Why Do Married Women Wear Payal?

In much of North India, married Hindu women wear payal (anklets) because they are part of the solah shringar, the 16 adornments of a married woman, along with sindoor, bangles, the mangalsutra and toe rings.

A new bride usually gets her payal from her in-laws or her mother as part of the wedding jewellery. The anklets are almost always silver, because many Hindu families do not wear gold below the waist.

In South India it is a little different. Girls wear kolusu or kolussu from childhood, so anklets there are not a sign of marriage on their own. The toe ring does that job.

What Does Payal Mean for a Married Woman?

Payal is one of the marks of a suhagan, a woman whose husband is alive. That is the core meaning, and the one most families agree on. On Karva Chauth, Teej and at family weddings, many married women wear the full shringar, and payal is part of that set.

The sound has its own meaning in old homes. The soft chhan-chhan of a new bride's payal told the house she was moving about. Many Hindi film songs and folk songs use this image of anklets heard before the bride is seen. For many families today it is simply a sound they like to hear in the house again after a wedding.

Some also link payal with Goddess Lakshmi entering the home. When a bride steps into her new house for the griha pravesh, families often say Lakshmi has come, and the payal and the alta on her feet are part of that welcome.

Why Is Payal Made of Silver?

Gold is linked with Goddess Lakshmi, and many Hindu families think it disrespectful to wear gold on the feet. So anklets and toe rings are silver, while gold stays on the neck, ears, wrists and fingers.

There are plain reasons too:

• Silver is cheaper than gold, and an anklet worn every day gets scraped and knocked about.
• Silver is soft enough to adjust.
• A heavy silver anklet costs far less than the same weight in gold.

A few communities do wear gold anklets, and gold-plated silver is now sold widely. If you are unsure, ask the elders in your own family. Our page on why married women wear toe rings explains the same silver rule for bichiya.

Payal Names and Customs Across India

Names and customs change from district to district, so treat this table as a rough guide. In one village the payal is a bridal gift. In the next it is something every girl wears.

Is Payal Part of Solah Shringar?

Yes. Most lists of solah shringar include payal. The lists differ a little by region, but sindoor, bindi, kajal, mehendi, bangles, mangalsutra, earrings, the nose ring, the maang tikka, the kamarbandh, bichiya and payal appear in most of them. Our page on the symbols of a married woman in Hinduism covers each one.

Is There a Scientific Reason Behind Wearing Payal?

Not one that has been proven. Several claims are repeated online and on WhatsApp:

1. Silver touching the skin improves blood circulation in the legs.
2. Silver "absorbs energy from the earth" and passes it to the body.
3. The pressure of the anklet helps with swelling or pain in the feet.
4. The sound keeps away negative energy.

We looked for medical studies behind these and did not find any. They come from tradition and from ideas close to acupressure, not from research. Wear payal because it means something to you or your family. Do not wear it, or stop any treatment, for a health reason.

There is one real health point, and it is the opposite of a benefit. Cheap anklets made with nickel or mixed metal can cause an itchy rash in people with a nickel allergy. If your skin turns red under the anklet, switch to pure silver or take it off and see a doctor.

Payal as a Wedding Gift

In many North Indian families, the payal comes in the bride's shringar box from the groom's side, sometimes along with the bichiya. In other families the bride's mother buys it. Both are common.

A pair of silver payal is also a good personal gift for a bride from a sister, a bua or a friend. It costs less than gold, and she will wear it. Our list of wedding gifts for the bride has more ideas in that price range.

Daily Wear Tips

• Pick a lighter design for daily wear and keep the heavy bridal pair for functions.
• If the bells catch on sarees or bedsheets, choose a flat chain design.
• Clean silver with a little toothpaste and a soft cloth, or a silver polishing cloth.
• Remove anklets before long walks in closed shoes.
• Many working women wear payal only at home or on festival days. That is a personal choice.

Some women also tie a black thread on one ankle for protection from nazar. That is a separate custom and is not part of the shringar.