka
A hair accessory, Maangtika is worn on the central parting of the hair of the bride. It is mostly made out of gold and embellished with semi precious stones, pearls or diamonds

Anjana

Kajal or kohl is one of the most popular solah shringar. It is basically applied on the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, enhancing the bride's eyes and making it attractive and appealing.

Nath Nath or the nose ring completes the look of the bride, making her look traditional and ethnic. This ring is made of gold with pearls or other precious gems and is worn on the left nostril and is supported by a gold chain, which extends just behind left ear.

Haar
After the face, next comes the neck of the bride. It is adorned with beautiful haar or necklace. Necklaces and chains of different lengths which is usually made of gold and embellished with diamonds pearls or other precious stones are also worn by the bride. Mangalsutra which is worn around the neck is tied by the groom during the wedding rituals.

Karn Phool

Ear rings or karn phool adorn the ear of the bride. Since the ear rings worn by bride are quite heavy they are normally supported by a gold chain passing over the crown of the head. Mostly, the ear ring flaunted by the bride is made out of gold and is extremely beautiful and heavy.

Mehendi
Mehndi signifies the essence of love in wedlock and is essentially applied on the hands and feet of the bride, to strengthen that bond of love. It is one of the most special pre-wedding rituals in India.

Choodiyan
Bangles or choodiyan adore the wrist of the bride and are usally made of glass, laakh or gold. Conventionally, brides adore their wrist with red bangles.

Baajuband
Baajuband or more popularly known as armlets are worn on the upper arms of the bride over the sari blouse and are similar to bangles in their appearance. Mughal, Rajasthani or Jaipuri are the most popular designs of baajuband.

Aarsi
The fingers of the bride are adorned with exotic rings. Aarsi is the thumb ring which the bride wears. It mostly has mirror embedded on it and enable the bride to have a glimpse of herself as well as her life-partner.

Keshapasharachana
Apart from the make-up, hair style plays an imperative role in determining the look of the bride. Mostly, the hair is tied in the braid style, with hair accessories and flowers accentuating the look.

Kamarband
Kamarband is a waist band that is tied on the waist line of the bride. Made up of gold, it is embellished with stones, diamonds and precious gems and is beautifully designed.

Payal & Bichuas

Made up of silver, it is a thick chain that is tied on the ankle and is adorned with tiny bells that make enticing sound. Bichuas or toe rings are similar to rings worn in the fingers of the hand, but are worn in the fingers of each foot.

Itar
Itar is a special fragrance that is applied on to the bride. It emits a special aroma and that helps the bride stay fresh despite the long elaborate rituals performed.

Bridal Dress

Wedding saari richly embroidered with gold threads is considered, the most auspicious for Hindu weddings. However the choice can also be other bright bridal colors like maroon, gold, magenta or green and comprises of saree, lehenga and salwar kurta.

However a lot of changes have happened to the ritual of Solah Shringar over the years. Indian women follow the concept of Sola shringar even today. While it is possible to use some of these decorations every day, modern life and work make others, such as armlets on the upper arm or toe rings, impractical for daily use. Many brides prefer a minimalist look or can’t afford such jewelry. Many Indian women, however, even the more westernized ones, dress up in all the sixteen accoutrements for weddings, festivals and other special occasions. 

Tips for a Healthy Relationship

A relationship is like a tree, you need to nurture it so that it grows. If you don't do so, it's going to wither away. You have to take care of the relationship to help it grow properly and if you fail to do so, it's going to turn sour and eventually die. Only when you think of a relationship in this manner will you learn to value it so much. Maintaining a healthy relationship is very important for proper growth. A relationship that is not healthy might even grow more, but eventually, it will end and in the process it will trouble the two partners involved. A healthy relationship is a relationship where the two partners are happy and content and there is not even a single problem arising due to issues between just the two of them.

Healthy relationships bring happiness and health to our lives. It has a great impact on your mental and physical well-being as your better-half is the most important and close person in your life. All of us dream of a strong and long term relationship but many times, relationships don’t work the way we want. Studies show that people with healthy relationships really do have more happiness and less stress. There are basic ways to make relationships healthy, even though each one is different…parents, siblings, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, professors, roommates, and classmates. Here Let's now proceed to the tips that will help you to maintain this kind of a special relationship with your partner which can help you to maintain a loving, long-term relationship-

The First Important Thing Is To Mutual Understanding:- One of the most basic steps in building a healthy relationship is to understand your partner, and that is precisely what he/she expects out of you. Live up to this expectation and try to understand what exactly is the thinking process of your partner, or even the principles he/she lives by. Once you spend some time in understanding each other, you won't have to regret later on, not knowing about a few things. Understanding also helps in building a comfort zone where all problems and issues in life can be dumped and solved, together.

Be Oneself, and Not To Pretend: -It's much easier and more fun to be authentic than to pretend to be something or someone else. Most of us try to pretend but a strong relationship requires honesty. Sooner or later, it catches up anyway. If you are comfortable with yourself then the chances of making a relationship successful increases. Healthy relationships are made of real people, not images! 

The Relationship Should Be Given The First Priority: - Many relationships fail because they are not given first priority from one or both the parties involved. Don’t put careers, recreation, etc., before each other. You probably hope those around you like you so you may try to please them or take care of them. Don't forget yourself. There can be times when you need to do extra work but at that time also don’t forget to pay attention to your spouse. Healthy relationships are mutual!

Sharing of Thought: - Sharing of thoughts is very important when you're in a relationship, as this is one of the crucial aspects that makes a relationship grow and evolve to something better with passing time. If you don't share or understand that the other person wants you to share, it might lead to lack of empathy in a relationship which in turn means that the end is close. You have to emotionally share a lot on a level that will help you guys to connect better. It would be this connect that would make, being in this relationship worthwhile.

Praising Each Other On Little Things As Well: - Appreciations and compliments help to boost the relationship. When your partner knows that you care for them then their attitude towards you will be more loving.

You Should Have Realistic Expectations From Your Partner And About Your Relationship: -You should not expect something from your life partner that is either unrealistic or impractical. Higher expectations from your partner will only dissatisfy you and can become the main reason of your relationship falling apart.

Avoid criticizing: - Attack the problem, not the other person.  Open sensitive conversations with "I" statements; talk about how you struggle with the problem. Don’t open with "you" statements; avoid blaming the other person for your thoughts and feelings. Healthy relationships don’t blame.

Don’t hold grudges: - You don’t have to accept anything and everything, but don’t hold grudges—they just drain your energy. Studies show that the more we see the best in others, the better healthy relationships get. Healthy relationships don’t hold on to past hurts and misunderstandings.

Try And Avoid Petty Issues And Don’t Make Them Big: -Most relationships have some conflict. It only means you disagree about something, it doesn't have to mean you don't like each other! If you allow a small thing to bother you for a long time, then you will start looking at other things that bother you and it will get out of control. Avoid arguments and blaming each other, instead try to understand their viewpoint.

Talk with each other: -It can’t be said enough communication is essential in healthy relationships! It means— Take the time. Really be there. Genuinely listen. Don’t plan what to say next while you’re trying to listen. Don’t interrupt. Listen with your ears and your heart. Sometimes people have emotional messages to share and weave it into their words. Ask questions. Ask if you think you may have missed the point. Ask friendly (and appropriate!) questions. Ask for opinions. Show your interest. Open the communication door. Share information. Studies show that sharing information especially helps relationships begin. Be generous in sharing yourself, but don’t overwhelm others with too much too soon.

Forgiveness: - A very important aspect of a relationship is forgiveness. We are all humans and are bound to make our share of mistakes that might hurt the people we're in love with. Today, if you forgive your partner, tomorrow he/she will forgive you. This freedom will let you make your share of mistakes, and will also help you to live carefree and happy. Yes, there are certain things that can't be forgiven and shouldn't be too. However, don't go to the extent of parenting each other. Give each other the much-needed space, as it's all right to go wrong sometimes.

Trying: - One of the most important points in knowing how to have a healthy relationship with your partner is to try to make things work. No relationship is perfect unless you try to make it so every moment of your life. Changes are needed in every relationship and these have to be implemented with constant trial. You have to be receptive to this change and then adapt to these changes with time. If you convince yourself that there is no need for change, the relationship might get boring and might lose the element of surprise and adventure.

The goal is for everyone to be a winner: - Relationships with winners and losers don’t last. Healthy relationships are between winners who seek answers to problems together.

Show your warmth: - Studies tell us warmth is highly valued by most people in their relationships. Healthy relationships show emotional warmth!

Keep your life balanced: - Other people help make our lives satisfying but they can't meet every need. Only you can fill your life. Don’t overload on activities, but do use your time at college to try new things—clubs, volunteering, lectures, projects. You’ll have more opportunities to meet people and more to share with them. Healthy relationships have room for outside activities!

Now that you know how to have a healthy relationship with your partner, start working on the tips mentioned above as soon as possible. There are times when you won't get a second chance, and this is why it's important you act in time to make your relationship better for the both of you. A loving and caring relationship is something to treasure as long as you live. If you follow these simple tips, then you’ll be able to experience the warmth of a wonderful relationship.You can also discuss these points with your partner and both of you can work on these things together. 

ALL THE BEST!