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Kundan Earrings: A Gateway to Rajputana Jewellery Design
Kundan is a style of jewellery making, where precious stems or substitute glass beads are set between gold foils. The style of design is repetitive and layered, which establishes and defines shapes and patterns. Traditionally, artisans who made Kundan jewellery only made it with 24 Karat pure gold. However, with changing times, artisans have started using other cheaper metals, which is why Kundan Earrings have become easily available to everyone. Traditionally, artisans used to invest their time in making Kundan jewellery sets. However, with changing times and fashion preferences, Kundan earrings have risen to be one of the most popular jewellery designs to complement traditional attires. Movies like Jodha-Akbar and Padmavat have only added to the popularity of Kundan jewellery as a whole.
Kundan Jewellery: History
Indians have been innovating jewellery design since the Indus Valley Civilization, which is why no one knows where and when the Kundan style of jewellery design first emerged. However, medieval history tells us, that the Mughals patronised Kundan jewellery artisans in Gujarat and Rajasthan. It should be noted though, that Kundan jewellery design was flourishing before the advent of the Mughals, but the Mughal patronization took it to new heights. More and more royals and noblemen started engaging artisans to make not just Kundan jewellery for them, but to copy the layered Kundan design on their clothes. In time, the technique of Kundan jewellery making also came to be known as Kundan Keshari.
The Art of Making Kundan Jewellery
It takes an immense amount of time and labour to make Kundan jewellery, as it is a complex process which involves several steps, and each step is carried out by an expert craftsman. The first step involves the construction of the “Ghaat”, which is the skeletal framework. The second step involves a procedure known as “Paadh”, where natural resin or lac is poured into the skeletal framework and re-shaped according to the design. This step is followed by “Khudai”, where gemstones and glass beads are added to the framework. The process is called Khudai, because the artisans have to individually drill holes in the now hardened resin or lac framework, to make space for the gemstones. Once the gemstones or glass beads are in place, an artisan adds more molten gold or Kundan, to give the jewellery piece a cleaner and sharper look. It is also at this stage, that the process of Meenakari takes place. Meenakari is an art-form where empty spaces in the framework of the jewellery piece are filled with coloured enamel. Once a preliminary fine-tuning of the design is completed, the process of “Pakai” starts. Pakai involves the placement of more gold foils on the design. This ensures that the pieces are held firmly together. The last stage of the process is “Chillai”, where the jewellery piece and unpolished gemstones are properly polished.
Kundan Earrings Online
Flipkart boast a range of Kundan earring designs and styles. Here are a few examples of the design of earrings you may find online:
Lakshmi Design
These Kundan earrings are inspired from ancient temple designs and comprise of umbrella-shaped jhumkas, which are attached to disc-shaped studs. The discs on these studs boast engravings of the Goddess Lakshmi. Such designs, with motifs of Gods and Goddesses, have become popular since the release of the movie Padmavat.
Peacock Shape
The most common and popular Kundan earring designs include peacock-shaped earrings. These earrings boast of a peacock head as the base of the stud, the shape then gradually flows down and ends on top of chandelier jhumkas.
Pearl Earrings
Some Kundan earrings come with pearls dangling from the end of their umbrella-shaped or chandelier-shaped jhumkas.
