Bengali bridal jewelry is an essential part of every bride’s attire steeped in great culture and tradition. The Bengali bride unlike any other bride is given utmost importance and looks beautiful in her wedding attire and traditional Bengali jewelry get up. The significant Bengali bridal jewelry accessories complete the whole look of a bride for her special big D day giving her a ravishing look. Unlike Toe rings, Maang Tikka, Mangalsutra, and Sindoor there are many unique accessories that a Bengali bride adorns as a part of her culture and heritage. One such essential Bengali Jewellery is Shakha Paula and the Loha bangle.The red and white colored bangle is must have Shringar or accessory of a married woman of Bengal. The Shakha and Paula are pairs of conch shell where the white bangle is known as the Shakha and the red one is known as Paula. These bangles are crafted with intricate designs and then polished perfectly out of the conch.These beautiful pairs of bangles Shaka and Paula signify the status of married woman.
The ritual wearing of Shakha Paula is known as Dodhi Mangal in which they soak bangles made with shells in a solution of Water and turmeric. This Shakha and Paula ceremony is a pre-wedding ceremony which is quite an interesting one which takes place in the wee hours of the wedding day and is performed by the 7 married women of the house. This Shakha and Paula presented by the mother of a bride to her beloved daughter as a memoir of love and emotions. Shakha and Paula bangles believed to signifies as nature’s blessings to the married woman as it is a naturally made shell and needs to be carved with care and patience.The Shakha though seems to be firm may get brittle if handled carelessly.Giving the message to the newlywed bride that she needs to make sure that she fulfills her responsibilities well without losing her charm, sensitivity, and morals accompanied with good thinking.In the first year of marriage, a woman should have worn Shakha Paula with the utmost care. As of breaking of this significant accessory, Shakha Paula doesn’t signify a good omen for the married life of the bride. In short, Shakha Paula is a symbol of Hindu Bengali married women and also believed as wearing these could ward off bad omens and provides a happy married life.
Wearing symbol of marriage supports the tradition and customs. Traditional Hindu Bengali Wedding marriage starts off since dusk according to the auspicious time predicted by the priest. A memoir of the Mughal times, the white colored bangle or known as the Paula is a must-have jewelry of the married woman of Bengal. This white bangle is made up of an ivory or Haathi Daat. She has to wear a pair of red bangles followed by a pair of white ones in both hands. After this, she gets ready for the wedding.Though it’s a tradition of Bengal anyone can wear this beautiful piece of jewelry. So, If you are going to visit Bengal never ever forget to buy the beautiful pair of bangles Shakha Paula for your wife or for your near and dear ones. Nowadays Shakha and Paula are also available online with all shapes and sizes. Though the ritual is old still this beautiful tradition goes on without any hindrance and you can easily notice the Bengali married women flaunting her Shakha and Paula any part of India.
Scientifically, the pair of bangles has its own importance as Shakha and Paula are meant for good health and prosperity. These bangles are worn by women in both the hands where Paula is worn between Loha bangle. A bangle made up of iron which is given to the bride either by her husband or by her mother in law which symbolize a strong and enduring relationship between them. The reason of wearing Loha bangle between Shakha and Paula is that it refrains the friction between the bangles of conch shell i.e. between positive and negative energy as iron signifies the positive flow of energy.