Anklets and Toe Rings

Paradoxically, the feet are considered to be the most polluted part of the human body and at the same time, the objet of highest admiration and veneration. Humbling oneself by touching the fet of one's elders or prostrating oneself before them or worshipping the feet or sandals of a deity or a holy man are expressions of respect. By the same token of expression of submissiveness, a lover is often portrayed in art of described in literature as falling at his beloved's feet or admiring them with gentle caresses. The feet of a nayika, worthy of a lover's affection, are abundantly adorned with anklets and toe rings. Anklets are of two basic types, i.e. the stiff and the flexible. The stiff anklets are either cas or fabricated by hammering sheet metal into the requisite shape. Using the techniques of chiselling, engraving, repousse, granulation or threading and wire work, anklets are patterned. The flexible variety employs close interlicking of separately made links tied together either by using variations of chain technique or by threading together of links. Known as jhanjhar or pajeb, the flexible variety is often further adorned with jingle bells. There is no better music to the ears of a lover than the jingling sound arising from the steps of his beloved. This has been a subject of innumerable poetic stanzas in Indian lierature over several centuries.
Like the finger and thumb rings described above, there is a whole class of tow rings covered with floral shanks and often inter linked with chains. Similar to a tripartite hand ornament known as hathphul having finger rings, there is a foot ornament having toe rings connected to an ornamental pendant with a chain issuing from eah ring which in turn is further linked to an anklet with a hook. This ornament fully covers the foot from ankle to toes. Toe rings are known as bichhia in northern and western India indicating.