Forget Flowers(2020): Consider These Amazing Bridal Hair Accessories that Will Sit Like a Crown on Your Head.

Hair is considered to be the pride of every woman around the world. Indian women cherish their hair and utmost care is taken to nurture their hair. During wedding festivities, hair occupies a place of pride for every Indian bride.

Considering their bridal attire, the hair is also adorned with both traditional and modern hair accessories. For brides who prefer a traditional look, they adorn their hair with traditional jewelry such as nethi chutti, nethi pattam, jhoomar, nath, and much more. Brides from spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing their hair accessories. Every state has a specific set of hair accessories that have been passed on from various generations. The traditional hairpiece reflects a state unique tradition and its cultural background.

Hair jewelry has used by women in India for centuries. Their existence has been found in various Hindu religious books such as Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Traditional hair jewelry has been worn by women in these historical books. Moreover, these jewelry are seen in numerous carvings from sculptures found in historical temples and statues discovered from various historical sites. Also, the various Goddesses in India are elaborately adorned with hair accessories that are embellished with precious, semi-precious stones, silver, and gold.

They are worn during festivities such as family gatherings, poojas, weddings, and much more. Maang tikka or Nethi chutti is worn by women on the center of their forehead and finds its origin in Hindu mythology. It is believed that the sixth primary chakra that is the union of two petals in the form Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati lie in the center of the head. The traditional hair ornament symbolizes the sixth chakra and finds prominence in weddings and preferred by Indian brides.

Here is a list of some of the best Indian bridal accessories worn by Indian brides.

Jhoomar is traditional hair jewelry worn by Muslim brides in India. They were made famous by Mughal queens who are famous for adorning their hair with traditional pieces embellished with precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, sapphire, and much more. The Jhoomar from Zaveri Pearls is an eye-catching hair accessory. It is made of 22 karat gold plated material and adorned with Kundan work that is elegant. It is embellished with white, green, and pink stones. The links in the jhoomar are strung with pearls. It measures 13.5 centimeters in height, 9.50 centimetres in width, and weighs 40 grams making it a statement piece. The ethnic jewelry can be purchased for Rs.319 from Amazon.

The rakodi is a single piece of antique jewelry that was used by traditional South Indian dancers to adorn their hair. The unique rakodi is designed from pure gold with an antique finish. It is an ornament that is worn traditionally by brahmin brides in traditional weddings but currently is used by all brides due to its elegance. The ancient rakodi pendant comprises two peacock motifs that are located on either side. Its top portion consists of an inverted leaf design that is studded with precious stones such as rubies and diamonds. Moreover, the lower portion of the pendant consists of a large lotus motif that is embellished with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. A thin layer of handcrafted ruby pearls adorns the lowermost part of the pendant. It weighs 29.14 grams and is made from 91.6 gold. The statement hair jewelry can be purchased for Rs. 2,35,431 from NAC Jewellers.

Matha pathi is hair jewelry that is a perfect blend of traditional and modern charm. The beautiful matha pathi is the perfect handcrafted accessory for your hair. It boasts of a Kundan jadai design that is adorned with emeralds and pearls. It comprises of a two-layered design - the bottom and top layer. The bottom layer is elaborately designed with large flower motifs that are adorned with emeralds at the center followed by white stones on either side. The top layer of the matha pathi is made of small flower motifs that are adorned with intermediate green and white stones. Moreover, the links of the matha pathi are adorned with pearls on either side. It can be purchased for Rs.12,000 from Ajnaa Jewelry.

Nethi chutti is a piece of traditional hair jewelry that is worn by the brides of South India. Alternately, it is also known as maang tikka by the brides of Northern India. When compared to the maang tikka that usually consists of a layered design with heavy embellishments, the nethi chutti is a subtle version. It is a single strand design with an elaborately designed pendant on the end. The nethi chutti from Jaypore is handcrafted and simple. It consists of a thin serial link with a hook at the top to safely secure it on the bride’s hair. The button part of the nethi chutti is intricately designed with the motif of a Goddess that lies elegantly on the top of the forehead. The pendant is further adorned with swan and floral motifs complete with a string of pearls. It can be purchased for Rs.1,799 from Jaypore.

The Juda pin is modelled from the famous historical serial ‘Peshwa Bajirao’. It is an antique design Juda pin that is worn on a woman’s hair bun. The lower layer of the Juda pins comprises polki work and embellished with ivory zircon stones. Also, the upper part of the Juda is made of matte gold leaf motifs that are arranged in a semi-circle design. It comes replete with two sets of pins that are capable of securing the pin neatly on your hair bun. The antique hair ornament can be purchased for Rs.319 from Mirraw.

Choti, also called Jadanagam was used to adorn the braids of temple dancers, queens, and brides since ancient times. It is worn for the entire length of the braid and makes the bride stand apart from the crowd. The antique chotti from Kushals comprises a circular design and adorned with elegant swan and floral motifs. It is made from a copper alloy and plated with matte gold polish. Each piece of choti is worn on a braid and can be extended based on the length of the braid. Furthermore, it is adorned with rubies, emeralds, and golden drops. It weighs 143 grams and comes in a pack of nine pieces. The elegant choti can be purchased for Rs.3,920 from Kushal’s Fashion Jewelry.

Mukut is a traditional headgear worn by Bengali brides during their wedding. In Bengali culture, the bride wears a mukut also a traditional headgear that matches the groom’s headgear. The mukut from Anuradha Art Jewellery is intricately designed with peacock and floral motifs. It measures 12 centimetres in length, 10 centimetres in height, and weighs 79 grams. Furthermore, it is adorned with white zircon stones, ruby red, and emerald green stones. This statement hairpiece will surely make every head turn towards you at your wedding. It can be purchased for Rs.6,600 from Anuradha Art Jewellery.

Jada kunjalam is a traditional hair accessory that is used for decorating the braid of a bride. It is traditionally paired with a Jada nagam and is used for decorating the hair. The kunjalam is traditionally worn by Bharathanatyam dancers and gradually used by South Indian brides as a hair accessory. It is fastened to the lower end of the braid by a thick black rope and a round ball that is elegantly designed. The upper part of the kunjalam is embellished with gold plated alloy and adorned with white stones making it perfect for adorning your hair. It can be purchased for Rs.419 from Jewels Mart.

For brides who prefer subtle jewelry can opt for this elegant gold hairpin. The design inspiration for this hairpin is taken from South Indian temple jewelry. It comprises the carving of Goddess Lakshmi at the center seated on the top of a lotus and adorned by twin fishes and swans on either side. The bottom of the gold pin is studded with white pearls of varying sizes. It comes in a multicoloured design that is intricately handcrafted in copper alloy, it is studded with red, onyx green, and polki stones. Moreover, it is coated with 18 karat gold matt polish which imparts an antique look. The gold hairpin measures 5.7 inches in height and 9.5 inches in width. It can be purchased for Rs.1,050 from Mirraw.

A piece of antique jewelry that is intricately handcrafted and used to adorn the bride’s hair from time immemorial. The shringara is an intricate hairpin that comprises three pendants with three-layered chains. Moreover, the pendant and the layered chain is studded with kemp stones. The bottom part of the main pendant has a grape design that is adorned with small silver beads. It is usually worn on a bun or on the braid and is elegantly decorated with fresh flowers. This heritage piece is modelled after the South Indian temple jewelry and is made of 92.5 sterling silver with an antique gold finish. It measures 2.5 inches in height and 1.6 inches in width. The unique hair jewelry is exclusively handcrafted based on request and can be purchased for Rs.14,200 from KO Jewellery Shop.

Turn into a vintage Christian bride by choosing to wear a baroque queen crown tiara that oozes elegance and charm. The Shiny Tiara is perfect for a wedding gown and turns the bride into a complete princess. The tiara is silver plated and is encrusted with beautiful pieces of rhinestones in varying sizes.

It comprises a layered design that consists of a thin band that is encrusted with rhinestones in a single layer. The topmost layer of the tiara is elaborately designed to impart an antique look. Each section on the topmost layer is encrusted with circular rhinestones. Extra pins loops are added to the tiara to ensure that it stays in place during the wedding festivities. It weighs 3,2 ounces, measures 6 x 5.9 x 3.1 inches, and can be purchased for Rs.2,444.

A Sarpeech is an elegant brooch that is worn over the hair by the bride or on the turban by the groom for their wedding festivities.

The hair accessory boasts of Rajwaadi pagadi style kalangi finish brooch that is encrusted with glittering white, red, and green stones. The sarpeech is designed like a sword and adorned with pearls at the bottom of the brooch. The body of the brooch is covered by bright red enamel paint that makes it stand apart from all other designs. Be the center of attraction and make every head turn with this statement royal brooch. It measures 15 centimetres in width and 11 centimeters in height. The statement jewelry can be purchased for Rs.599 from Flipkart.