Tharu Silver Necklace (Kantshri)

This fine and wearable silver alloy necklace is known as a kantshri and is from the Rana sub-group of the Tharu people of the Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in far western Terai, the relatively flat savannah-like region of southern Nepal along the Indian border. There are also Rana Tharu in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand and Kheri Terai in Uttar Pradesh in India. They claim to be of Rajput origin, which might explain why this necklace seems to show Rajasthan influence.

The necklace comprises a row or 35 jasmine bud or bullet-like pendants suspended from an interior row of curved pendants with applied spherical work, plus two terminals ends of flattened conical plaque form.

A very similar example is illustrated in Gabriel (1999, p. 172).

Overall, Tharu jewellery tends to show significant Indian influence.

The necklace has a fine patina and obvious age. There are no losses. It has been restrung at a later stage on a fine, white metal chain rather than remaining on what would have been the original cotton cord. In this regard, it is now more wearable.