Red Bangles
Bangles are an ornament that has decked wrists for centuries in Southeast Asian countries, like India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Bangles are a part of the ‘solaah shringaar’ or sixteen ornaments a bride must wear and red bangles are a traditional ornament in India. Married women from some parts of North India wear bangles for a specific time after they are married as it is thought to be auspicious because red bangles are thought to bring prosperity. They are mostly made from glass or lac, but these days they are also popularly made from plastic. In Bengal, a new bride wears the red shell and coral bangles. Breaking bridal bangles are considered a bad omen.
Red bangles are also offered to goddesses during some festivals, overall, red bangles are supposed to mean good luck. You can often recognize a newly-wed woman from the North as she will have a thick stack of red (sometimes including white or green) bangles beautifully adorning her wrists. These bangles are often lavishly decorated. Red bangles for new brides are available in many varieties, such as red bangles mixed with white bangles, red bangles embedded with stones, and red bangles with green bangles, as green signifies fertility. Some red bangle sets available on Limeroad are:
- Red Metal Bangle by MUCH MORE: These are classic looking thick stacks of red bangles that decorate the wrists of a newly-wed bride to ensure she has a happy marriage.
- Red Metal Bangle by Leshya: These bangles are available in shorter sets, but they look no less extravagant as they are set with dazzling stones, they look festive and elegant.
- Red Brass Bangle by Leshya: These silk thread bangles are not bridal bangles, but if you are inspired by the look of bridal bangles, love the colour red, and would like to incorporate some form of red bangles into your wardrobe, these bangles are a good start! They are a beautiful rich red colour and they have stonework that will add an easy glamour to your ethnic wear. They also have hanging adornments.
A possible reason that bangles are such an important part of Indian culture could be that bangles supposedly help improve blood circulation due to the friction between the bangle and the wrist. There is no surety as to why red bangles are supposed to be auspicious, but it is an age-old tradition that has been followed through the ages. Bollywood movies also often reflect our cultural norms when it comes to marriage, like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, and such movies often show the bride in her elaborate wedding dress, complete with jewellery like red bangles and heavy gold neckpieces.
Red bangles are a phenomenon in India that can’t be ignored. If you want to shop for red bangles, bride or not, check out Limeroad’s endless collection of red bangles that will leave you in awe!
