Toe Rings In India
Made out of various metals and non-metals, toe rings are a great accessory to draw attention to your feet. Although they are exclusively worn by women, they have, nowadays, become more popular with men. Most commonly, they are worn on the second toe of either foot, and are considered a relatively new fashion accessory in most western countries. Apparently, there is no symbolic meaning for wearing toe rings, as they are only regarded to be new fashion jewelry, often accompanied by open-toed sandals.
Most often, toe rings are worn in India, as a symbol of married state by Hindu women and are called bichiya. Usually, they are made of silver and are worn in pairs on the second toe of both feet, unlike the trend in Western countries where they are worn singly or in unmatched pairs. Though more contemporary designs are now being developed to cater to the modern bride, traditionally they have been known to be quite ornate. There are also bichiya sets which have pairs for four of the five toes. As gold holds a 'respected' status and may not be worn below the waist by Hindus, bichiyas may not be made of gold. This is not followed strictly, especially since toe rings made of gold and diamonds are becoming more and more popular worldwide. In the Indian tradition, a large ring was worn on the great toe of the left foot to indicate a married status. Even more, for curative purposes or to augment their masculine vigor, some men frequently wore a ring on the big toe. In order for toe rings to be easily removed, they were seldom enclosed hoops.
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