Temple jewellery is a type of jewellery that has deep cultural roots in South India.

It is known for its intricate designs and is often decorated with pictures of gods and goddesses from the temples in South India.

The jewellery is crafted from gold and silver and has been making a comeback to the fashion scene. It is available in the form of necklaces, bangles, earrings, rings, chokers, and kamarbandhs. The modern update to this traditional jewellery style now includes gemstones, diamonds, and filigree work, which accentuate individual pieces and make them look more ornate.

In the early years, this type of jewellery was made out of precious metal donations made to temples in South India and was primarily reserved for adorning gods and royals. However, over time, temple dancers and devotees began using images of such jewellery in their daily practices.

Jewellers drew inspiration from temple architecture, history, and the beauty of deities to create new pieces. Temple jewellery became an essential heirloom in every South Indian bride’s jewellery collection, as it evoked religious sentiment.

The process of crafting temple jewellery is intricate and time-consuming. Artisans take inspiration from the many temples in South India, using sculptures, illustrations, and carvings as their guide. Each piece is handcrafted to perfection, using gold or silver without any gemstones or diamonds. The process begins with making dyes and moulds of motifs like temple tops, god idols, leaves, and so on.

The most common motifs used in temple jewellery are inspired by deities, temple tops, and divine figurines. Goddess Lakshmi and other female deities are the most commonly used motifs by jewellers. In addition to these recurring choices, temple jewellery also includes elements such as leaves, trees, coins, bells, and so on.

The art of temple jewellery has increased over the years, with modern jewellers opting to have certain elements of the procedure done by machines to reduce the time to craft each piece.

However, the craftsmanship that goes into making these pieces is still intricate and requires immense focus and a delicate hand. The cultural significance of temple jewellery for brides is that it invokes a sense of a divine presence in their lives every time they wear the piece.