Book explores importance of beads in Arunachali society

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) The tradition of beads has beenembedded in the lives of the people of Arunachal Pradesh fromtime immemorial and a new book explores the oral history,gender questions, social dynamics and tribal relationshipsrelated to this ornament. There are several types of beads worn by people in thenortheastern state with saanjay tassang, tado, lebu, lancha,sante pyage and pilya papu among few of them. Saanjay tassang is blue in colour, small in size andtubular in form while tado is a yellow coloured small bead intubular form. Lebu beads are light brown in colour and come in variousshapes such as round, circular, roughly oval, and hexagonal.Lancha is a small tubular bead in chocolate colour, santepyage has thin lining all over its surface and pilya papu hasa glassy appearance and is of spherical shape. In "Beads of Arunachal Pradesh: Emerging CulturalContext," published by Niyogi Books, Sarit K Chaudhuri andSucheta S Chaudhuri describe the economic, cultural and ritualsignificance of beads, their historical relation to migrationand popular beliefs, classification mechanism, legends andhistory around them and ethnic specifications. Despite the impact of globalisation even in rural areas,the popularity of beads has not diminished among the people. Beads are used as a bartering item and usually take theplace of money even now. Beads are a status symbol inArunachali society. "Brides bring ‘tadoks’ (beads) from their parental homesand these become the property of the husbands’ families, thuselevating the family status," the book says. According to the authors, beads are worn also to mark thewearer’s social and cultural status during festivals, culturalevents and even at the reception of important people. "The role of beads as an identity has become moreimportant with increase in ethnic aspirations. In this age ofglobalisation, global events influence even the remotest area.Fashion shows are spreading fast throughout the Apatanisociety. Beads are displayed here, elaborately showcasingtheir ethnic identity and aesthetic sensibilities," they say. Beads are worn in offices, market places and even inagricultural fields. The prices of beads depend on their age and size. "The more the age and size, the higher the price. Oftenthe beads are graded into different classes such as first,second and third. The first class, consisting of oldest beads,is the costliest and is highly regarded by people," the booksays. PTI ZMNTRS