Parandas: Punjab’s Traditional Hair Accessories

Made with silk, cotton, or synthetic yarns, ‘paranda’ is a well-known product of Punjab. These hair accessories were traditionally made for women to add a layer of elegance and playfulness. Parandas have been depicted in carvings, sculptures, and art over the years, and are just as well-liked today.

Gorgeous parandas made in different designs, Source: Youtube

The ‘patoli’ craft has been around in Punjab for generations. The artisans in this trade are called patolis. Parandas are the most common and popular items that the patolis make. An experienced patoli can make up to three parandas a day, as it involves rigorous work. These hair accessories are used to adorn or braid women’s hair. Generally added to the end of the braid, parandas are made using a variety of materials such as silk, cotton, or synthetic yarn.

Roughly 30 cm long, parandas consist of three strands. These strands act as extensions of a braid, with one strand for each part of the braid. The strands of yarn are braided into the actual hair, in turn acting as an extension of the braid itself. The end has tassels or pompoms, sometimes with the addition of colourful beads.

Parandas can be made with cotton or silk threads or more intricate with gold, silver, platinum, or semi-precious stones. Each paranda is handmade with great care, making each piece unique and valuable distinctly. The art of making these accessories has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a complex craft, involving a lot of elaborate work.

In a lot of Indian subcultures, the volume of hair determines a woman’s beauty. Parandas add volume to natural hair, making them a very popular hair accessory. There are special, customised parandas made for brides for their weddings. They have added embellishments, beadwork, or embroidery, made according to the bride’s wedding clothes.

Parandas are adored by children and adults alike. They are symbols of feminity and tradition. Eastern Punjab is famous for its colourful parandas, and Southern Punjab is well-known for mirror work parandas. Depending on the level of heat and the general climate in separate parts of the state, the designs and colours of the parandas change accordingly.

It is said that queens of the royal families came up with the idea of adding a hair extension that would show under the dupatta (head covering). These queens wanted to add embellishments for women who cover their hair for religious and cultural reasons. The concept of parandas was born as a shoot-off of this idea.

During the Mughal period, parandas were made with genuine materials like pearls, along with motifs and mirror work. As time went by, these accessories were made using synthetic materials to cut costs and cater to the public’s demands.

These parandas, to an outsider, may seem like simply a hair accessory, but to the people of Punjab, paranda is a cultural symbol, representing tradition and staying true to one’s roots.