Temple Jewelry Decoded: The Stories Behind Aanapadam, Hasli, and Haaram
Three names, three shapes, one shared root in South Indian temple jewelry.
Walk through House of Vandy's House of Pallikkara edit and you'll notice the names doing real work — they're not decorative flourishes, they're descriptions. Aanapadam tells you what's on the piece. Hasli tells you the shape of it. Haaram tells you how it's worn. All three trace back to South Indian temple jewelry, a tradition where design elements weren't arbitrary — they carried specific meaning, built around motifs, forms, and lengths refined over centuries. Here's what each name actually tells you.
Aanapadam: The Elephant Motif
"Aana" means elephant, and "padam" refers to a motif or design — so Aanapadam is, literally, elephant-patterned. The elephant is one of the most recurring figures in South Indian temple jewelry and architecture, tied to processions, temple ceremony, and auspiciousness. On this choker, a row of gold ceremonial elephants marches across the front, each one finished with a textured, howdah-like back, bordered in clustered pearls. It's a good example of how temple jewelry motifs are rarely abstract — the elephant is unmistakably an elephant, not a stylized suggestion of one.
Hasli: The Rigid Collar
Hasli refers not to a motif but to a shape — a rigid, open-backed collar that sits close to the neck rather than draping like a chain. It's one of the oldest necklace forms in Indian jewelry, prized because the open construction lets it hold its shape and sit consistently, piece after piece, wear after wear. This particular hasli carries twin peacocks in gold repoussé work at the front, framing kemp stone clusters in pink and green, with gold bead tassels cascading along the curve.
Haaram: The Long, Layered Necklace
Haaram simply means a long necklace, traditionally worn low across the chest rather than close to the throat. Where a hasli is defined by rigidity, a haaram is defined by length and repetition — a motif repeated in a row, graduating down to a single, often larger, pendant at the centre. This one carries a row of scalloped kundan medallions, each finished with a pearl drop, and comes with matching jhumkas so the whole look is built as a set.
Why the Vocabulary Is Worth Knowing
Once you know these three words, shopping temple jewelry gets a lot more precise. You're no longer choosing between vague "necklace" options — you're choosing a shape (rigid hasli or draped haaram) and, often, a motif (elephant, peacock, floral) on top of it. It also makes it easier to spot when a name is being used accurately versus decoratively, since real temple jewelry vocabulary describes construction, not just vibe.
Caring for Temple Jewelry
- Keep away from perfumes, sprays, and moisture — kemp and kundan settings are sensitive to both.
- Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or airtight container to avoid tangling chains or scratching stones.
- Wipe with a soft, dry cloth after wearing; avoid harsh cleaners.
- Remove before exercise or any heavy activity.
The Takeaway
Aanapadam, hasli, and haaram aren't interchangeable words for "necklace" — each one tells you something specific about what you're buying, rooted in a design vocabulary that's been refined for generations. Once you can read the names, the whole temple jewelry edit makes a lot more sense.
Explore the full House of Pallikkara temple jewelry edit.
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