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Ethnic Lac Jewelry Posted by on Nov 30, 2018 in Hindi Language

Lac Pen

Pen coated with lac and small mirrors embedded.

If you have made a trip or two to India, you’ve probably noticed that there are as many crafting traditions (शिल्प की परंपरा/shilp ki parampara) as there are states in the country.

Rajasthan is famous the world over for its sandy dunes, historical palace residences and vibrant folk attire. However, Rajasthan is also a haven for those looking for ethnic accessories, and lac jewelry in particular.
Lac jewelry (लाख गहने/lac gehne) is a famous hallmark of Rajasthani crafts, and one of my personal favorites, too. The range and colors of lac accessories is not only mind-boggling, but also a craft unique to the region.
Lac earrings, especially the dome-shaped hanging ones called झुमका (jhumka) with little beads munkay/मनके hanging are delicate and bold at the same time. You can also get lac necklaces (haar/माला), bangles (choodiyaan/चूड़ियाँ), pendants (latakan/लटकन), and such. You can also find pens coated with lac and embedded with small mirrors (chhote darpan/छोटे दर्पण).
What is lac? (Lac kya hai?/लाख क्या है?)
According to Wikipedia, Lac is the scarlet resinous secretion of a number of species of lac insects, of which the most commonly cultivated is Kerria lacca.

VOCABULARY

crafting traditions = शिल्प की परंपरा/shilp ki parampara)
lac jewelry = लाख गहने/lac gehne
dome-shaped hanging earrings = झुमका (jhumka)
beads = munkay/मनके
necklaces = haar/माला
bangles = choodiyaan/चूड़ियाँ
pendants = latakan/लटकन
small mirrors = chhote darpan/छोटे दर्पण
What is lac? = Lac kya hai?/लाख क्या है?
lac bangles = lac choodiyaan/लाख चूड़ियाँ
Here is a video that shows how lac bangles are made.

And here is a video that shows the flip side of this craft industry.

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About the Author: Nitya

Namaste, friends. My name is Nitya. I was born and raised in Mumbai (formerly Bombay). I'm a native Hindi speaker. However, as life took me through school, college, work, and waves of friends from different parts of India, my repertoire of Hindi flavors and dialects grew and added dimension to my native fluency. Casual, formal, colloquial, and regional ... Hindi is a language with incredible variety and localization. Through this blog, I will help you learn Hindi through conversations, vocabulary, colloquialisms, and glimpses of Indian culture. आओ, मिलकर हिंदी सीखते हैं। (Aao, milkar Hindi seekhte hain!) Come, let's learn Hindi together.