This article does not cite any sources. Sinhalese bride wearing Kandyan jewelry along with Necklace, head-dress and throatlet. Kandyan jewellery comes from best kandyan brides hill capital of Ceylon or Sri Lanka. Kandyan jewellery is handmade and was designed specifically for the royal families.

It carries symbols of wealth, prosperity, grandeur, strength, well-being, solidarity, virtue, passion and valour. It is worn by women of royal or noble births and not women of lower castes. Goddess Pathini and God Dademunne were first depicted wearing these jewellery designs. Later the members of royal families were presented with similar jewellery items leading to the origination of Kandyan jewellery sets. There is a drawing of the last Queen of Kandy in 1815 wearing Kandyan jewellery. This tradition is still prevalent today to a certain degree through the practice of noble Kandyan families passing down their jewellery from one generation to another, from mother to daughter at weddings as part of dowry.

Kandyan weddings are extravagant ceremonies with the jewellery taking a centre stage to highlight the Kandyan lineage of that family. Bridal sets are the most important pieces of Kandyan jewellery. They are handmade and consist of 26 pieces of jewellery that will adorn the bride from head to waist. Bridal sets are rare with only a selected number of families possessing the entire set. A set of jewellery consists of a necklace, head-dress and three throatlets. Red Makara pendant for the married ladies.

Red swan for the homecoming bride. The head-dress is a head and forehead chain for the bride known as nalalpati, a very precious item for the bride to be worn at an auspicious time. Pendants and chains: 3 sisters pendants known as padakam, lucky pendants, elaborate design for evening wear. Makara pendants with chains and earrings, three being an auspicious number to bring good luck. Agasti set, a rare stone in gold for daytime wear with saree or dresses. A set consists of an Agasti necklace, earrings and two bangles.

Kandyans are people who come from the Kandyan hill capital and descendants of the Kandyan kingdom. Their customs and traditional habits are still preserved to a great extent with families giving parents and their elders an important role to play. Kandy city stands apart from the rest of the country in many aspects. Even today the royal palace, now a Buddhist center, performs its rituals according to the royal decrees issued by the last king, Rajasinghe II of Kandy, and does not follow regulations issued by the state. In 1815 when the British entered the citadel, Kandyan jewelry caught the attention of the British officials resulting in some of the sets being shipped off to the Royal family in England as gifts, later becoming popular amongst women in high society in England. 200,000 depending on the design and antiquity of the sets. In Sri Lanka these sets are available on a seasonal basis for a dollar rate for outsiders.

Some of the noble Kandyan families still living today include Ellwela, Nugawela, Nugapitiya, Ratwatta, Halangoda, Weragama, Menikdiwela, Delpitiya, Aluvihare,Hulangamuwa,Tenne,Galagoda,Lenawala,Mampitiya,Rambukwelle,Mediwake,Meegastenne,Amunugama,Mollagoda,Molligoda, Panebokke, Dunuwilla and Madugalle. There is much information about the Kandyan Kingdom and culture in the book Kandyan Kingdom, then and now by P. Your email address is never shared with anybody. This article does not cite any sources. Sinhalese bride wearing Kandyan jewelry along with Necklace, head-dress and throatlet. Kandyan jewellery comes from the hill capital of Ceylon or Sri Lanka. Kandyan jewellery is handmade and was designed specifically for the royal families.

It carries symbols of wealth, prosperity, grandeur, strength, well-being, solidarity, virtue, passion and valour. It is worn by women of royal or noble births and not women of lower castes. Goddess Pathini and God Dademunne were first depicted wearing these jewellery designs. Later the members of royal families were presented with similar jewellery items leading to the origination of Kandyan jewellery sets. There is a drawing of the last Queen of Kandy in 1815 wearing Kandyan jewellery. This tradition is still prevalent today to a certain degree through the practice of noble Kandyan families passing down their jewellery from one generation to another, from mother to daughter at weddings as part of dowry. Kandyan weddings are extravagant ceremonies with the jewellery taking a centre stage to highlight the Kandyan lineage of that family.