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Coral jewellery can be adapted by the contemporary Indian woman to fit both her modern and traditional needs, says
Banalata Bipani
They aren’t precious stones and they are most certainly not in the family of precious metals, but, nevertheless, they are regarded as exquisite for ornamentation and are prized by those who use them as jewellery. Haven’t guessed what we are talking about yet? Well, it is coral! For millennia, red coral (munga in Hindi; pravala in Sanskrit) has been widely used in Indian jewellery. Despite the fact that coral was rare among the reefs of India, coral jewellery has held religious and cultural significance within our culture for many years. It has long been considered a talisman against fever, bleeding, and evil spirits, in addition to being one of the seven treasures in Buddhist scriptures. Astrologers believe wearing a coral will ward off the negative effects from mangal graha. Tibetans also carve Buddha’s prayer beads and charms from this gem — on the belief that the red firestone will help protect them from evil. In Karnataka the traditional mangalasutra consists of 12 large barrel-shaped corals and is flaunted by all married ladies. Also, another tradition is to adorn babies with coral and gold chains so that the power of the gem is rubbed on to the babies. Coral is also used for purposes of healing. Since they are sensitive to changes in the environment around them, they change colour according to the health of the person wearing them. The colour of coral can add a dash of zest to every jewellery outfit for all occasions. Natural red corals, black corals, blue corals and white corals are among the most expensive. Red corals are more easily available than the others. Unusual blue corals are found off the Cameroon Coast in Africa. Golden corals with a lacquered finish are found off the Hawaiian coast. Machine-made fake corals are used to mimic the gemstones but they are not a patch on the simple grandeur of real corals. Yes, those pinkish-red, pearl-shaped jewels of the ocean are a must in every jewellery box. Corals belong to that category of ornamentation that never goes out of style. They are classic in their beauty and can be carried off with any look (long ropes of coral make for typical gypsy chic, while more carefully crafted pieces can be used for formal outings). Also, coral jewellery can be adapted by the contemporary Indian woman to fit both her modern and traditional needs. After all, while the coral has long been a part of the Indian ornamental tradition, it has also caught the fancy of young, modern designers who use corals in their work. So where do corals come from and how can you care for your heirloom coral set? Well, we all know that corals come from the sea. But exactly where is the question? They are not formed inside oysters like pearls, and they aren’t the discarded shells of sea creatures like sea-shells. But, nevertheless, they are actually live organisms from the sea before they come to you embedded in gold rings or strung into chains. Corals are marine creatures that live in colonies and thrive on sunlight to survive. They are found beneath the surfaces of tropical and sub-tropical waters, mainly in the Mediterranean and the seas off Japan. Only specific types of coral are used for jewellery. You will think that since corals come from the ocean, a good thing to clean them with would be water. Well, that’s the mistake most people make. The lustre of the coral isn’t natural. It comes after polishing and sometimes, since it is a porous material, coloured wax may be applied to give it a smooth, uniform colour. So water is not what you want to use to keep your corals clean. Make an effort to store all your coral jewellery separate from each other and other jewels to ensure it does not get scratched. — MF
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