This pair of ankle is a vivid example of traditional adornments worn by the Gadaba people, an indigenous ethnic group inhabiting the hilly terrains of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. White metal anklets are striking mainly due to their forms and rich color details, which present the tribe's very own aesthetics. The body of the anklet comprises innumerable metal pieces featuring intricate designs, which are assembled in such a way that despite an appearance of inflexibility, it can be bent to allow the putting on of the anklet. What makes it most interesting are the alternating red and green dots painted onto every piece using colored resin. This brimming design gives a very colorful tone to the shine of the metal, especially festive and decorative.
This kind of adornment is more than mere adornment, according to the Gadaba tradition. Anklets such as these are worn, on the contrary, for ceremonies, dances, and feasts as a mark of beauty and strength, as well as one's place in the social order. The anklets culminate in resonance festivals themselves, in every beat, dramatizing the performative aspect of a tribal life. Under the hands of the artisans, these were produced-the middlemen to be respected are the Gadaba-who go further in showing their heritage as that which is traced into the very making of the anklet itself. Each holds special stories that tell not only the use in personal adornment but living cultural heritage. These anklets-now part of ethnographic collections or displayed in museums-are living reminders of the rich and varied tribal traditions of India.