Jewellery

Jewellery of Kerala is noted for its artistic perfection. Each caste or community had its typical ornament. An ornament of the Nair women was Nagapadam or serpent hood, so called after the shape of the pendant. An ear ornament called Toda, a double convex disc, was worn after dilating the earlobes. Mukkuthi was an ornament for nose and Kappu for the wrist. The most important ornaments for the neck were Addyal, Yantram, Avil Mala and Puli Nakham. Cherutali was a kind of necklace worn loose over the breast by Namboodiri women while Tamil Brahmins used Kasu Mala and Oddyanam. Christian women wore a kind of heavy guilt brass ring called Mekka Motiram after boring their ears in several places. Ottezhapathakkam, Kombu, Tala etc, were also typical Christian ornaments. The designs in solid gold jewellery of Kerala are inspired by nature. The paisley motif or the ambi, rice grains, the cobra's hood, melon and cucumber seeds are some of the common motifs.

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