Pink Saturday - Pink bangles

Pink Saturday - Beverly, at the blog "How Sweet the Sound" hosts Pink Saturday. Let the color pink inspire you.

During our visit to Artesia, sometimes known as "Little India," I bought these pink metal bangles. They are bright hot pink, with gold-colored glitter and little mirror chips pasted on them in patterns. They are cheap things - the asking price for a stack of four dozen was $15. I bought half a stack, and then gave away a dozen to a friend. Even still, the glitter and clash and sparkle of the remaining dozen catches the eye when worn - and the ear, as they delicately tinkle when you move.

The word "bangle" comes from Hindi. It is related to bangri or bangali, which refers to its shape - a ring around the arm. "Bangle" may also be related to bungri, which means "glass."

Indian girls buy glass bangles for all occasions, in colors that match their outfits. Special wooden racks are sold to display them safely. Most glass bangles, or kanch-ki-choodi are made by Muslim craftspeople in the city of Firozabad, in north central India, or in the city of Hyderabad, in Pakistan.

Firozabad, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is famous for its glassworks. Glass of all kinds is made here, including light bulbs and bottles and jars - but also beads, bangles, chandeliers, decorative wear.

Bangles are made in sizes, from tiny ones for little girls to extra large ones for larger hands. You're supposed to wear the smallest size that fits you - small glass bangles are less likely to break. When I shopped for glass bangles in the Bangle Bazaar in Artesia, the shopgirl sized me as a 2.8. The glass bangles are stored beneath a table holding CDs. I sat down on the floor and pawed through the stacks and boxes of glass bangles - although there were fabulous colors and varieties, it seemed like everything was a 2.6.

I finally found this package - they are black and gold, and quite elegant. There are two fancy bangles in the package, as well as skinny bangles decorated in three different patterns. Price? $9.

Since medieval times in India, bangles have been a symbol of marriage. Women wear bangles at weddings and give bangles as wedding gifts. The saying goes that a honeymoon lasts until the last wedding bangle breaks. When a woman is widowed she symbolically breaks her glass bangles.

Women's craft collectives in India adorn boxes, picture frames, other objects with colorful shards of broken glass bangles.

Glass bangles are delicate, and break easily. I broke this one trying to put it on. I really think I should have bought a size 2.10 instead. Bangle-lovers advise using lotion on your hands when trying to put your bangles on or take them off.

If you like the idea of glass bangles, you can go to this website. They have instructions for measuring your size, and selections of bangles in all sizes and colors.

The price is right, so why not give it a try? Sparkle for Pink Saturday!