“Solah Shringar” translates to “16” and “makeup” or “adornments.”  The term refers to the pre-wedding preparations an Indian bride makes to be beautiful from head to toe and ready for her wedding to her beloved groom.   The process includes Indian bridal makeup, accessories and the traditional art of beautification passed down through generations.

Hindu mythology says that Solah Shringar celebrates the celestial beauty of the female form, therefore corresponds with the sixteen phases of the moon.  The adornments and accessories used are said to especially enhance the bride’s divinity and ward off any negative effects of the moon phases, especially a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Sixteen Steps

These are the sixteen steps taken to make the bride ready for one of the most important days in her life and truly a site of beauty.   The steps begin after the pre-Shringar divine bath.

  1.  Keshapasharachana  – Drying and styling of the bride’s hair.  It is then adorned with flowers and jewels.
  2.  Mang-tikka – hair adornment worn in the center parting of the hair and it comes to the forehead.
  3.  Sindoor – Red powder applied to the center part of the hair.
  4.  Bindi –  This is the sacred symbol of a married woman. Traditionally, it is the circular red dot placed on the center of the forehead.  Some brides wear their bindi with red and white dots around the forehead and along the eyebrows.
  5.  Kajal – the traditional black eyeliner worn around the bride’s eyes.
  6.  Nath –  the traditional nose ring that can be plain or adorned with jewels.  In some parts of India, this nose ring is never removed.
  7.  Earrings – usually large, elaborate with jewels and heavy.
  8.  Haar – necklaces of different lengths, jewels and flowers.
  9.  Baaju-band – Armbands worn on the upper arm.
  10.  Choodiyan – bangles and bracelets which are one of the most visible signs of a married woman.
  11.  Mehndi – The hands and feet are covered with designs made from henna.
  12.  Hathpool – The bride wears eight rings in both her hands.  These rings are attached with jewels or flowers covering the top of the hand.  
  13.  Aarsi – The thumb ring that is worn by the bride.
  14.  Kamarband – The jewel adorned waistband.
  15.  Anklets – silver chains adorned with clusters of small silver bells.
  16.  Bichuas – Toe rings that can be very simple or also adorned with the cluster of small silver bells.

Indian Bridal Makeup and Adornments

When we do Indian destination weddings we are usually able to get local henna artists trained in the appropriate designs to do all the required artwork.  We start the training process several weeks or months prior to the wedding.

Jewelry for destination weddings is also a consideration for many families.  Most resort hotels have basic safe capabilities for valuables.  It’s not uncommon for an Indian wedding to involve more jewelry than the average resort can accommodate safely.  We can make arrangements to provide rental safes for the duration of the wedding.  We’ve even gotten accommodations to have the safe physically installed (i.e. bolted to the floor) in a room.