KUNDAN JADAI-GEM SETTING
Production Clusters
Jaipur city:
Jaudiyon Ka Rasta
Jauhari Bazaar
Sothanliwalon ka
Rasta
Products
Kundana and
meenakari:
Ear ornaments:
karnaphool jhumkastone set and
enamelled floral ear
studs with hanging
domes
Morka karnaphool-a
karnaphool variation
embellished with
peacock forms
Bali-earrings
Kanjumka-studs with
hanging domes
Necklaces:
Navratan-a necklace
combining nine
jewels
Guluband-chiker
Hansli-torque
Head Oranaments:
Bor/Borla-a three
dimensional ornament
worn at the central
hair parting by
married woman
Mang-worn at the
central hair parting
Chand, Rakhdi
Mor pati, Dauni
Chotla
Armlets
Bangdi,gokru
Chudi, Kada, Gajra
Tiva Patiyan
Bajuband-flexible
gold armlets with
kundan set stone;it
has twenty or more
vertical interlocking
units each with a top
and bottom loop
linked by a cord
Hand ornaments:
Hathphool-a wristler
attached to a
decorated motif for
the back of the hand
and culminating a
finger rings
Madaliya-heavy gold
bangle worn just
above the elbow
Anklets:
Jadat ka jorenamelled anklets
Turban ornaments:
Sarpech-turban
brooch
Additional products
made in meenakari:
Dhaal-shields
Talwar-swords
Sword hilts
Surahi-narrow necked
pitchers
Wine
tumblers,Goblets
Animal Figurines
THE HOSTILE DESERT environment,coupled with continuous
warfare,created strong incentives for investing in goldd adn jewels-mobiles
hoards of wealth that were often the mainstay of many a displaced
dynasty.On coming to power,the warrior aristocracy of the Rajputs
established themselves as descendants not only of the martial Kshatriya
caste but also of the epic heroes,tracing their lineage to the sun,the moon
and fire;they also made lavish use of jewellery-jewelled fly whisks and
gems encrusted weapons as symbolic affirmations of the sancity of their
caste. Kundan is a Mughal technique wherein hyper purified gold leaf
foil,inverted longitudinally in the space between the chapdi,pavillion wall
and the stone,created a flush closed setting for precious and semi-precious
stones such as diamonds,rubies,emeralds,sapphires and tourmantines.Since
pure gold is completelyd selfweldable while cold,simply by
compressions,no soldering is required to create the solidd wedge of goldd
that permanently holds the stone in place.A silver or gold coloured fold is
placeed below the stone to enable reflection of light through the stone,thus
increasing the intensity and brilliance of the stone`s colour.The regional
popularity of kundan of light through the stone,thus increasing the
intensity and brilliance of the stone`s colour.The regional popularity of
kundan owes greatly to the local rulers`need for ostentation in the face of
the local scarcity of gold as well as to the adaptablity of the technique to
previously enamelled or stone-set objects which might have come to
victorious ruler as bounty.
Tools
Scissors
Damma-file
Salai-finishing tool
Kundan necklace with uncut diamonds rubies
and emeralds in gold setting and the reverse is
enamelled with meenakari.
MEENAKARI-ENAMEL WORK
MEENAKARI,THE FUSION of coloured materials such as cobalt oxide
for blue and copper oxide for green onto the metal`s surface to suggest
precious stone inlay work,was brought to Jaipur on Raja man Singh`s
(r.1590-1614)behest.The design is prepared and given to the
sonar,goldsmith,who forms the article.It then passes on to the chhatera
who engraves the salai,pattern,onto the gold object using steel styli;the
surface of the depressed patterns are serrated to secure the enamel and to
increase the play of light and shade in the finished product.Only then does
the meenakar,enameller,apply colours, beginning with those most capable
of resisting fire-white is normally applied first,the object is cleaned in a
strong tamarind solution and polished.Meenakari is often studded with
gems on one side while the reverse was lavishly enamelled,the lustre of the
enamelled reverse increasing over time due to contact with the
wearer`body and clothes .In items that are to be thus ornamented,the
meena is done first and the piece then passes from the meenakar to the
jadiya,the artisan who undertakes the kundan work and finally to the patua
who strings the separate pieces of the necklace or armlet together and adds
motis,pearls;beads and tassels.
Tools
Salai-etching tool
Kharati-mugdalmortar and pestle
Bhatti-kiln
Patra-metal palette
Kalam/Taqvatool used to
apply enamel
Chimtaforceps small
scribbling
brush