Shankha Bracelets · Set of 2

Shankha bangles have been a part of Bengali tradition and custom for centuries.

They are mostly worn by women as ornaments at their weddings. During recitation of wedding hymns, the father of the bride gives her a pair of conch bangles.

According to folk stories, this Shankha craft belongs to fishermen.
There used to be a lot of shells and corals in the sea. As they could not afford expensive jewelry, they would pulverize them and make bracelets out of them. In this way they replaced the ivory ornaments. Two pairs of Shankha come out of one shell. Then they are polished and the craftsmen make an intricate design on them.

Earlier, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, was the main center of the shell cutting industry.
In the 17th century, the Mughal emperor brought the Shankhari, shell craftsmen, to Dhaka and assigned them an area to settle. The place later became known as Shankhari Bazaar, the place where your bracelet comes from.

Although times have changed, there is an amalgamation of tradition and modernity alive in the lives of Bengali Hindu women who wear these bracelets.

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