Haath phool anyone?

Sometime back I read this line online…”Is it a ring, Is it a bracelet…No! Its a handpiece” and I really like the way it sounded. So if you are wondering what it is, a Handpiece is a combination of a ring (s) and a bracelet /bangle and is quite a hit in the international circuits.

Jadau Bridal Haath Phool

Derived from the Indian Haath Phool which literally means “Hand flower”, It consists of a center focal (usually in the shape of a flower) on the center of the palm. This is then connected to the bracelet and to one or more ornamental rings that would go on the fingers. For centuries this ornament has been worn by North Indian, Muslim and Pakistani Brides and is an important part of their 9 piece wedding jewelry set. Haath phools are were also worn by court dancers and courtesans in India. Some say that this was a Persian influence as a lot of these dancers or their predecessors came from the then Persia. Contrary to popular belief that most of these handpieces were made using the Kundan technique and Jadua setting (and was chiefly used in the Mughal period), Haath phools were predominantly made from plain gold, silver and also using a combination of pearls and uncut stones. The revival of the last indicates that they were equally popular with the Nawabs as with the Mughals.