Earrings in tamil culture

 Earrings have always been a fashion in tamil nadu . As per sangam literature and other inscriptions both men and women adorned themselves with earrings . 

Ancient literature refers earrings as thodu , thodal , thongattam , pambadam , kuzhai , kundalam and kaathanai . 

MEN

Men had their ear piercing ceremony during their first birthdays.  Men wore special ring like earrings and stones . Some rich men like kings or merchants wore long earrings made of many jewels like gold   pearl , silver , lapis lazuli etc . 

Some community wore earrings made of conch shells , pearls . Lord mahavishnu is said to be wearing makarakundalam ( makara is a demonic fish like creature )  and hence called as makaranedunkuzhaikadhan . Lord shivan is said to be wearing pure white shells as earrings . 

WOMEN

Women had different types of earrings .

EARLOBE ORNAMENTS

Thodu - normal earring made of gold or silver , with a precious stone at centre . It may be pearl , ruby , diamond . Even large thodu with multiple stones are adorned . 

Thongattan or jimmukai - it is the hanging types of earring . It is attached to ear lobe either through a thodu or directly with a ring . 

ORNAMENTS IN PINNA

Koppu - a small pin or thodu over the ear 

Lollakku - swinging type earring over the ear . 

Mattal - chain that connects the earring to hair .

SPECIAL ORNAMENTS

Kundalam - large earrings in different shape . 

Pambadam or thandatti - complex heavy earring filled with lac . It is worn by south tamil nadu ladies . 

Valai - large ring shaped . 

EXTENSION OF EARLOBE 

It was a common practice among buddhist , jain and vaishnava monks , old ladies and tribal women . 

A knife is used to tear the earlobe and heavy earring is attached . It pulls the earlobe and gradually , the earlobe extends upto 20 cms . Longer the lobe , longer the life ..