Silver and gold jewellery is a significant part of traditional Uttarakhand attire. If you visit Uttarakhand, you will find women wearing gold kundal (earrings) and often having multiple piercings in their ears. Uttarakhand inhabits people from different ethnic backgrounds like Rajputs, Brahmins and tribal population like Tharu, Jaunsari, Bhotia, among others. Therefore the traditional attires do have a lot of variation.
In Kumaun region, married women wear big naths made from gold covering their entire cheek, Guluband, black beaded necklace or chareu, paunchi (kind of bracelet), bichuye (toe rings) made from silver, and sindoor. These are considered mandatory.
In the Garhwal region, married woman was supposed to wear hansuli (silver ornament) worn around the neck, guloband (resembles the contemporary choker), black beads and silver necklace called chareu, silver payal, silver necklace, silver dhagula (bracelet) and bichuye (toe rings). Sindoor along with bindi was also mandatory for a married woman. Even today, a Gulaband is a distinct feature of a married woman. It is designed on a maroon or blue band with gold square pieces arranged on it.
Dhaguli or Dhagula
Dhagulu or Dhaglu is a round shaped bangle which is made out of silver. It is a common piece of jewellery in Nepal and is worn in some places of Kumaon since it shares the borderline with Nepal. Even today, a few old women of Kumaon can be seen daintily carrying this exclusive jewellery.
Kanfool
As the name suggests Kan-fool i.e. Flower of Ear is worn on the earlobe. It is a masterpiece of the classic era jewellery worn by the Pahari women. Kanfool or karnfool is a classic pahari earring which literally means flower of the ear.
Source: Hem Pal
