Waist chains get the name Sinkuli from the Gadaba tribe of women, the indigenous communities of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh residing in the highland districts. Known for their beautiful body ornaments, the women deck themselves with varied ornaments of aesthetic and cultural significance. The Sinkuli is an equally cherished ornament, one that is painstakingly designed and proudly worn. It consists of two waist chains made of white metal. Each chain consists of a series of interlinked metal rings, giving this ornament a supple and graceful look. A hook is provided at one end of the chain to clip on the forward side of the waist that keeps the ornament securely fastened.
Although simple, the Sinkuli is indicative of the tribal concepts of craftsmanship, equilibrium, and body symmetry. Sinkuli is generally worn at the waist with a set of other ornaments such as beads (Mali) and anklets (Susumna-Tin-Tin-Nu), particularly during festivities, dance rituals, and marriage ceremonies. The tribal belief stipulates that waist ornaments are related to fertility, protection, and beauty, and their gentle swaying provides rhythm to Gadaba women's dances, especially the ever-soulful Dhemsa dance. The Gadaba hold such ornaments in high esteem as one of their feminine expressions of tribal identity. Sinkuli is much more than jewellery; it is a cultural artifact that embodies centuries of tradition and continuity.