Kolhapuri saaj


Kolhapuri saaj is necklace named after Kolhapur, a city in Maharashtra, India.

Design and construction

Traditionally the necklace is made of 21 leaves or pendants but contemporary wearers prefer 10 to 12. Customarily the necklace is handmade, taking a person a week to make, however challenges such as shortage of skilled manpower and its high cost have prompted the attempt to mechanise its production.
Trisha Bhattacharya in a Deccan Herald article describes the design thus:
... 21 design-portions mostly, comprise avatars of Vishnu, and symbols of ashtmangal. The Kolhapuri saaj begins with chaphe-kali, and ends with kirti mukh. In line are panch panadi, bel leaf, bel plant, ridge gourd, karle or Bitter gourd, Sun, manik panadi, matsya, Koorma, Narasimha, rose, beetle, chandra, emerald, gandbhairi, morchel, peacock feather, shankha, wagh nakhe, and snake. Other symbols that are used could also be kamal, kasav and bhunga. The Kolhapuri saaj is woven into green colour silk, and further ornamentation is done.