Thursday, July 9, 2009

Kumauoni Nath - Nose Ring Worn By Uttranchali Women

                        My dear mom

Uttranchal is a beautiful hilly state in India ,most of you must have heard of Nainital ,Almora Kausani ,Ranikhet , Musoorie .This large Nath(nose-ring)is worn by married Uttranchali women in special occasions.For me my mom was the most beautiful woman,specially when she wore this beautiful Nath.This is my mom wearing a large beautiful Kumauoni Nath....this picture was taken few days after my parents got married.

Meet my Nani (granny ) . Nani tells me that in those days it was worn all day long and at bed time it was worn around the neck .I always used to ask her if it was painful but she would answer no,we are genetically designed to bear the weight of Nath.With time size of Nath has seen many changes,now it is much smaller and convenient to use.
This is Ruchi my dear sister-in -law and below is my kid sister Mamta......both pictures are of them as brides.It is not only worn by a bride but also at times when there is a birth in the family,a religious occasion,a marriage and other auspicious festivals like Diwali etc.I too wore one as a bride. Now often i miss the chance to wear it because it is not worn here in Assam....i really look forward to wear this whenever i am visiting my parents and there is a function to attend.Last time i wore one was on my brother's marriage 7 years back.

76 comments:

  1. Kavita, do you wear a diamond in your nose when not wearing the ring? I sometimes see Indian women wearing nose diamonds.

    Although it looks painful, I think the jewelry is absolutely beautiful.

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  2. Yes, i do but my son likes to pull it so it gets tough at time...fear of injury and fear of loosing the diamond because it is designed like a spring .

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  3. ouch, what a tradition. looks like it would be difficult to eat...I've been thinking lately of getting my ears pierced. Even my twin grand daughters have pierced ears but I never have had them done. Used to wear clipon earrings. Interesting how cultures are so different.

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  4. I am expecting a many OUCHESS...lol

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  5. I wonder how will you be looking like wearing one of those. Very Beautiful I guess. and your mom is very beautiful. And Richa looks like one of the TV stars whose name I don't seem to remember.

    I also remember a kumaoni friend of mine whom I used to tease that it looks like the naki worn by cows :P

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  6. nice post :) today i follow u. :)

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  7. Thanks for your compliments...Pramathesh.

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  8. @sABAH 2U....Thanks a lot,you are welcome to my blog.I will visit your blog too.

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  9. damn that is so big! how long do they wear? Will it be worn all the time or just during special occasions?

    Whatever it may be, rich indian culture rocks for sure!

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  10. Amazing! to wear those and pose for a picture or two might be fun.. but to move around with those ... God bless them who can do that!

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  11. @MOHAN...it is worn only during special functions.Thanks.

    @Sumandebray...believe me Suman it is not as painful as it looks because the Nath is supported by a chain as you can see in the picture.

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  12. like mom, like daughter...great post..kavita..keep up your cheers..and remember u have a friend in sharjah..always..hahah

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  13. Wow! Beautiful women run in your family! You are all so strikingly gorgeous, nath or no nath.

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  14. Those nose rings are big and so beautiful. Very lovely.

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  15. Your mother is breath taking.
    I love these old B/W pictures. They look so charming. So are you originally from Kumauon? Were the brides supposed to wear it all the time? It must have been a little difficult but I guess as you nani said, you get used to this.
    Beautiful.

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  16. Hey as always, your posts are very informative and not only that, you present them is a great manner to keep the user engrossed!

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  17. I would say the ladies are beautiful. I don't know much about the nose rings but I would imagine it is painful.

    Thanks for helping me to make history.
    Pick a Peck of Pixels

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  18. Nice and informative post with lovely pictures. I think you will also look nice if you wear big nose ring.

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  19. wow!!wow!!wow!! so beautifully ethnic, loved the stone and kundan work, Your mom is so beautiful! I want a pic of you now wearing the nath..

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  20. @Ramesh ..thanks

    @kAY...Thanks,you are very generous.

    @Rajesh...thanks.

    @Ajinkya..thanks,i am glad you find them interesting .

    @Abraham Lincoln...thanks.

    @Babli...thanks,i think i look ok wearing one.

    @Sujata...thanks a lot,touching,feeling and wearing this nath is one of a kind experience...the work done on it is really beautiful.I am little shy,but all my ladies shown here gladly consented to let me publish their pictures.

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  21. Nice. Your mom is beautiful. And the Nath is beautiful...its a beautiful tradition.

    Please check my blog. An award is waiting for you there...

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  22. Kavitha, your mom looks sooooo beautiful. Your nani also must have been very beautiful, when she was young. Even now she is so graceful.

    Your sister and sister-in-law(brother's wife?), both look like models...stunningly beautiful.

    As your nani said, people of older generation follow tradition willingly.

    You are always giving us new anecdotes of the traditions of your mother's and husband's side, which we never have heard of. Because of the famous Begali movies, we are familiar with Bengali traditions. We know of Rajasthani and some traditions of Gujarathis also. Your area is new for us. Thank you.

    My house is full of guests, so I seem to be late, nowadays! But, I will never miss to read your posts, even if it is late, I love them!

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  23. Those are really big Naths...but what was nice to see that generations after generations...but we tradition was followed!!!
    Nice post!!

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  24. Guys !!!! that strikingly gorgeous one (Ruchi) is my wife :-)

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  25. nyc to see the tradition being followed even today.. nd i mst say all the three ladies r lukin stunning..

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  26. Hi Kavita
    I's a beautiful tradition.
    The women here are all so lovely.
    Thanks for sharing...I really enjoyed your post.

    Margie:)

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  27. hey! kumaoni culture is so rich :D

    and ur sis in law is looking so beautiful in the bridal attire :)

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  28. Back again...

    Thanks for your visit to my Pick a Peck of Pixels Blog and for your comment there about Japanese trains and the toilets. And your visit helps me get closer to my original goal: 10,000 visits. Pick a Peck of Pixels

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  29. wow! love indian jewellery - makes the pretty women look prettier!

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  30. I can see variety in these comments beyond I could imagine, but since we are so much used to of seeing these nose rings I feel all ok about it. Nonetheless, the important to note here is that the ring is put on very2 special occasions and that too for not long duration. You would therefore wonder that none of these women's nose is ripped or disfigured. Its just part of our culture.
    SP

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  31. So beautiful ur mom and nani look,so are the other ladies with the beautiful nath.
    Excellent post kavitha,when ever i read ur post i learn new things about india,keep blogging more about india and its culture.
    Hi-fi to you,guari and ur little son.

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  32. Dear Kavita,
    Your mother is most beautiful and so is the ornament...I'm sure not too many women can carry this off a gracefully as these women have, in your pictures posted.

    I recently noticed Aishwarya rai wearning this nose ring in Jodha Akbar.

    Love visiting your blog :))

    best
    -nivi

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  33. u r such a sweet friend..thanks dear for all the encouragement..cheers

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  34. Much classier than things many of my fellow American's are wearing on their faces...

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  35. You have such beautiful ladies in your family, your mother is so pretty. Ooooo that does look painful but, I suppose it doesn't take much getting used to when it is your tradition. thanks for this interesting information.

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  36. What a nice blog you have Kavita. I love this post. Will definitely be back to read more:) Thanks for adding me to your blog list.

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  37. Ouch! Doesn't that hurt? :)

    What should I call it? Danger ring?

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  38. Hi Kavita !!These Nose Rings are really beautiful !! I have seen some of the Village Ladies wearing same kind of stuff !! I really don't know how they manage this much of weight on so soft nose.

    Great post..Memories of village refreshed.

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  39. Your mother and granny look so beautiful. I love the big nath. One of my school time friend is from Kumaon, even she wore a big nath on her wedding day.

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  40. the pics were all g8. especially nice to see aunty's and mamta's pic. its been ages since i met them.

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  41. I repeat, rpt rpt.. u r among my best friends..thankksss..

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  42. Dear Kavita
    I came by to thank you so much for your lovely comments on my blog.
    They are so appreciated & mean a great deal to me!
    You are so kind & I love having visits from someone as special as you visiting my blog.

    Wishing you much joy & many blessings in your life!

    Margie:)

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  43. Lovely post! very attractive lines with lovely pics...
    thanks for sharing!

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  44. I'm used to seeing 2-3 nose piercing in the family..almost every women in the older generations used to have at least 2,which has dwindled to 1 in my mom's generation and almost nil in mine,.but they are all studs that ornate the nose..I seriously wonder how you people bear the weight of the big ring..i don't even manage to wear one in the ears.. looks beautiful though :)

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  45. i can totally relate to this post as i too belong to that region:))
    have recently got my nose pieced so that i too can wear this on my wedding and keep on the "parampara";))
    nice informative article!!
    i read many "wow" n "ouch" in the comments;))
    nice blog!!

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  46. @Jyothi....Thanks.

    @Sandhya...Thank you.Naani is otherwise very sweet but just a look at the camera is more than enough to FREEZE her.Your words always encourage me.

    @Ramesh...dhanyavaad.

    @Nazish Rahman...We are very proud of our culture and customs...Naths are going to stay for a long long time.Thanks for liking this post.

    @Indidoc...see we made you realize that how lucky you are.

    @Prachi...Dear very nice to see you here but dont start blogging .

    @Margie...thanks.

    @AS...THANKS.

    Abraham Lincoln...your blog is great and i wish you good luck.

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  47. @Magic eye..Welcome here.

    @SP..Subhash,we are used to of seeing naths but for rest of the world it is little strange..so few ouches and wows are expected.

    @Varunavi..thankyou.Please keep on visiting here.

    @Nivedita...It is always nice to see you here,you are one of my oldest friend here in blogger world.

    @167 DAD..thanks.

    @Dellgirl...thanks.

    @Panorama...thanks for your visit and lovely comment.

    @Nona...sure a danger sign you can't miss.

    @Unseen Rajasthan....thanks.

    @Priyanka Khot..i love your Marathi nath a lot...its shape and design is always very attractive.

    @NITU...thanks dear.

    @Sharodindu....welcome here...what a beautiful name you have.

    @Gayathri..as a kid my sister wanted to get married just to wear this NATH..we look forward for a chance to wear this.Now a days even the weight of sindur is too heavy to wear.

    @Wishes galore...hey at last i met someone from uttranchal here...i am sure you are going to look very lovely on your weeding day.I can't imagine a pahadi bride without it.

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  48. will return to learn more about your blog :) have a good passion about the indian culture as like all oriental :)

    My best wishes, Lina

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  49. Wow, that is gorgeous! They look so pretty.

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  50. Oh! That's quite a big thing to wear on a nose!!

    Building a New Home

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  51. Hello Kavita
    Wishing your son a very special birthday!!!
    He is just three years old...Awwww, I remember those young days with my son, lovely and special days together!
    Please give your sweet son a birthday hug from me!
    May his life always be full of many blessings!

    Margie:)

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  52. You wrote a great post, interesting and full of love for
    a tradition that I like lot.
    And beautiful photographs, true beauty timeless!!!
    Thanks!

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  53. A post full of insights!! Good one!!

    PS: There's a surprise for you on my blog!

    Check it out! :)

    Cheers!!

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  54. There is an award for you in Bamboo Lounge

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  55. Hi Kavita !! This post is nice but i am waiting for some new one !!:))Unseen Rajasthan

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  56. what's happening? r u back? i broke my 2-day break to visit u..my dear dear friend..plzzz give some good news taht u r back....

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  57. Pura energia!
    Deus seu tre abençoe,pela ternura e beleza de blog seu!

    Viva Vida!

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  58. It's great to come across a celebrated blog by a fellow Kumaouni:)I also hail from Almora and the post about Nath refreshed my nostalgic days from yore when dadi used to take me for walks...keep writing on the uttarakhand traditions!

    Great blog:)

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  59. Very informative and interesting.

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  60. this is sooo wowwwwwww!!:) amazin blog!

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  61. Hi Kavita ... nice write-up.
    Just tell me something when does this piercing take place , at childhood or during marriage

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  62. @SOMA...Thanks.Soma this piercing is mostly done at childhood though many do it before marriage too....which is ok if you are wearing a small light wt.NR but for a NR as heavy as this it is better if the nose is pierced a long time back.

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  63. Got it , you know I was thinking how did you manage to put such a big ring.Mine was done just a few days before marriage and on the wedding day a cried a lot to put the family ring

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  64. those are beautiful pictures...so very traditional ad upright...nice.

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  65. lol.....u must see my nath.....m gna get married ds year....its soooo huge.....bt m planning to take a shorcut....i'll wear bigger one during puja n all and a smaller one for d rest of d time......

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  66. lol...u must see my nath...m gna get married soon....its sooo huge....bt m gna take a shortcut...i'll wear bigger one during puja...and a smaller one fr rest of d time......:)

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  67. Kavita,

    Enjoyed my pictorial journey to see dolphins and then such beautiful photographs of ladies wearing NATH. It is so huge that I wonder how did they wear it the whole day though it makes them look so majestic.

    Take care

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  68. Nose rings are big and so beautiful.Very nice...

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  69. Hai kavi this is karthick from chennai really i dont know why i am very fond od of these kind of nose ring i love to see all religious women to wear these kind of rings so keep in touch ma acc is karthickshashi@gmail.com plz do

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  70. Very nice.I totally liked it kavita hi.as I m also a kumaouni native so it seems interesting that someone is appreciating our culture also.long live kumaouni culture.........

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  71. Very nice.I totally liked it kavita hi.as I m also a kumaouni native so it seems interesting that someone is appreciating our culture also.long live kumaouni culture.........

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