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Solah Shringar
The 16 arts of Beautification
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11 - Flowers
Since ancient times, flowers have had a place in the bride's adornment. Easily available to all rich and poor alike, "mogra" and "chameli" (jasmine) give the hair styling a unique "look". They also provide fragrance and aroma, the defining foundation of aromatherapy, which has carved a niche for itself in today's medical world.
I has been said: "The rose in her tresses added fragrance to life"
12 - Beeda (Seasoned betel leaf)
Paan was traditionally used to enhance the beauty of lips since its use confers a natural red tinge to the lips. Also the catechu, lime, aniseed and such medicinal herbs used in it aid digestion and improve the voice.
13 - Mehendi
Amongst the sixteen arts of beautification, applying mehendi on the hands in various intricate designs is an important custom for weddings and marriages.
14 - Mahavar (Red colour from lac)
Mahavar is a red coloured liquid which is applied on the feet. It is cooling in nature. since it is absorbed by the skin of the feet it reduces the body heat. Nowadays, nail polish is being used in place of Mahavar.
15 - Sindoor
The last of the sixteen arts of embellishment is Sindoor, which is applied on the bride for the first time by the husband with his own hands after the marriage sacrament. Since a woman is said to be complete with the custom of marriage, the application of Sindoor is an essential ceremony in the wedding. By having the embellishments consummated at the hands of the bridegroom, Sindoor become a symbol of completeness.
Preparing Sindoor
Sindoor is prepared by mixing turmeric-lime and mercury. Mercury is a metal. Hence mercury besides controlling blood pressure also activates "sex". Hence Sindoor is prohibited after the demise of the husband. Sindoor should be applied right upto the pituitary gland where all our feelings are centered.
16 - Ornaments
An Indian woman's love for jewelry is known the world over. These come into play more so for a bride. When the bride is bedecked from head to toe with her wedding jewels her beauty is even more enhanced. Wedding jewels are also considered a woman's wealth, which come in use during times of need.
Indian tradition has nurtured the art of creating jewelry to embellish various parts of the body. Jewellers use various styles to make these beautiful ornaments, whose beauty cannot be described in words - for example enameling work using gold and silver is also done.
But there is another aspect to this. Since a woman is considered more delicate and sensitive and is also going to be a mother, special items included to safeguard her health. Our ancestors structured ornaments only after understanding the physiology of the body. Subsequently, these became part of a bride's tradition.
Thus, for example, traditional wedding jewelry will have the nine precious stones(navratna) set in along with the ornaments. The precious stones are said to have an effect on one's blood vessel and thus act in the nature of acupressure.
Regardless of the influences of Western culture in all other aspects of our lives, in matters of marriage most of us give preference to our traditional attire and ornaments. These traditional arts in our culture constitute an everlasting wealth.
After the bride is bedecked with all the sixteen embellishments, when the jingling of bangles and tinkle of anklets waft through the air, the atmosphere is vibrant as if with waves of music and these waves communicate a fresh new energy. In countries abroad "wind chimes" are used to purify the energy - in our culture everything is threaded into the garland of a woman's embellishment, in which she can intertwine her natural virtues with external ornamentation. In such a house the atmosphere becomes self begotten and virtuous. When the bride is bedecked with the sixteen arts of beautification, she reflects the form of Laxmi, resonating a supernatural aura and lustre.
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A shaaditimes feature
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