The Position of Women in Hindu Civilisation, from Prehistoric Times to the Present Day c15.s2.19

c15.s2.19

It is interesting to point out here that among the numerous ornaments described by poets and illustrated by sculptors and painters, the nose-ring and toe-ring are conspicuous by their absence. This is rather surprising, because both of them are at present regarded as indispensable for a woman with her husband living. The omission of the toe-ring may have been accidental, as it is otherwise not a very prominent or valuable ornament. But the case of the nose-ring is quite different. It is a very important ornament. It is in use in all provinces at present. It is regarded as a sign of *saubhāgya* or married bliss. Till recently every bride used to get it at the time of her marriage. Women of the old fashion would never go out without wearing it. And yet we find that Bharata does not mention it in his exhaustive list of the ornaments of women given by him in the 23rd chapter of his *Nāṭyaśāstra*. Ornaments for almost every limb are to be found in this list, but there is no mention of the nose-ring for the nose. Sanskrit poets and dramatists also show no acquaintance with the ornament. In fact there is no word in Sanskrit language to denote it. Words for the ornament in modern vernaculars cannot be derived from any Sanskrit original. The word *vesara* used for the ornament by a section of Hindi-speaking population is of unknown origin. The word *vāḷi* used by the Gujaratis is of a secondary origin ; it originally denotes a *valaya* or circular ornament, and is secondarily used to denote the nose-ring because of its circular shape. The words *natha*, *nathia*, *nathni*, *naththā*, *nathnag*, etc., which are used to denote the ornament in different vernaculars of India, are all derived from the Prakrit word *natthā*, which denotes the string passed through the nose of an animal in order to control it with ease. It does not denote any nose ornament at all in any Prakrit or Apabhraṁśa language. It has no prototype of its own in Sanskrit.