DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0477
Caste in relation to Trades and Industries. 467
Indian women, from the lowest to the highest, be without
their jewels? In most large Indian houses belonging to rich
natives a jeweller will be found at work in some ante-room
manufacturing jewels for the family, or repairing those in
daily use. Here is a description of a typical Indian bride
of high rank in ancient times arrayed for her marriage. ' She
has no other clothing but one light garment, ten yards in
length, of a rosy red colour, embroidered with gold, wound
round her body in graceful folds ; she has jewelled butterflies
in her raven hair; her ears are bored in six places, and
loaded with resplendent gems; a magnificent nose-ring of
emeralds and pearls sparkles in one nostril; bright golden
bracelets encircle her wrists, and shining armlets her arms;
a golden zone binds her slender waist; she has jewelled rings
on her fingers, and golden rings on her toes, and golden
anklets, with musical bells attached, are fastened round her
ankles, which make a tinkling sound as she walks with her
naked feet over the carpeted floor.'
Those who were in India during the Prince of Wales'
visit, and saw the jewelled dresses of the Indian chiefs, will
not easily forget the sight. I was myself present in Sir
Richard Temple's house, when the Maharaja of Patiala hap-
pened to make a morning call. His coat was of blue satin,
beautifully embroidered with rows of pearls; he had costly
ear-rings, and a matchless necklace of diamonds worth £60,000
was suspended in a careless manner about his neck. Strings
of immense uncut jewels ornamented his white turban. Even
the humblest woman in India would lose her self-respect if
she ever appeared before her family without a nose-ring and
a few bangles. Children are often left without a thread of
clothing, till they are six or seven years of age, but they
are rarely without wrist-bands, or jewelled ornaments of some
kind.
When the sister of the late Bishop of Calcutta once visited
some native ladies in a Zenana, she made some remark about
H h 3
Indian women, from the lowest to the highest, be without
their jewels? In most large Indian houses belonging to rich
natives a jeweller will be found at work in some ante-room
manufacturing jewels for the family, or repairing those in
daily use. Here is a description of a typical Indian bride
of high rank in ancient times arrayed for her marriage. ' She
has no other clothing but one light garment, ten yards in
length, of a rosy red colour, embroidered with gold, wound
round her body in graceful folds ; she has jewelled butterflies
in her raven hair; her ears are bored in six places, and
loaded with resplendent gems; a magnificent nose-ring of
emeralds and pearls sparkles in one nostril; bright golden
bracelets encircle her wrists, and shining armlets her arms;
a golden zone binds her slender waist; she has jewelled rings
on her fingers, and golden rings on her toes, and golden
anklets, with musical bells attached, are fastened round her
ankles, which make a tinkling sound as she walks with her
naked feet over the carpeted floor.'
Those who were in India during the Prince of Wales'
visit, and saw the jewelled dresses of the Indian chiefs, will
not easily forget the sight. I was myself present in Sir
Richard Temple's house, when the Maharaja of Patiala hap-
pened to make a morning call. His coat was of blue satin,
beautifully embroidered with rows of pearls; he had costly
ear-rings, and a matchless necklace of diamonds worth £60,000
was suspended in a careless manner about his neck. Strings
of immense uncut jewels ornamented his white turban. Even
the humblest woman in India would lose her self-respect if
she ever appeared before her family without a nose-ring and
a few bangles. Children are often left without a thread of
clothing, till they are six or seven years of age, but they
are rarely without wrist-bands, or jewelled ornaments of some
kind.
When the sister of the late Bishop of Calcutta once visited
some native ladies in a Zenana, she made some remark about
H h 3