Alaṃkāra (Alamkara; ornament) is celebrated as a giftable equipment, as described in Purāṇa(s) (Purana; Mythological Scripture). Alaṃkāra is to be dedicated to gods at the time of worshiping. Giving ornaments as gift can yield the fruits of caturvarga (the four-fold goals of life), happiness, and it determines development and satisfaction. Alaṃkāra is of forty kinds.
This gives an indication that jewellery was highly esteemed by people. In the four Veda(s), the term alaṃkāra is not found, but ‘araṃkṛta’ (aramkrita), ‘araṃkṛti’ (aramkriti)can be found. “Ra” and “La” are not different, as far as ‘alaṃ’ is concerned.In Veda, we find the Marud gods, decorated with several ornaments, and there we also have the mention of a popularly known term ‘ajñi’. The Marud gods are decorated with various ornaments, and a beautiful necklace around their neck. This necklace is called rukma —
citrairanjibhirvapuṣe vyañjate vakṣaḥsu rukmnā adhi yetire śubhe.
The earliest use of alaṃkāra can be found in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (Satapatha Brahmana)–
anjanābhyanjane prathacchatyeṣa hu mānuṣo’laṃkāraḥ.
In Veda(s), though the term alaṃkāra cannot be found, it cannot be possible that there was no ornaments at that time. In Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa the cohl for eyes or the sandal paste for feet is also called ‘alaṃkāra’ used by people. But from one term used in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, it becomes clear that alaṃkāra can also be external ornaments. The glistening of fire-sparks, or sunlight reflected upon sand, is like alaṃkāra —
sikatabhiranuvikirati iti alaṃkāro nu eva.
In Upaniṣad (Upanishad), external alaṃkāra is so popularly esteemed that there is a custom of giving clothes and ornaments along with the dead body. In Atharvaveda, it is said , addressing the deceased spirit — your father used to wear this golden ring, you also wear it —
idaṃ hiraṇyaṃ vivṛhi yatte pitāvibhaḥ purā
In Chāndogya Upaniṣad (Chandogya Upanishad) it is more clearly stated that — the deceased body is to be decorated with clothes and ornaments —
pretasya śarīraṃ vasanolaṃkāreṇa saṃskurvanti.
In Chāndogya Upaniṣad itself, we have the mention of an ornament called niṣka (nishka). Later niṣka came to be used as a measure of coin. But from the conversation between sage Raikka and king Jānaśruti (Janasruti), it is clear that the king gave him niṣka as ornaments, and such a great scholar as Śaṅkarācārya has explained the term niṣka as necklace —
niṣkaṃ kaṇṭhahāram.
Since Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) it is known that golden ornaments were made of niṣka, or niṣka itself was used as golden necklace. While describing the glory and glamour of the lifestyle of Yudhiṣṭhira (Yudhishthira) before he went to forest, Draupadī (Draupadi) said — in Indraprastha, the hundreds of maids of Yudhiṣṭhira used to wear niṣka-necklace and keyūra (keyura; one kind of bangle) made of saṃkha in their hands. They were all decked with ornaments of gold and jewels
śataṃ dasī sahasrāṇi kaunteyasya mahātmanaḥ.
kamvukeyūradhāriṇyo niṣkakaṇṭhyaḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ.
sanīn hema ca bibhratyo nṛtyagītaviśāradāḥ.
Among ornaments, golden chains, earrings, and while jewels (most probably pearls) imported from sea-trade centres, were popular among women–
suvarṇamālāṃ vāsāṃsi kuntale parhāṭake
nānā-pattanaje śubhre maṇiratne ca śobhane.
Men also used to wear earrings, and these were golden earrings. The earrings of Madayantī (Madayanti), wife of king Saudāsa (Saudasa), were made of jewels.
In Rāmāyaṇa there are several mentions of alaṃkāra(s). There are at least eleven ot twelve synomyms of gold in Mahābhārata. Kānchana, kartamvara, cāmīkara, jāmvunada, tāpanīya, mahārajata, rukma, suvarṇa, hāṭaka, hiraṇya, hema, and so on. Among the jewels, the names of pravāla, vaidūrya, indranīla, mahānīla, vajra, vidruma, sphaṭika, and other jewels are also abandunt in Rāmāyaṇa. They are also evident in Mahābhārata. Throughout the two Mahākāvyas, alaṃkāra is widely in use, irrespective of men and women.