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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.