When we talk about the traditional jewelry of Maharashtra, the first that comes to mind is the uniquely designed nose pin which is known as “Nath”. Nath is part of the traditional gold jewellery of Maharashtra which is worn by every married woman on all special and auspicious occasions.
In many areas of Maharashtra, it is also called “Brahmi Nath” and as time evolved, various variations are available in the market now. The most common and traditional one is made of gold, designed in a half-curved shape, and embellished with white and pink pearls and stone. The size of the nath is bigger than the usual nose pins but the designers are experimenting with the size and shapes as per the demand of the market. But no one can replace the original one as it holds the traditional value of the culture of Maharashtra. The nath is mostly given to the bride on her special day and she then wears it always on every auspicious and other occasion.
Although all the Maharashtrian nath look very similar, still many of them vary as some designs follow the significance of each. Let us know about the different Maharashtrian nath and their significance in detail.
1. Karwari Nath
As many of the Maharashtrians stay near Maharashtra and Karnataka border, the jewelry designs changed in this region due to the touch of the South. Karwar nath is mostly worn by the ladies who stay near these borders and the design has little South Indian touch to it. Karwar is the city in Karnataka and from where the origin of the name of the nath arrived. It is a gold-plated nath embellished with Basra pearls and pink stones which makes the design uniquely beautiful.
2. Peshwai Nath
Peshwas are always remembered for their bravery and courage but their love for jewelry was also not hidden from everyone. They loved their culture, art, and creativity which inspired designers to design a Peshwai nath for their ladies. The design of the nath is a bit smaller compared to other ones, a bit more circular and mostly adorned with white pearls with a small touch of pink stone in it. The women mostly combine it with Kolhapuri saaj to complete their Peshwai look.
3. Pachu Nath
It is also called Emerald nath which gives a royal and ethnic look when worn with the complete Maharashtrian attire. The nose pin has a similar design to others but it is a bit large in size and the colored stones are replaced by emeralds to add a royal touch to it.
4. Bhanu Nath
The nath has given this name after the name of a very famous character “Bhanu” of a Marathi TV serial “Jai Malhar”. It is designed in a semi-circle with stones and pearls studded neatly in a single line. The design looks very neat and after the serial it got famous among the public. With the increase in demand, the designers started making this nath for their customers.
5. Puneri Nath
When compared with Bhanu and Marwari nath, it is a bit less circular than that and embellished with two flower-like designs one below the other.
