Whispers of Silver: The First Anklet: Echoes of Childhood

There are some sounds you never forget. For me, it’s the soft chime of silver payal echoing through the narrow lanes of my childhood memories.

I still remember the first time my mother tied those delicate anklets around my tiny ankles. I was barely walking, wobbling from one corner of the courtyard to another. Every step I took rang a soft bell, announcing my presence like a tiny princess in her own little kingdom.

In Rajasthan, silver anklets aren't just ornaments—they're tradition, protection, celebration. My grandmother used to say, "Chandi ki payal bacha ko nazar se bachati hai." (Silver anklets ward off the evil eye.) And I believed it. Those jingling anklets made me feel safe, loved, and most importantly—seen.

I’ve seen photos of myself wearing them during my mundan sanskar, dressed in a pink lehenga, proudly showing off the shiny silver around my feet. Those anklets were not just jewelry. They were milestones.

As I grew, I began associating those payal with joy—festivals like Teej and Raksha Bandhan, dance performances at school, and even just Sunday dress-up games with cousins. Each time I heard their sound, it brought me back to a simpler time.

I once asked my mother why she never let me wear gold anklets as a child. She smiled and said, “Gold is for pride, silver is for love.” That one line stuck with me.

Years later, when my daughter took her first few steps, I found a small velvet box tucked away in my old jewelry drawer. Inside it lay my childhood anklets—worn, slightly bent, but full of memories. I cleaned them gently, placed them around her soft feet, and waited.

The moment she took her first steps and those tiny bells rang again, I was transported. A cycle completed, a story retold.

Because silver anklets don’t just decorate a child’s feet—they carry whispers of laughter, echoes of festivals, and generations of love.

Have you ever worn anklets that carried a story?
Share your childhood memory with silver jewelry in the comments—I’d love to hear your echo too.