Traditional Indian Hair Jewellery | Parandi

An Indian bride is adorned from head to toe in exquisite attire and jewelry on her wedding day, but her look remains incomplete without the perfect hair accessory. Whether it's a parandi for a Punjabi bride, a borla and sheeshphool for a Rajasthani bride, a passa for a Muslim bride, a dejhoor for a Kashmiri Pandit bride, or a jadanagam or simple gajra for a South Indian bride, tied hair with a traditional ornament adds the finishing touch.

Across cultures, hair accessories have long been more than just decorations—they serve practical, spiritual, and symbolic purposes. Keeping hair tied has always been essential for comfort, hygiene, and protection, helping to stay cool in hot climates and preventing tangles in colder ones. Many other civilizations have also imbued hair accessories with deeper meanings. In ancient China, intricate zan hairpins indicated a woman’s marital status, while in Japan, kanzashi ornaments were believed to ward off evil spirits. Hair sticks, one of the earliest forms of hair accessories, have been used across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, balancing both function and beauty. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans secured their elaborate hairstyles with decorative pins, often encrusted with gemstones. In East Asia, wooden and metal hair sticks were not just practical but also a mark of social status. Over time, hair accessories evolved beyond tradition—ornate hair combs became a staple of the French court in the 18th century, and by the 20th century, modern clips, headbands, and barrettes emerged as both fashion statements and everyday essentials.