At first, they watched us with wary eyes. Then, one woman smiled faintly and brought out strands of bright glass beads—red, yellow, blue, and white. They shimmered in her hands like tiny pieces of a rainbow. Another showed us a ringa, handwoven and full of life. Its texture was coarse yet comforting, like the earth beneath our feet.
“According to what the elders believe,” Lachim said, “when Goddess Sita was in exile, while taking a dip unadorned, some Bonda women saw her and laughed. She then cursed the women of this land that they would live away from comfort, away from vanity. The Bonda women cried and requested her to lift the curse. She replied that the curse could not be undone, but she gave them a loincloth from her saree to cover their lower part, which then became the beautiful Ringa Textile. She blessed them, saying they would cover themselves with beads and metal on their upper bodies an that became the Tribal Jewellery.”
But looking at their distinctive features, accentuated by their adornments, I couldn’t help feeling that it was a blessing for them rather than a curse.
As we watched, the meaning of his words unfolded before us. What began as a curse had become their art, a living expression of pride and beauty shaped from restraint. The glass beads they strung, the ringa they wove, the iron ornaments they crafted, each carried a story that had outlasted centuries. Their jewellery though their adornment, is also inexplicably intertwined with their identity. Each bead and thread spoke of their bond with nature, their endurance, and their unbroken connection with an ancient way of life. The ringa’s vivid patterns mirrored the colours of the forest and the fire of their spirit.
Slowly, the silence began to melt away. By noon, the golden light rested gently on every roof and smiling face. The mud walls glowed, the leaves on the roofs rustled softly, and it felt as if the village had opened its heart, letting us in, not as strangers, but as companions in its quiet rhythm of life.
What’s interesting is that each of the jewellery has significance rooted to there folklore and culture.
To be continued…