There was a time in India when a woman walks, the people around could recognize to which community she belongs, due to the jingling sounds produced repeatedly by a payal (anklets or leg ornament) that she wore on her feet. As per the Indian tradition, it is important for a woman to wear the ornaments on her ear, feet, hand, neck, fingers, waist, and forehead and to cover her head with a veil (cloth) when the elders are around her as a sign of respect to them. Silver ornaments like anklets, bangles etc, are widely used among many communities in south India as it is affordable compared to gold ornaments. Silver ornaments like payals (anklets) made in Hupari village of Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. Hupari village is about 24 km from the city of Kolhapur surrounded by other villages like Pattankodoli, Rendal, and Vasagade which are also working on the silver ornaments. Most of the people in this village work in their houses, using their living room as a working area during the working time (day time). Most of the houses in this village are occupied with the art of making the silver ornaments.
It is believed, this art of making the silver ornaments was taught by Mr. Aman Rao Krishna Ji Poddar in 1950, who relocated to this village from Kolhapur city. At the beginning he trained few people in order to support him in the completion of his orders, later they trained many others and the art of making the silver ornaments spread across this village. Gajashri, Roopali, Chunchung, Kandroae, Thrisula etc. are well-known designs of payals made in Hupari village. Generally leg ornaments are light and hollow, however “Kadaga” is also a leg ornament or can be like a bangle that is heavy and solid with chain bands fringed with little bells, spiral coils or consecutive rings one over other encircling the hand or feet. Wearing “Kadaga” is the privilege of an Indian woman. Payal consists of two to five strings made up of small, large medallions with beads of different shapes like round, cylindrical, barrel-shaped and ribbed and also multi-color rings.