Paper short abstract

This paper examines the cultural and economic aspects of gold jewellery in relation to gender, aesthetics and social identity construction in India

Paper long abstract

Historically Indians are known to be one of the largest consumers of gold and gold jewellery. Based to ethnographic work in Eastern India and textual evidence from other parts, this paper examines the relationship between gold, culture, moral economy, aesthetics, and social identity construction. Taking gender, household and marriage as interlocking structures, the paper argues that an understanding of cultural and economic aspects of gold jewellery needs to be traced over time over generations especially in globalizing times. The dynamics of symbolic representations in terms of gold jewellery as auspicious consumption in social exchanges and gift giving, social security and gendered status identity are some issues that are examined through new market and consumption practices.