Ethnic Design Collection Reto Zehnder

Five-stranded silver belt, probably from Hyderabad. The two chains of a type of work known as kamardani. The belt opens by unscrewing a typical Indian left-hand screw

These two fine chains, to wear as bracelets are off snake-like suppleness. These chains are reminiscent of the sacred snake (nâga). "Among the notable nāgas of Buddhist tradition is Mucalinda Nagaraja and protector of the Buddha. In the Vinaya Sutra (I, 3), shortly after his enlightenment, the Buddha is meditating in a forest when a great storm arises, but graciously, King Mucalinda gives shelter to the Buddha from the storm by covering the Buddha's head with his seven snakeheads." cit. Wikipedia

This bracelet or anklet is of a type of work known as kamardani, but this string instead of being round is flattened. The style of chain is a loop in loop with a hooked closure. The effect of the flexible, loop-in-loop chain is that its movement imitates that of a snake, which has associations in Hinduism with fertility and creation. Origin: Karnataka or Maharashtra.