Chaahat-Chaniya or "Chun-Chun"
In the morning, in front of the elders, the parrot
Starts mimicking the sounds
Of last night’s love play.
Embarrassed she claps her hands,
“Dance! Dance!”she orders the children...
In the morning, in front of the elders, the parrot
Starts mimicking the sounds
Of last night’s love play.
Embarrassed she claps her hands,
“Dance! Dance!”she orders the children.
The chatter of the parrot is lost
in the jingle of her earrings.
This poem, 'The Parrot', by Amaru, one of the supreme early lyric (Sanskrit) poets of India, has been tampered with. We’ve changed the last word, an article of jewellery, to ‘earrings’ from ‘bangles’. This in order to suit our purpose, for while the mudras in classical Indian dance may well cause gold bangles to jingle, the physicality of each such performance would also result in earrings like these swinging about to the tempo of the movement and thereby emitting their own sweet music from the double row of kadamphul jhumurs, with polished discs in between, that edge the jewel.
The embroidery of scrolling floriated naksha, faceted half-topas, and rows of mihi-rejis and paktar are seen in bands on the skirt. The border of chhela inverted mangoes and a finial of sorts of two large naksha ones hold the garment in place while Manipuri highlights at the top and bottom lighten the busy patterning.The tops are also Manipuri-style pradips.
An ornament for intrepid lovers, this. But even if you don’t have a pet parrot that’ll tell on you, be careful the euphonious ring of your Chaahat-Chaniya earrings don’t give you away. And if all this sounds somewhat ambiguous — what ‘chaahat’, why ‘chaniya’? — wait for the necklace, of which these are the matching kanbalas, to make its appearance over the weekend for a more complete picture of the half-parure.
Handcrafted in rich yellow guinea-gold and given that earthy polish so essential to its bohemian spirit, this pair of earrings captures the complete abandonment of celestial love and asks you the question central to your soul : Have you loved without shame, without fear, without loathing, without reticence, ever?
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