Temple jewellery: the living heritage of Tamil Nadu

Temple jewellery began as offerings for deities and adornment for Bharatanatyam dancers — and became the definitive South Indian bridal style.

The vocabulary

• Kasu mala — coin necklace, each coin stamped with Lakshmi.
• Vanki — the rigid armlet with its distinctive inverted-V silhouette.
• Oddiyanam — the waist belt that structures a silk saree.
• Jadai nagam — the braided hair ornament, now a bridal heirloom piece.

How to spot true temple work

Real nakashi is chiselled by hand into solid 22K sheet — look for depth in the deity's features and slight asymmetries no die-press can fake. Our karigars in T. Nagar still work the old way; see the custom studio to commission a piece.