The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.231

v1.c10.231

**Ornaments for the Hand :** Of ornaments for the forearm the most important in the present day is the *bālā*, a ring of metal of a cylindrical plate ordinarily plain, but sometimes twisted or otherwise wrought, which Bengali women reckon as the emblem of their married state, and never open it as long as their husbands are living. If made of gold or silver it generally encloses a bit of iron, but a separate annulet of iron is also commonly worn which then forms, like the European marriage ring, the emblem of the married state. In Orissa the *bālā* is replaced by the *khāḍu*, which differs from the former in being flat, and not cylindrical. Its under surface is flat and smooth, the upper is wrought in various patterns, a beaded form being the most prevalent. In sculpture it is the commonest, a rich specimen has an elaborate boss or crest-like appendage on the top. (Illustration No. 129, A.) The beaded plate is sometimes edged in by rims of which Illustration No. 132, A. offers a good specimen; at other times it is doubled, omitting the crest (Illustration No. 124), or the spaces between the two circlets widened, or arched, or otherwise developed and ornamented (Illustrations Nos. 123, A. 125, A, 126, A. and 127, A.) In Calcutta the last is in common use, and known under the name of *paṭuri*; it is the exact counterpart of the European bracelet. Illustrations Nos. 128 and 131, A. exhibit the well-known conch-shell ornament (*śaṅkha*). It is formed by cutting the shell (*Mazza Rafa*, Lamark, *Turbinella Rafa* and *Valuta gravis* of Sir E. Tennent into annulets, and eight or ten of them are arranged in a tapering form, and then mounted with gold beads, bosses and other decorations; some of the annulets are left white, while others are dyed with lac of a bright crimson colour. It has now entirely gone out of fashion in Calcutta, but among the poorer classes in Orissa it reigns supreme. A form of it made of gold, and buffaloe horn or of gold and horn set with precious stones, and called *peṭā cuḍi*, has also lost its hold in Calcutta; but it still continues a favourite among Uriyā belles. For the arm the *bāju*, the *tābij* and the *tāḍ* were, until recently, the leading ornaments, and Illustrations Nos. 128, B. 130 and 127, B. exhibit very choice specimens. The *bāju* is apparently mounted with precious stones, but the others are simply wrought in metal. In Illustrations No. 123, B. and 124, B. there are two specimens of the *tābij* quite different from what is known in the present day, and No. 129, B. improves upon No. 123, B. by adding to it a fringe of small bells. Illustrations Nos. 127, C. and 132, C. show various kinds of finger rings and the mode of wearing them. The figures of Bhagavatī and Kārtikeya bear on them some rich specimens of armlets and bracelets. (Illustrations Nos. 63 and 142.)