Who will buy these delicate,
bright Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives
For happy daughters and happy wives.
Sarojini Naidu

Bangles are ornaments worn mainly by women on their arms and wrists. They are usually circular in shape but unlike bracelets, are not flexible. In India, the custom of wearing bangles by women is centuries old and the tradition is still going strong. Modern age women love to spruce up their outfit with flashy and ornate bangles.

Depending upon her community, her marital status and occasion a woman could wear a single piece of ornament, or cover the entire upper arm, from the elbow to the shoulder, with armlets made up of a variety of materials including gold, silver, ivory or shellac.

As with other jewelry, bangles are worn by women of all ages all over India and are made of silver, gold, wood, glass, and plastic, among other materials. But married Hindu women always wear gold bangles teamed with glass bangles in her wrist. Folklore says that gold bangles herald prosperity and well-being for husbands.

Also Read: