Indian Traditional Jewelery

Edu Varala Nagalu-I

Sujathagaru asked me what Eedu Vaarala Nagalu mean, who wore it and any stories related to it. I have also received many requests similar to this from some of my friends. Thank you Sujatha garu and my other friends for reading my posts and asking me such interesting questions. I am also educated by such questions as I have to recollect, read and research around for the answer.


I am glad to receive such queries , so keep asking me.


Well I am going to write all about it in my posts starting from today.Here it is 

India as you know is a country with an ancient and rich cultural and traditional heritage. Our  society was much civilised before any other ones. Men and women were very refined in their intellect, knowledge and taste. It is no wonder that our fashions related to clothes, jewellery etc were and still are rich, refined and are backed by scientific reasoning-beauty with practicality.

Anyway our India women were one of the most fashion conscious. Whether rich or poor they were dressed appropriately for the occasion or the season.

Meaning:

Edu Vaarala Nagalu means the jewellery worn by men or women for each day of the week. Edu means seven. Vaaralu means days -like Sunday Monday etc. and Nagalu means Jewellery. This was a very old tradition and is still followed by some. This jewellery was so highly talked about in the ancient times and had lot of importance.

Details:


Each day men or women should (though not a compulsion) wear the jewellery made of the following gems.

Sl No	Day		God or Planet Considered as Lord of the Day		Gem associated with the Planet
	(English)	(Telugu)	(English)	(Sanskrit/ Telugu)	(English)	(Sanskrit/ Telugu/ Hindi)
1	Sunday	Aadi Varamu / Bhanu Vaaramu/ Ravi Vaaramu	Sun	Aditya or Bhanu or Ravi	Ruby	Manickya Kempu/ Manikyam Manick
2	Monday	Soma Vaaramu/ Indu Vaaramu	Moon	Soma or Indu	Pearls	Mouktika Muthyaalu Moti
3	Tuesday	Mangala Vaaramu/ Bhouma vaaramu	Mars	Mangala	Corals	Pravaala Pagadaalu Munga
4	Wednesday	Budha Vaaramu/ Soumya Vaaramu	Budha	Budha	Emeralds	Marakata Pachhalu/ Marakatam Panna
5	Thursday	Brihaspathi Vaaramu / Guru Vaaramu	Jupiter	Brihaspathi or Guru	Yellow Sapphire Or Topaz	Pushparaaga Pushyaragamu Pukhraj
6	Friday	Shukra Vaaramu/ Brugu Vaaramu	Venus	Shukra	Diamond	Vajra Vajraalu Heera
7	Saturday	Shani Vaaramu/ Manda Vaaramu	Saturn	Shani	Blue Sapphire	NeelaMani Neelam Neelmani

                                            Edu Vaarala Nagalu

The jewellery to be worn could be necklaces, long chains, bangles, bracelets, ear rings, nose pins, waist chains or belts, anklets, arm lets, jewellery worn on the head (papidi pindelu, chandra- surya wanka, chamanthi billa etc), finger rings by women and chains, armlets, anklets, waist belts, ear rings, finger rings etc by men, made of these gems either in gold or in silver. Gold was considered as the best metal.

By wearing these, people would benefit from the positive aspects of the planetary influences and bad influences would be reduced. Health, wealth and prosperity, peace of mind, happiness could be got by this.

Reason:

I have to briefly tell you why and what was the importance of this tradition. This is related to Indian Astrology. Though this might be lengthy, one has to read this to understand the significance. I will try to be as brief as possible.

Indian astrology is very highly placed and followed by even common man in every day life. I will restrict myself to the influence of Indian Astrology to this particular topic here, though there is a lot on the subject...:) :) :)

As per Indian Calender, there are nine planets. A planet is known as "Graha" meaning one that constantly moves:

1. Sun--Surya or Aaditya 
2. Moon--Chandra or Soma
3. Mars- Kuja
4. Mercury--Budha
5. Jupiter- Guru
6. Venus--Sukra
7. Saturn-Shani

Apart from the above Rahu and Ketu were Chhaya Graha or shadow planets. As pointed above, planets means those having moment or which constantly are in motion. That is the reason even Sun though known to the ancient Indians as brightest Star, was still classified as a planet. Moon though was a satellite of Earth was considered as planet. Similarly why Rahu and Ketu were known as shadow planets in those ancient times, much well before  the so called modern science was born. These two planets are resposible for the Eclipses-Solar and Lunar.


To be contd........Read the next in my next posts

Update: I have added the Sanskrit equivalent of the gems as per my visitors requests.