Paambadam

Paambadam is an ear ring worn by elderly women in South Indian States such as Tamil Nadu & Kerala.

an age old lady with paambadam

Designed in the shape of a snake hood, with two balls, two knobs, a square piece and a tongue pieced together, the gold coated ear rings weigh about 50 g each.

Paambadam in Tamil means the hood of the snake(paambin padam).

The sheer weight of a paambadam enlarges the ear lobe, which has to be pierced with a special knife for gradual expression.

Paambadam would be worn with one or two others of similar size and weight, pulling down and stretching the earlobe considerably. The remarkable semi-abstract design actually incorporates animal forms, showing the head of a snake.

Currently due to more modernisation, such earrings are not worn.