Kalyan Wiki
Tode Design
In India, especially with its diverse heritage, regional specific jewellery is a huge range in itself. One such quintessential bridal ornament that women of the Western region particularly prefer on their wedding day is ‘Tode bangles’. Tode bangles, also known as ‘Gahu tode’ or ‘Gahu kada', are beautiful pieces of jewellery that are made of pure 22K gold. They are intricately carved traditional gold bangles worn mainly by Maharashtrian brides.
The name ’Gahu tode’ comes from the wheat grain shaped design of the bangles, popularized by the women of the Peshwa era. They come in different widths - thick or thin and are soldered with only gold, making it a heavy accessory to wear.
However, these antique bangles have an evolved modern design nowadays created in an attempt to make it at par with the designs of contemporary times.
Presently, tode bangles are interspersed with small white or red stones and even pearls to enhance their overall beauty. The bangles are openable or come with screws on both sides, which aids in easy opening and size adjustments for the wrist.
It is said that a well-crafted pair of tode bangles are extremely difficult to make without the strict supervision of a goldsmith. The sculpting done in the bangles is hard to achieve, and often, even a skilled craftsman requires at least a month to make a beautiful pair of these bangles.
The level of sophistication rendered by these tode bangles positively provides a regal look for the bride on her wedding day. These bangles are worn alongside other traditional bangles like ‘patlya’; and the green chooda (bangles).They can also be used to accessorize one’s look for any traditional gathering.
