JOIN USThe word spirituality has different connotations for each person. In today's times, there are myriad forms in which one can express spirituality. Pallavi Dudeja Foley, Design Manager Tanishq, who also runs her own design studio says, "my jewellery is meaningful and stimulating, and hopes to touch a person in many more ways than just appealing to aesthetics. It is inspired from relevant themes that are enriching, enchanting and rejuvenating. Each piece has a story to tell and connects with a person at a many levels." Whether as a fashion accessory or as a lucky charm, flaunting spiritual jewellery is a trend that is hard to ignore.
Inspired collections
India is by and large a nation that has a huge religious following across castes and cultures therefore inadvertently both young and old, because of their spiritual inclinations, do prefer a symbolic interpretation of their religious sentiments. "This kind of jewellery is always special because like your wedding band the jewellery has a high emotional quotient since it is the ultimate expression of an individual's belief," says Ajay Mehra, Managing Director, Mehrasons Jewellers.
This jeweller has created a collection of lightweight jewellery dedicated to spirituality. The collection includes pendants of deities, which are very popular among the young and the old, bracelets and anklets for newborns and engraved chains and earrings. The range of Navratan jewellery is exhaustive (and is usually made to order) and includes everything from standalone rings, earrings and pendants to light jewellery sets. The Navratan range of jewellery is an amalgamation of nine spiritual gems and is sought after by one and all.
Mehrasons Jewellers also offers a range of spiritual stones, which can be crafted into various pieces of jewellery at the customer's behest. The Gowrishankaram or the necklace of rudrakshas has had its origins in 19th century South India. Made with sheet gold worked in repousse technique this becomes a veritable canvas for narration of myths and legends of Kartikeya (son of Shiva) and was worn by the men of power and stature. Prince jewellery has introduced this to a splendid response.
The Bhagwad Gita, the most sacred and religious scriptures of Hinduism, considered to be a practical, self-contained guide to life, can now be carried in a form of a pendant, thanks to Tanishq.
Professor Pawan Sinha from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, has created this Bhagwad Gita chip and actually owns a patent for the technology. The pendant with Bhagwad Gita inscribed can be seen under a 20X microscope and can be read under a 200X microscope. All the 18 chapters of Bhagwad Gita are inscripted in 24K gold on a 1 cm square chip, made into a pendant and available in 6 variants.
Zen inspired
On the other hand, a few of Foley's jewellery pieces are inspired from Zen. Zen is a lifestyle practice from the East, which teaches us many beautiful things about life. "One of the earpieces is inspired from the concept of the Zen Garden, in 18k gold, diamond and Tahitian pearls. Another dangling bottom heavy earpiece is inspired from ‘Balance in Life’, again a concept from the practices of Zen. I took up ‘Yoga’ as a subject to research and design jewellery and it was an interesting experience to transform the intangible aspects of Yoga into pieces of jewellery," explains Foley.
In fact there is an emerging trend in which a lot of contemporary statement pieces of jewellery are being made using spiritual gems and healing crystals, thus serving a dual purpose of spiritual healing and accessorizing. Apart from rosary beads, the Rudraksh is also being used.