Otherwise: our new silver anklet collection has just arrived. This traditional ornament has a long history.
A first-century CE epic of Tamil litterature called Cilappatikaram ("The story of the anklet") dealt with a woman whose husband was killed while trying to sell one of her anklets to a dishonest goldsmith. The anklets are described in great detail in the poem. Rajasthani women wear the heaviest type of anklets, they are silver and signify tribals adherence. Metal anklets are of two types - flexible and inflexible. The flexible ones, often called paayal, pajeb or jhanjhar in India, are made by tying links in a chain. Subsequently, sonorous bells can be attached to the chain, so that the wearer can make pleasing sounds while walking. The sound was also a reminder for people that there was a woman around, during the times of Purdah. In India, women usually wear 2 anklets, on on each side.