Indian gold tali
Gold is revered in India. It is believed that 1/3 of the total amount of gold in the world is in this country. It is used in jewelry, but the reasons to own and wear a piece made of gold surpasses aesthetic purposes. In the Subindian continent, gold is sacred and related to the divine, as touching gold is supposed to purify. For the same reason, only royalty can wear gold on the feet (anklets, toe rings), when the rest of the population wears silver.
In South India, the preference for gold is spotted on every piece of jewelry. Necklaces, rings, pendants and bracelets are made of this shiny metal, and it is preferred over silver, more common in the rest of the country.
One of the most intriguing pieces of South Indian gold jewelry is the tali, a very important part of the dowry owned by married women.
South Indian gold tali
The custom of the tali started in the 11th century and it is now the centerpiece of many marriage rituals, when the husband to be tied this ornament around the neck of the bride, preceding the seven steps around the sacred fire. Talis can have a big diversity of shapes, depending of the region or ethnic group: M-shape, round, cone, hand, finger. Usually, at the wedding ceremony, a bigger tali is used, which is then changed for everyday life with one of the examples that illustrates this post.
These talis are worn alone, with flanking cylindrical amulets, or bead pairs.
We would refer in this post to two types of tali, the M-shaped tali and the round one.
Two common types of talis: M-shaped and round
- M-shaped thalis are favored in Tamil Nadu. They are tridimensional, with a central dome that is an emblem of motherhood (simulating female breast). The back bears sectarian marks denoting devotion to Shiva, Vishnu, great goddess, or Jesus. For example, the representation of the holy tulsi plant and the V shape on the back of the tali are vaishnavite markings. This type of tali is made of a 22kt gold layer on top of a lac core. Gold talis of this style studded with rubies were made to celebrate the 60th birthday of the husband.
- Round thalis are used the same way as the M-shaped talis. Usually, a pair of peacocks are represented on top, most of the time they are very abstract and it is not possible to recognize them. This type of talis are also made of 22kt gold.
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