Bani Thani: The Original Indian Muse

Indian jewellery can be traced back many millennia. In fact, excavations of the Indus Valley civilization found beautiful pieces that were over 4500 years old. In the last few centuries, most of our breathtaking jewelry has been associated with Indian royalty pre-Independence - from the Maharaja of Patiala to the Nizams of Hyderabad. 

However there is one female historical figure who has left a hefty legacy that has been memorialized in Indian art. Im speaking about none other than Bani Thani - an ethereally beautiful and graceful woman whose name literally translates to dressed up or decked out. 

Originally named vishnupriya, she was a poetess and singer in the court of Raja Sawant Singh in Rajasthan. They fell deeply in love and got married, inspiring the court painter Nihal Chand to create a series of works based on them (often representing them as Lord Krishna and his consort Radha).

This painting is perhaps the most famous - and gives us the most detailed look at her jewelry. What struck me when I first saw this piece is that despite this paiting being over 250 years old - her jewelry would not look out of place on an Indian bride today. From the large jhumkas to the bali shaped mathapatti, and the multi-strand pearl necklace combined with a longer rani haar- these styles are evergreen centuries later (though perhaps only at a wedding). However we have lost our ability to integrate beautiful pieces like these into our lives more regularly. Interpreting these styles in a more contemporary context is one of the things we are most excited about doing at Kahana.