Toe rings in India - Jodve

Toe rings are known as jodve in marathi.Toe ring is a small circular band made of metal which is worn on the toes.The women decorate their feet by wearing toe rings on the second toe of each foot. Traditionally toe rings are mainly made of silver.

 There is an enormous variety of jewellery items found in India. The style of jewellery worn by a woman reflects her customs and traditions to a great deal.


Toe rings a part of Solah Shringaar

Solah Shringaar, Hindi term for 16 ancient traditional accouterments is a great custom of ornamenting the entire body with jewellery. There are 16 ancient traditional accouterments worn by the Indian women to beautify her self and till today the women in India are passionate about 16 accouterments with which they, love to adorn themselves. Toe rings in the Indian culture are one of the most popular ornaments of these 16 accouterments.

Toe rings as a Symbol of Marriage

It is a custom in maharashtrians to wear jodve after marriage. Wearing of toe rings is practiced in entire  India.It is worn as a symbol of the married state by Hindu women .There is a special ceremony performed for wearing toe rings at the time of marriage. Along with other symbols of marriage toe rings are also a traditional symbol of marriage.

As toe rings are a symbol of married status, according to the Hindu culture and religious beliefs the unmarried girls are prohibited to wear toe rings. Though in the present age toe rings have become a fashion ornament, but the Indian girls still refrain from wearing toe rings before marriage.

 Toe rings are called bichiya (pronounced: bee-chee-ya) in Hindi, jodavi(जोडवी) in Marathi, Mettelu (మెట్టెలు) in Telugu, Metti in Tamil (மெட்டி), Kaalungura in Kannada.

They are usually made of silver and worn in pairs (unlike the trend in Western countries, where they are worn singly or in unmatched pairs) on the second toe of both feet.

Traditionally they are quite ornate, though more contemporary designs are now being developed to cater to the modern bride. Some 'bichiya sets' may have pairs for four of the five toes, excluding the little pinky.

'Bichiyas' may not be made of gold, as gold holds a 'respected' status and may not be worn below the waist by Hindus, but this is not followed very strictly and toe rings made of gold and diamonds are commonly seen.

Thanks to the earlier history of toe rings, today we have countless designs and colors to expand our options. They are crafted in gold, silver, platinum, beads or even elasticized bands.
Toe rings accentuate the best pedicures and the cutest shoes and add a fun and flirty vibe to you and your feet, which will keep everyone on the beach smiling.
Some designs in toe rings include semi-precious or precious gemstones, rare stones and other fascinating materials man made or natural as well. The lovely Celtic band toe ring is unique and trendy. 

These are snaps of few jodve worn by me.