This group of 'ethanam' or pendants made of gold, form the central piece of a 'thali' or marriage necklace. The most auspicious ornament in a Hindu marriage ceremony is the wedding thali, where the groom ritually ties it around the neck of the bride and sanctifies it before a fire. It has always been worn as a protective amulet by the bride and a symbol of a groom's responsibility towards the family's well-being. Women donate gold thalis to female deities in the hope of having their wishes granted. The back of this pendant has a stylised tree signifying regeneration and fertility.
