Jewellery is the first love of women and it is least likely they say no to it. There are many styles of jewellery that are famous in India but among them, Meenakari paved its way to everyone’s heart with its multiple hues and grandeur it creates. Most of the people must be acquainted with the art of Meenakari that hails from Rajasthan. Be it the would-be-brides, newlyweds, tourists in India, or any other person, everyone gets mesmerized by its beauty and intricacy. Pieces of jewellery itself add a sparkle in the eyes of the beholder but it is unlikely that you fall in love with these masterpieces of art called Meenakari Jewellery.
The value of these jewellery pieces depends upon the material used to make it but irrespective of all the facts it always looks regal and has the charisma to steal the show.
All the way from Persia to the hearts of Indians
If we douche the history, we will come to know that Meenakari originated in Persia and is thought to have originated in India by the invaders. I cannot fathom whether we should thank the invaders for this! Not sure of this nut I am pretty sure that it has made a special place in the heart of the king of Mewar, Raja Man Singh. He loved it so much that he started wearing them in his durbar and the glimpse of jewellery can be seen in his portraits as well. Later in the 16th century, its demands rose, and to fulfill it the Lahore craftsmen were called to fulfill the demand in the Indian as well as international markets.
How is it different from other jewellery?
What makes the jewellery come out and shine! The embedded precious and semi-precious stones on the molten glass that comes in different colors. It is made more exquisite by adding molten gold and silver wires that are used as borders and outlines.
To make the more expensive version of these collections then the precious and semi-precious stones are used in the molten form and are further colored. On the other hand, to procure the cheaper version of the Meenakari Jewellery the glass powder is used that can be seen in abundance in Meenakari earrings.
The main regions where Meenakari is popular in Jaipur but apart from that, the Meenakari in gold is mostly done in Delhi and Banaras apart from its main hub Jaipur. Bikaner, Udaipur, and Nathdwara is the center of silver Meenakari jewellery.
Types of Meenakari that are trending
There are some designs in Meenakari that got their names from the work that is done on them. The ‘Ek Rang Khula’ has a single enamel color in the whole design. The other that describes the use of color with its name is ‘Pachrangi Meena’ that is adorned with five colors in one piece of jewellery. Pearl white, powder blue, ink blue, blood red, and forest green are the names of the five colors used in it. All these shades add vibrancy to the jewellery along with gold and silver embellishments used in it.
The art of Meenakari is done on almost every jewellery that is a word from top to toe. To name a few these are Rakhdi, neckpieces, jhumkis, Bajuband, Bridal chuda, maang tika, haath phool, toe ring, and even the regal Rani Haar. The one that is very much in demand is the ‘Gulabi Meenakari’ as it is setting the trends with its beautiful designs and the contrast that is created with white, gold, and silver powder and Kundan embellishments to enhance its beauty.
The patterns used in Meenakari jewellery
There are innumerable patterns that are used in the Meenakari jewellery and on top of that if you want to see many of them in one piece then it is the bridal jewellery pieces. They are adorned with motifs of peacock, fish, Mughal flowers, paisley twists, gods, and goddesses’ portraits along with other leaves and flowers. All these motifs can be seen on Meenakari Jhumka, bangles, necklaces, bajubandh and the list goes on.
It is not only the motifs and patterns that increase its beauty and price but also the detailing plays an important part in raising its value. The more intricate is the design the higher will be the price. So whenever you feel like investing in the Meenakari jewellery just see the finesse of it and then be sure of buying it.
Some important facts that cannot be overlooked
- Meenakari does not hail from India but its roots go back to Persia. It is an art in which the surface of the color is colored. It was first brought to Varanasi by Persian enamelists during the Mughal era.
- ‘Meena’ comes from the feminine form of Minoo that means heaven whereas Meena means the azure color of the sky/heaven.
- The Meenakari was made popular by Raja Man Singh of Amer, Rajasthan.
- Originally the craft was used at the back of the Polki jewellery as designs.
- It became popular with the name of reversible jewellery during the Mughal reign
- The complex craft of Meenakari remains the same even after 500 years of its origin
- The piece is cleaned with the help of lemon and tamarind to retain its color
- The craft is used on stools, jewellery boxes, sculptures, vases, cupboards, trays and many more apart from jewellery.
