Chura

Bangle sets and materials

Bridal sets are usually designed in two contrasting colours, most frequently red and white. Sets are arranged by size along the arm, tapering down from the forearm to fit comfortably at the wrist. Historically, craftspeople carved them out of ivory with delicate inlay work. Modern makers produce them primarily from plastic or glass. A traditional set held twenty-one bangles, though contemporary brides often choose smaller groupings of seven, nine, or eleven pieces. The ornaments are crafted from lightweight and delicate components, designed to sit neatly along the bride's arm without slipping.

Regional styles and colours

Styles and colours vary across different states and communities. Gujarati brides receive a red and green chudlo from their maternal uncle to complement the Panetar wedding sari. In Maharashtra, brides put on peacock green bangles known as hirva chuda to honour the goddess and invite fertility. Bengali and Odia brides wear white conch shell and red coral bangles, known as shakha and pola, paired with an iron band called loha. Assamese weddings feature the gold and silver muthi kharu, while Nepali brides wear gilded red bangles alongside beaded necklaces during weddings and Teej celebrations.

Ceremonies and daily wear

The custom is widely practised across northern, western, and central India. The formal gifting often takes place either on the wedding morning or the previous day, when a maternal uncle and aunt present the ornaments to the bride. In Marathi traditions, green bangles are slipped on after a ritual turmeric oil bath. Once in her marital home, a bride traditionally wore the set for a full year or, in modern practice, for forty days. Because the delicate bangles can break easily, this custom excused the new bride from heavy household chores, creating a peaceful initial period in her new household.

The removal ritual

When the designated wearing period ended, families marked the transition with a small ceremony, often scheduled on the festival of Sankranti. The bride's in-laws would take off the bridal set and replace it with everyday glass bangles on both wrists. Relatives celebrated this moment by offering sweets and monetary gifts. Following prayers, the original bridal bangles were released into a flowing river. If a woman became pregnant before her first anniversary, her set was taken off early. Once the formal period concluded, a married woman could wear any colour of bangles she preferred.

How Chura is kept

Before or on the wedding day, the bride's maternal uncle and aunt present her with the chura set. In some regions, women slip on green bangles following a ritual turmeric bath. The bride wears the bangles continuously for forty days or up to one full year, avoiding strenuous housework to protect them. When the wearing period concludes, often during Sankranti, the in-laws host a gathering, present sweets and money, replace the chura with everyday glass bangles, and release the original set into a river after prayers.

When and where

The chura is presented on the wedding morning or the day before. The bride wears it continuously throughout her initial married life, traditionally for one year or for forty days in contemporary practice. Removal often takes place on Sankranti.

The tradition is observed widely across northern, western, and eastern regions of India, including Jammu, Punjab, Gujarat, and Assam, as well as in Nepal. Variations are also found in the Thar region of Sindh.

What Chura means

The chura marks a woman's entrance into married life. Green varieties worn in Maharashtra represent fertility and connection to the divine mother. Red and white pieces carry auspicious significance for new beginnings. In everyday life, the bangles visually identify a newlywed and grant her a protected period of rest from domestic work.

Questions people ask about Chura

See also

DhotiA long unstitched cloth men wrap like trousers, for worship and formal daysMangalasutraA necklace tied by the groom at a wedding, worn through married lifeSherwaniA long buttoned coat for men, worn at weddings and state occasions in South AsiaPashminaUltra-fine wool of Himalayan goats, hand-woven in Kashmir into shawls of rank

Good reading and sources

• Chura (bangles) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-07.