Deriving Anklets- aesthetic or misogynistic; & other related issues

It was some months before when I was at home, that I was irritated beyond my own belief at the sound of anklets. I mean who told them (our ancestors) that we needed to incite and excite this sense of sound when women walk in households, and in the process maybe disturb someone.

Is it just a pronouncement for the female character or a symbol of a misogynistic society? Commenting on what women and girls choose to wear is definitely not the intention or even mandate of anyone. What I am thinking about is the origin of this accessory.

Not to pull off a VK Singh here (Link), but cows and buffaloes in villages have bells tied around their neck. It is probably there to easily find them when they wander off.

Is this why anklets were worn by women, i.e. to warn the male members of their coming and to stop discussion on any important issue.

Ghungroo- bigger version of Payal (anklet)

This practice of wearing anklets is now fast losing its attraction in urban India (personal observation which may vary from truth). I personally feel it is heartening that symbolically also these chains which have been binding our women in society are being broken. Being bound by any aesthetic accessory in this sense seems like being bound by chains which stop progress. It is as if by diverting our attention to how we look, we are ignoring the essence of the real beauty of who/what we are.

This is of course not limited only to anklets to which a disproportionately large part of this writeup has been dedicated. It is also true to presentations that we give. It is also related to the political campaigns that parties are running.

Being a part of the architecture student’s community, I feel a lot of attention is paid to how things look. This of course boils down to the old age debate of whether beauty and aesthetics is important. But I am a subscriber of the philosophy which says that we need some periods in time when we strip some work of all its aesthetic appendages which tend to hide its flaws. Show it as it is. I have seen and done this many times in my design presentations as an architecture student. Hiding flaws in design by good presentation. This is what sells, isn’t it?

The Punjab and Haryana Assemblies' complex by Corbusier

The Brutalist architecture catered to just this problem of aesthetics. It originated because architects were fed up of the external pilasters and heavy ornamentations which did not contribute to the building in any way (functionally). Some of Le Corbusier’s buildings in naked concrete display their magnificence in this style.

At the end of the day, it is people who will decide what they like better and we must leave it to their fine sense of judgement.

Reverting back to the anklets - Has it now become a fashion statement which is out of fashion? Of course some people like them for the sound and beauty. Better leave it to the girls. This post has already taken a lot off my mind.

The first image is from Wikipedia (Creative Commons), the second one clicked by me.