From kaan phool to bugadi earrings—ear jewellery with a fresh perspective
The ear handcuffs and stacked piercings have become a decisive style declaration, transforming the ears into mini-killets of personal style, self-expression and experimentation. They took over the red carpets, flooded our flows and made the ornamentation of Pinna an essential of the aesthetics of modern jewelry. But this is not new. These ornaments have been rooted in the cultural traditions of Asia and Southeast Asia for centuries.
Among these are bugadi earrings, traditional ear ornaments carried on the upper part of the ear, in particular the propeller, through Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Gently made, often from gold, and sometimes embellished with pearls, bugadi earrings have long been a marker of beauty and belonging. Some styles – such as Motor Bugadi – Details of pearls and are generally worn by married women. Others, such as the Bugadi jhumki, add movement with accents in the shape of a hanging bell.
But Bugadi is only a recently popularized star in a constellation of earnings of ear jewelry. In the districts of southern Tamil Nadu, older women, after gradually stretching their ear lobes – once considered a sign of great beauty – wears a pampel, a striking earring made by welding bullets and gold squares to create abstract arrangements. In addition to these daring ornaments, simpler but elegant studs like Kammal or Thodu – bell -shaped and fixed with traditional stones and patterns – are staples. Kaanphool earrings are another basic food across the country; Developed parts that can cover the whole ear. These are sometimes linked to hair or headdresses – with a chain of gold or pearls, called Maatal – to create a dramatic but harmonious composition.
What is often overlooked in conversation around stacked piercings and ornate jewelry is that these practices were not only of aesthetic origin, but also considered therapeutic. Like Dr. Ipsita Chatterjee, expert from Ayurveda, Bams, MD (AY), explains: “Ayurveda has never separated the healing set – it was always Santarya Chikitsa (beauty therapy).” The ear is considered a sensitive area filled with marmatic points, or vital energy centers, which influence physical and emotional well-being. The lobe drilling (Karnavedha) was supposed to balance Apana Vata, supporting reproductive health and self -expression, while the upper propeller, near the Shankha Marma, was linked to calm, clarity and mental concentration. Gold or silver jewelry – metals that would be transported Sattvic energy – was considered to be gently stimulating these points, cooling the nervous system, melting the mind and even providing protection against negative influences.
