| Weight (g) | 60.00 |
| Colour | Multi Color |
| Occasion | Festival |
These cowrie shell kadas come as a set of two and belong to the Banjara and Lambani tradition of western India, where jewellery is built from thread, shells, mirrors and coins rather than from precious metal. Each kada is a hoop wrapped in bands of coloured thread, ringed with white cowrie shells and small silver beads, and finished at the opening with a small bell and a cluster of hanging cowries. Nothing here pretends to be gold, and that is the point.
The base hoop is wrapped tightly in cotton thread laid in blocks of colour, yellow, green, red and deep blue, with the wrapping so dense that the frame beneath never shows. Cowrie shells are stitched around the outer edge, each one drilled and fixed so its natural opening faces inward, and small silver beads sit between them. Cowries were once used as currency across much of Asia and Africa, which is part of why they appear so often in tribal ornament. At the open end, a domed bell hangs from a silver cap with three more cowries suspended below it, and these move and sound as you walk. Every piece is wrapped by hand, so the colour blocks fall slightly differently on each one.
Tribal textile jewellery wants plain, textured cloth: khadi, handloom cotton, linen, or denim. It looks wrong with silk or anything formal. Wear both on one wrist for the full Banjara effect, or one on each. The colours are bright enough that the outfit underneath should be plain, and black, white, indigo and natural undyed cotton all work particularly well.
Navratri and garba, folk performances, craft fairs and exhibitions, handloom and khadi dressing, festivals, and gifting to someone who collects tribal or textile jewellery.
This piece is made in one free size rather than in bangle sizes. It is shaped to pass over the hand and sit loosely on the wrist, which is how this style is meant to be worn, so there is nothing to choose when you order.
Free size suits most adult wrists comfortably. It is not adjustable, so if your wrist is unusually slim or broad, message us on WhatsApp before ordering and we will tell you honestly whether it will sit well rather than take an order that comes back.
Thread and shell jewellery cannot be cleaned wet: water stains cotton thread and loosens the stitching that holds the shells. Keep it dry, brush dust off gently with a soft dry brush, and store it in a pouch where the hanging tassel cannot tangle. Cowrie shells are natural and can chip if knocked hard, so take these off before anything strenuous.
| Weight (grams) | 60.00 |
| Colour/Finish | Multi Color |
| Occasion | Festival |
| Gender | women |
| SKU/Product Code | KEYU-NAA3055 |
