Solah means 16 and and Shringar means ornaments or make-up. Thus the Solah Shringar covers the sixteen basic adornments for enhancing the beauty of a woman from top to bottom. This is a traditional rite, passed on through the generations.
It greatly magnifies the inner beauty of the woman by making her her look divine and breath-taking. According to the ancient Vedas, these sixteen embellishments correspond to the sixteen phases of Moon, said to be related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. And they are said to nullify the ill effects of this cycle.
In India, gold is treated as goddess Lakshmi or Shri, which brings prosperity and good luck. Brides are decked in all their finery on the day of wedding, without missing out on the Solah Shringar, marking her growth into a complete woman. The Solah Shringar ornaments are :
- Mang-Tikka (mang-teeka) or Bhor, borla or Mang-patti
- Nath (Nose pin):
- Bindi or tikka or tilak
- Jhumkha (Earrings):
- Necklace.
- Kada (Bangles):
- BajuBandh (Armlet):
- Wedding Ring:
- Payal (Anklet):
- Kamarbandh (Waist Band):
- Bichhiya (Toe ring):
- Keshapasharachana – Kesh (hair) .pash (flock) .rachna (arrangement)
- Sindoor (vermillion)
- Anjana or Kajal
- Mehndi or Henna
- Aarsi
