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{{Short description|Type of bracelet}}
{{other uses of|Bangles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{ref improve|date=May 2025}}
A '''bangle''' is a traditionally rigid [[bracelet]] which is usually made of metal, wood, glass or plastic. These ornaments are worn mostly by women in the [[Indian subcontinent]], [[Southeast Asia|Southeastern Asia]], the [[Arabian Peninsula]], and [[Africa]]. It is common to see a bride wearing glass bangles at [[Indian wedding|wedding]]s in [[India]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Pakistan]], [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]] and in other Asian countries. Bangles may also be worn by young girls, and bangles made of gold or silver are preferred for toddlers.{{citation needed | reason = The vague assertion that certain types of bangles "are preferred", made in a context stressing the geographically wide practice of bangle-wearing, fails to specify who expresses the preference, or where.|date=April 2022}} Some men and women wear a single bangle on the arm or [[wrist]] called ''kada'' or ''kara''.

[[Chura (bangles)|Chooda]] is a kind of bangle that is worn by Hindu/Sikh [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] women on their wedding day.  It is a set of white and red bangles with stonework.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

According to tradition, a woman is not supposed to buy the bangles she will wear {{according to whom|date=May 2025}}.

[[Firozabad]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] is India's largest producer of bangles.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

==History==
[[File:Dancing girl of Mohenjo-daro.jpg|thumb|Dancing girl of [[Mohenjo-daro]] (2300–1750 BCE)]]
Bangles made from sea shell, [[copper]], [[bronze]], [[gold]], [[agate]], [[chalcedony]], etc. have been excavated from multiple archaeological sites throughout the [[Indian subcontinent]].<ref name="Ghosh224">Ghosh, page 224</ref> A figurine of a dancing girl wearing bangles on her left arm has been excavated from the [[Mohenjo-daro]] archaeological site (2600 BC) in modern-day [[Pakistan]].<ref name="ghosh83">Ghosh, page 83</ref>
Other early examples of bangles in [[ancient India]] include copper samples from the excavations at Mahurjhari, followed by the decorated bangles belonging to the [[Mauryan Empire]] (322–185 BC) and the gold bangle samples from the historic site of [[Taxila]] (6th century BC).<ref name="Ghosh224" /> Decorated shell bangles have also been excavated from multiple Mauryan sites.<ref name="Ghosh224" /> Other features include copper rivets and gold-leaf inlay in some cases.<ref name="Ghosh224" />

==Design==
{{More citations needed|section|date=November 2016}}
[[File:Bangles in Jodhpur.jpg|thumb|right|Bangles made of glass stacked for sale in Jodhpur, India|187x187px]]
Bangles are circular in shape, and, unlike other [[bracelet]]s, are not flexible. The word is derived from Hindi {{Transliteration|hi|bungri}} (glass).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/themes/indianwords.htm |title=Etymology of Selected Words of Indian Language Origin |publisher=Wmich.edu |access-date=2013-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220033539/http://www.wmich.edu/dialogues/themes/indianwords.htm |archive-date=20 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They are made of numerous precious as well as non-precious materials such as [[gold]], [[silver]], [[platinum]], [[glass]], [[wood]], [[iron|ferrous metals]], [[plastic]], etc. Bangles made from sea shell, which are white colour, are worn by married [[Bengali people|Bengali]] and [[Oriya people|Oriya]] [[Hindu]] women. A special type of bangle is worn by women and girls, especially in the Bengal area, commonly known as a "Bengali bangle", which is used as a substitute for a costly gold bangle, and is produced by thermo-mechanically fusing a thin gold strip (weighing between 1–3 g) onto a bronze bangle, followed by manual crafting on that fused gold strip.

Bangles are part of traditional [[Indian subcontinent]] jewellery. They are sometimes worn in pairs by women, one or more on each arm. It is also common for women to wear a single bangle or several bangles on just one wrist. Most Indian women prefer wearing either gold or glass bangles or a combination of both.{{according to whom|date=May 2025}} Inexpensive bangles made from plastic are slowly replacing those made by glass, but the ones made of glass are still preferred at traditional occasions such as marriages and on festivals. Bangles are the signs for traditional women and girls. Bangles play a very important role in various Indian dance forms.Some of dance forms include bangles striking each other to produce a tone.{{according to whom|date=May 2025}}

The designs range from simple to intricate handmade designs, often studded with precious and semi-precious stones such as [[diamond]]s, [[Gemstone|gem]]s and [[pearl]]s. Sets of expensive bangles made of gold and silver make a jingling sound. The imitation jewellery tends to make a tinny sound when jingled.

==Types==
 
There are two basic types of bangles: a solid cylinder type; and a split, cylindrical spring opening/closing type.  The primary distinguishing factor between these is the material used to make the bangles. This may vary from anything from glass to jade to metal to [[Lac (resin)|lac]] and even rubber or plastic.

One factor that adds to the price of the bangles is the artifacts or the further work done on the metal. This includes embroidery or small glass pieces or paintings or even small hangings that are attached to the bangles. The rareness of a colour and its uniqueness also increase the value. Bangles made from lac are one of the oldest types and among the brittlest. [[Lac (resin)|Lac]] is a resinous material, secreted by insects, which is collected and moulded in hot kilns to make these bangles. Among the more recent kinds are rubber bangles, worn more like a wristband by youngsters, and plastic ones which add a trendy look.

Normally, a bangle worn by people around the world is simply an inflexible piece of jewellery worn around the wrist. However, in many cultures, especially those from [[Indian culture]]s and the broader [[Indian subcontinent]], bangles have evolved into various types in which different ones are used on different occasions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tamilnadu.com/fashion/bangles.html|title=Bangles|publisher=Tamilnadu.com|date=4 March 2013|access-date=14 March 2013|archive-date=18 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018071805/http://tamilnadu.com/fashion/bangles.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''The following are some popular designs of bangles in India:-'''{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}

# Jadau Bangles (Also known as Kundan);
# Meenakari Bangles;
# Lac or Lakhs Bangles.
Bangles, in India, are usually used by married women or girls. A chura is a set of Bangles traditionally worn by a bride on her wedding day and for a period after, especially in Punjabi weddings.

Imitation bangles are becoming more popular these days because of high gold prices{{according to whom|date=May 2025}}

==Production==
*[[Hyderabad]], India, has a historic world-famous market for bangles named [[Laad Bazaar]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hyderabad.co.uk/attractions.htm |title=Hyderabad on the Net: Other Attractions |publisher=Hyderabad.co.uk |access-date=2013-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107073802/http://www.hyderabad.co.uk/attractions.htm |archive-date=7 January 2013 }}</ref>
*Glass bangles are mostly produced in the old Indian city of [[Firozabad]] in [[North India]].{{according to whom|date=May 2025}}
*In [[Pakistan]], glass bangles are produced mainly in [[Hyderabad, Sindh|Hyderabad]], Sindh and plastic full arm bangles are produced in [[Tharparkar]], [[Badin District|Badin]], [[Umerkot]] and [[Sanghar District|Sanghar]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/477523-hyderbadi-bengals-most-desired-accessory-for-eid-buyers|title=Hyderabadi bangles most desired accessory for Eid buyers|work=The News International|date=28 May 2019}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Laadbazar.jpg|Laad Bazar
Multicolor Glass Bangles Gangotri WTK20150915-DSC 4117.jpg|Multicolor glass bangles in Gangotri
Tamil Bangles.jpg|Tamil bangles
Women wearing bangles in Chittagong (02).jpg|Bangladeshi women wearing Reshmi bangles
Plastic Bangles at sale in Bangalore 194625.jpg|Plastic Bangles, Bangalore
Womens Business, Pushkar, India (6947001532).jpg|Women's Business, Pushkar, India 
File:Vendor in Pakistan sells bangles made of glass in variety of colours and designs.jpg|The vendor women sell bangles made of glass in variety of colours and designs which is very popular among the women.
File:চুড়ি.jpg|Bangles at a shop
File:Bangles_Ornaments.jpg|Bangles for sale
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Choora]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{Wiktionary|bangle}}
{{commons category|Bangles}}
* Ghosh, Amalananda (1990). ''An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology''. [[Brill Publishers|Brill]]. {{ISBN|90-04-09264-1}}.

{{Bengali wedding}}

[[Category:Jewellery]]
[[Category:Bracelets]]
[[Category:Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Jewellery of India]]
[[Category:Jewellery of Pakistan]]