Saptapadi’ or ‘Saat Phere’ is an important rite of the Hindu Marriage Ceremony. In this rite the bride and groom are symbolically brought together through the marriage knot then they take the seven steps. In the seven steps the bride and groom circumambulate a (sacred) fire or the Agnideva seven times reciting specific vows which represent everything from nourishment, strength, happiness to progeny, long life, harmony & understanding. After exchanging the vows the couple agree to be companions forever.
Vows taken by the groom
I will keep you cherished and take care of your welfare and provide happiness to your and to our children. We will together take care of our home, finance and food.
I will give love to you and only you. I will give you courage and strength always.
We will grow prosperous and wealthy and work hard to give education to our children.
I thank you for the sacredness you have brought into my life.
I ask Goddess Laxmi to bless us and make us prosperous.
I will fill your heart with peace and joy every now and then.
As you have taken the seven pheras with me, our friendship and love has become inseparable and strong. Now, you are mien and I’m yours and may our matrimony last forever with success.
Vows taken by the bride
I agree to share the responsibilities you have taken in the first phera.
I will fill your heart with strength and courage and will rejoice in your happiness
I will give you my love with single-minded devotion. All other men are secondary to me.
I will always be with you and participate in all divine acts like fire sacrifice, charity and worship.
I will be with you, whether it is your joy or sorrow. I will be happy with your true love.
May God always bless you and I’ll be there for you in every stage of your life.
I have taken all these vows with my pure heart and I will never let you down. I will be a faithful companion and promise to live life of love, friendship and mutual trust. I will love you always, throughout my life. I have now become your wife by taking these 7 pheras in front of the holy fire.
Queen Marie Jose’s Emerald and Diamond Necklace
Queen Marie Jose’s Emerald and Diamond Necklace
This interesting piece of jewelry was once owned by the last royalty of Italy, Queen Marie Jose. She was known for having an extensive collection of jewels including this diamond necklace. This necklace contains 50 emeralds and a lot of diamonds. It was created by Van Cleef and Arpels.
The Elephant Diamond
Containing emeralds, rock crystal and diamonds this piece was auctioned at Christie’s in London and was once used as an adornment for the Maharaja’s favorite elephant.
Expensive Pieces of jewellery In the world
Sapphire Ring of Princess Diana
Princess Diana is an iconic figure. No wonder the royal jewelry that she wore which is now in the hands of Kate Middleton will be valued at a price of $38,488. This ring was given by Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer on their engagement. Aside from the actual price. This ring is historically significant.
Once owned by Queen Marie of Romania this symbolic piece of brooch made out of Pecten shell was used as a crowned monogram for Princess Marie. It was crafted by C. Faberge and belongs to history of Russian Royalty.
Most Expensive Pieces Of Jewelry In The World
Queen Mary’s Diamond Riviere and La Peregrina Pearl
It has an estimated price of $1,828,224. This was owned by England’s first female ruler Queen Mary. It is considered to be one of the world’s most exclusive jewels that include a Diamond Riviere. It was crafted from 34 old cut authentic diamonds set in gold and silver and given as a gift by the queen to her granddaughter Princess Margaret.
The Laurence Graff Ring
English jeweler Laurence Graff bought this ring for $2.6 million during a Christie’s Auction. It became one of a kind due to the maroon central color of the diamond and even rarer due to the diamond’s octagonal shape.
Did You Know ???
Have you ever wondered what the largest diamond ever mined weighed? How
about how many people are employed globally by the diamond industry? There
are numerous interesting facts and figures surrounding this amazing stone and
the industries that have grown up around it. Below, you will find many interesting
facts and information about diamonds and the diamond industry.
Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on earth. While there are
a few substances that are created by humans that are harder, nothing in nature
compares to the diamond for hardness and durability. That is one of the reasons
that this gem is perfect for a number of different jewelry applications.
The largest diamond ever mined weighed in at an astounding 3,106 carats. It
was named theCullinan and is now part of the English Crown Jewels. Its current
home is the Tower of London, in London, England.
Only 20% of the world’s diamonds are suitable for jewelry. The other 80% are
used for industrial purposes or discarded because they are not worth anything for
any particular industry.
Diamonds are very old. Most diamonds found are at least 1 billion years old
according to scientists. Diamonds are formed in volcanoes and usually deposited
in alluvial deposits around the world.
Diamond is predominantly made up of pure carbon, much like the graphite once
used for pencil lead. Impurities in the carbon lead to colored diamonds. For
instance, nitrogen causes the yellow color of some diamonds. There are very few
completely colorless diamonds.
The first diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 by the Archduke
Maximillian of Austria to his lady love. Thanks Max!
The Hope Diamond, that now resides in the Smithsonian, began its history with
a French merchant in the 1600′s. It was subsequently sold to the French Crown
and made part of the royal jewels as the Blue Diamond of the Crown. It then
traveled through many different hands, including a Kind of England, until it finally
found its current resting place.
Uncut or flawed diamonds carry bad luck in the Hindu religion, while the stone in
any form carries good luck and many other benefits in the mythos of Europe.
India is one of the original homes of diamond mines. Most of the diamond cutting
before the Middle Ages was done in the nation of India. After India, Brazil was
the next place that diamonds were discovered, followed by Africa, where the
majority of diamonds are mined today.
Cool white dwarfs (dying stars) have a diamond core. This was proved in the
1960′s in Australia when the core of a cool white dwarf was measured and its
weight was calculated. The number of carats present was “astronomical”!
There are many more interesting diamond facts. Many of these facts have
been passed down in legend and myth surrounding the stoned. One common
misperception is that diamonds last forever. They, in fact, only last several billion
years. That’s close enough for most people, though!
Part of the reason that diamond is so surrounded by myth and mystery is
because of the phenomenal hardness of the stone. It has an enormously high
melting temperature and can only be cut by other diamonds. To early humans,
this seemed like complete indestructibility and a source of magical powers. Even
today, diamond enjoys a place in holistic practices and popular folklore.
While diamonds might seem almost eternal to people, they have only been
known to humans for a few thousand years. In that relatively short time frame,
these gems have undergone a radical transformation as far as humans are
concerned. Early, rough cut diamonds appeared almost black, and they lacked
the luster that marks today’s stones. With refinements in cutting, diamonds
began to take on the look of the stone that we know today.
Today, there are a number of cuts and polishing techniques used to create
the glowing stones that we know. Brilliant cuts are the term used for what we
know as diamonds. They have come a long way from the table top cut and the
polished, natural geometric shape that raw diamonds have.
Besides jewelry and folk remedies, diamonds play a role in health and beauty, as
well. You can find a number of skin care products that include diamond dust as
an exfoliant. The stone is wonderfully suited to this purpose.
Still, the largest numbers of diamonds are not employed in either jewelry or
health care. Industrial diamonds comprise the largest segment of the industry.
Most of this is because 80% of the diamonds mined are only suitable for
industrial uses, and those industries use the diamonds for many purposes. That’s
to say that they aren’t good for just one thing. They are multi-taskers. They are
reduced to powder and dust for use in cutting and grinding procedures, as well
as being used in more eclectic industries.
The Golconda Diamond Mines
The Golconda Diamond Mines
The Golkonda fort was first built by Kakatiyas as part of their western defenses. The fort Plan was designed after the Kondapalli Fort near Vijayawada, Krishna Dt. It was built in 945 CE-970 CE.[1] The fort was strengthened by Musunuri Nayaks who overthrew the Tughlak army occupying Warangal. In the 16th century, Golkonda was the capital city of the Qutb Shahikingdom, near Hyderabad. The city was home to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates of the region and was the flourishing center of diamond trade.
The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (400 ft) high and is surrounded by massive crenelatedramparts. The beginnings of the fort date to 1143, when the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The Kakatiya dynasty were followed by the state of Warangal, which was later conquered by the Islamic Bahmani Sultanat. The fort became the capital of a major province in the Sultanate and after its collapse the capital of the Qutb Shahi kings. The fort finally fell into ruins after a siege and its fall to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb.
After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanat, Golkonda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutb Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The Qutb Shahis expanded the fort, whose 7 km outer wall enclosed the city. The state became a focal point for Shia Islam in India, for instance, in the 17th century, Bahraini clerics, Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din and SheikhSalih Al-Karzakani both emigrated to Golkonda.[2]
The Qutb Shahi sultanate lasted until its conquest by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. The fortress held out against Aurangzeb for nine months, falling to the Mughals through treachery.
Diamonds
The Golkonda Fort used to have a vault where once the famous Kohinoor and Hope diamonds were stored along with other diamonds.[3]
Golkonda is renowned for the diamonds found on the south-east at Kollur Mine near Kollur Guntur district), Paritala Krishna district) and cut in the city during the Kakatiya reign. At that time, India had the only known diamond mines in the world.
Golkonda’s mines yielded many diamonds. Golkonda was the market city of the diamond trade, and gems sold there came from a number of mines. The fortress city within the walls was famous for diamond trade. However, Europeans believed that diamonds were found only in the fabled Golkonda mines.
Magnificent diamonds were taken from the mines in the region surrounding Golkonda, including Darya-e Nur, meaning sea of light, at 185 carats (37.0 g), the largest and finest diamond of the crown jewels of Iran.
Its name has taken a generic meaning and has come to be associated with great wealth. Gemologists use this classification to denote a diamond with a complete (or almost-complete) lack of nitrogen; “Golkonda” material is also referred to as “2A”.
Many famed diamonds are believed to have been excavated from the mines of Golkonda, such as:
- Darya-e Nur
- Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond
- The Koh-i-noor
- The Hope Diamond
- Princie Diamond
- The Regent Diamond
- Wittelsbach Diamond
By the 1880s, Golkonda was being used generically by English speakers to refer to any particularly rich mine, and later to any source of great wealth.
During the Renaissance and the early modern eras, the name “Golkonda” acquired a legendary aura and became synonymous for vast wealth. The mines brought riches to the ruling Qutb Shahis of Hyderabad State, who ruled Golkonda up to 1687, then to ruling Asaf Jah of Hyderabad State, who ruled after the independence from the Mughals in 1724, until 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed, to become an Indian state.
Of love and other diamonds
Bright, brilliant and blinding sparkles are just some of the qualities of a diamond that make women crazy.
For the ladies, it is the ultimate symbol of romantic love. The diamond’s rarity, value and how it delicately reflects light, while being the hardest of all minerals have inspired women from all over the world.
Anyone would love to receive a diamond ring on Valentine’s Day or her birthday. But for engagements, it goes without saying, that it should be a diamond that must seal the deal.
Trying to explain a woman’s love and lust for diamonds is like entering a labyrinth. More so, try to explain it to a man, whose biggest fear in life is buying a seemingly small stone, that’s going to burn a huge hole in his pocket.
So to all the men who are ready to pop the question, here are a few tips for you: courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/yc2r56o
Q: What’s the difference between a cubic zirconia and a diamond?
A cubic zirconia (CZ) is a man-made crystal with a different refractive index (the degree to which a substance can bend and impact light, making the substance look more or less brilliant) than a diamond. CZ is not as durable as a diamond. It also weighs 60% more, so if she likes to trade rings with her friends to compare, you could get busted.
Q: Which of the 4 Cs (cut, clarity, color, and carat) is the most important characteristic to consider when buying a diamond?
The most important characteristic is cut. The cut is the quality of a diamond’s proportions, described in angles and percentages. It is not merely how symmetric the diamond is, as described by the “symmetry” grade on the lab report, as you may be told. Cut has the most impact on a diamond’s overall beauty. Many consumers are kept in the dark about the finer details of cut.
After cut, our money is on clarity, then color — because great cut quality can make a stone appear more colorless. As for carat weight, we all want size (and so do our women), but given a choice, the stone with the best cut quality wins.
Q: What type of information and documentation should I demand when purchasing a diamond?
You should insist on knowing these details of the cut: Table %, Depth %, Crown angle, and Pavilion angle (see diagram below). These measurements will allow evaluation of a diamond’s cut quality.
Independent laboratory certification is a must. We feel very strongly about this. It is a pedigree of quality that should come with the diamond.
Q: Is it true that the price of a diamond increases exponentially as its carats increase, especially as it gets close to 1?
Prices fluctuate, but the short answer is yes. The dramatic increase is because larger pieces of a rough diamond are needed to produce larger sized diamonds. These pieces of rough cost more. The good news is that prices you’ve seen in the “real world” are inflated. In this day and age, you can get a higher quality diamond for similar or better prices from a reputable Internet vendor.
Q: What is an “A Cut Above” Hearts & Arrows diamond?
Hearts & Arrows is a term used for a round, brilliant diamond that exhibits a kaleidoscopic pattern of hearts in the pavilion (bottom) and arrows in the crown (top) due to the precision in its cut. These diamonds are considered the best-cut diamonds in the world.
To earn the “A Cut Above” (ACA) brand name, the stone must have the planet’s highest cut grade of AGS 0 “Ideal.” Further, the physical alignment of each facet must be perfect. Less than one in three million diamonds displays Hearts & Arrows, and only a fraction are good enough to be branded “A Cut Above.”
Because of the very specific proportions, each ACA has a harmonious blend of white light, colored flashes and sizzling scintillation. Expressly dynamic in all lighting conditions, this marriage of crisp brilliance and robust fire makes “A Cut Above” the most visually balanced diamonds in the world.
Q: What’s the most popular metal used when creating a diamond ring?
These days, it’s platinum, which we recommend for its durability. Gold is always in fashion, too.
Q: What’s a reasonable budget for buying a diamond? Is it really three months’ salary as advertised by some?
The short answer is to buy what you can afford.
Finding the perfect diamond is personal. The traditional figure is three months’ salary, but who’s to say that’s right for your circumstances? We are guessing that if she’s ready for you to pop the question, she wants it to be popped soon. Don’t wait needlessly. No budget is too small or too large, but you should look for the best value in craftsmanship and performance for your money, whether it’s a 15 pointer for $150 or a 7-carat Superideal True Hearts & Arrows cut for $250,000.
How to insure your diamond and avoid getting hustled…
Q: Do diamonds have a resale value once they’ve been cut and purchased?
Only at a slight percentage over wholesale cost. Your best security is to make sure the vendor has sound return, trade-up and/or buyback policies.
Q: How should I care for the diamond?
Diamond is one of the hardest known substances, so just keep it clean and degreased. Dish soap, warm water and a soft brush do the trick. The setting may require more delicate care.
Q: Is there a foolproof way to avoid getting hustled when buying a diamond?
Be smart. Follow these four key words: education, information, communication, and reputation.
India’s eternal love affair with gold
Much has been said about India and it’s obsession with gold. “Gold is religion.” “No gold, no wedding.” “Gold to us Indians is that ultimate love object…”
These are just small manifestations of how gold is essential to India and its very rich heritage.
Gold is Sacred
In Hindu, Brahma The Creator, was said to be born from a cosmic egg of gold. Goddesses are described to be golden-hued.The reason behind this notion is that gold is pure for having passed through fire in its process of evolution. Hence, Indians see gold as a symbol of purity, prosperity and good fortune.
Gold as a symbol of security and protection
Countless wars have been fought for the search of gold. Different rulers have dominated India, yet one currency, gold, has remained a common denominator. Hence, wealth is still preserved in times of war, calamities and even natural disasters.
Gold transcends all social strata
India, a vast country with diverse classes, divided by castes, geography, language and what not, enjoys its so-called “unity in diversity.” Despite the differences, everyone shares a common love, gold. In India, no one is poor enough to own gold. Gold, is what the poor and the rich equally aspire for.
Indian Wedding Traditions and Rituals
There is definitely nothing like the “big, fat, Indian wedding.”
In India, marriage symbolizes a union of not just two individuals, but also two families and extended familes. Though arranged marriage is still the norm, cosmopolitan Indians have become more open-minded to love marriages. Regardless, the traditions of Hindu weddings are still more intact despite the changing times.
Months before the wedding, is the engagement ceremony. Elders of both families give the couple gifts of jewelry and clothing. Sometimes, rings are exchanged between bride and groom.
Pre-wedding ceremonies include turmeric-oil-water bath for the bride and groom. Next is the bride’s mehendi ceremony, wherein her hands and feet are decorated using Henna. It is believed that the darker and deeper the color produced, the more loved the bride will be by her husband and mother in-law.
The Bride’s wedding attire is always an elaborately designed sari or lehenga, which is adorned by silver and gold. A red attire is auspicious and is a sign of prosperity, fertility and marital bliss.
The Groom wear a dhoti, which is just as grand and finely embroidered outfit.
The guests also wear grand clothes, making the entire affair very colorful.
The Bride’s Jewelry
The bride is adorned by traditional fine jewelry treasures. Aside from accentuating the feminine beauty, jewelry has always been linked to wealth, power and status. Hence, gifting the couple jewelry symbolizes best wishes to the newly-weds. Certain ornaments, such as mangalsutra, nath (nose ring) and toe rings, quintessential for married Indian women. From the practice of generations, these gifts are still continuing without any abruption. Jewelry gifted to women at the time of her marriage is called ‘stridhan’ i.e. wealth of women, which in short is symbol of wealth, power and femininity.
The wedding ceremony itself lasts for 3 hours. The rituals vary in every region. Though, a remarkable tradition is the Sapthapadi which means taking seven steps together. It is believed that if one follows the seven steps with another person, it is considered as a confirmation of their eternal friendship. Thus in a wedding this symbolizes that the bride and the groom will keep up their friendship for life and also partake equally in both good and bad times.
The wedding culminates with the groom applying vermillion or kumkum to the bride’s forehead, welcoming her as his partner for life. This is the first time that kumkum is applied to the forehead of woman, when the bridegroom himself adorns her with it.
Reasons why Gold is a Good Investment
photo courtesy of http://tinyurl.com/6n2r24z
Gold, throughout the history of mankind, is known for its value. In history it is closely interwoven into cultures for thousands of years. Throughout the centuries, people have continued to hold gold for various reasons. These are the reasons why you must own it today.
- Increasing Value – Unlike paper money, coins or other assets, gold has maintained its value and is proven to increasing over time. Especially in India, people see gold as a way to pass on and preserve their wealth from one generation to the next.
- Protection against fluctuations of US Dollar – When the value of dollar falls versus other currencies, people turn to the security of gold. As an effect, gold prices increases.
- Hedge against Inflation – This is historically proven. Gold’s price tends to rise when the cost of living increases.
- Unaffected by Deflation – During this period on which prices decrease, business activity slows down and the economies are burdened by debt, as seen during 1930’s Great Depression, the purchasing power of gold increase while other prices dropped.
- Retains value even in Geopolitical Uncertainties – Gold is called the crisis commodity because people clamor for its relative safety when world tensions rise. During crisis, gold often outperforms other investments.
- Supply Constraints – Gold is a non-renewable resource. It is bound to be depleted considering the increasing demand for it. Production of gold mines is also constantly dropping. Hence, the rise in gold prices.
- Increasing Demand – India is one of the largest gold-consuming nations in the world; it has many uses there, including jewelry. As such, the Indian wedding season in October is traditionally the time of the year that sees the highest global demand for gold (though it has taken a tumble in 2012.) In China, where gold bars are a traditional form of saving, the demand for gold has been steadfast.
Treasure 