'Arai moody', loin cover, jewelry,

 

Female children had this jewelry worn, suspended from the loin thread by two eyelets on the upper part of the jewelry. It is made of silver and covered the pudenda. It was worn often by the female children of the tea estate workers. It was called ‘Arai moody’ in Thamil - loin cover. I presume it must have been very popular in South India.  I have seen it, also being worn by the infant-daughters of Thamils of the North and the East of Sri Lanka. 

  In the early 1940s, Ceylon was under British rule. The Governer had an official mansion in the ‘Fort’ area. 'Pettah' was the commercial area. The British Governer had his friends and family friends, paying a visit to the Governer and occasionally staying in the mansion as guests. There was a Lady staying with the Governer who went on a trip, to see the sights of Pettah. The lady had seen a female child wearing silver banges, silver anklet and an ornament to cover her genital area. The Lady on going back to the Governers Mansion, had requested a worker there named Arnolis, to purchase a similar piece of jewelry for her. She had given the worker Arnolis, a small amount of money and waited the outcome. After a few days she noticed that Arnolis, was avoiding her. She cornered him and asked him about the piece of jewelry. Arnolis appeared very bashful and told ‘I searched all over Pettah but none of the shops had the size to fit Madam’. Now it was the Lady’s turn to become red in the face and make a hasty exit.  

She had wanted to take one of these to show her friends, In the UK when she returned to Britain. Arnolis must have thought, that that particular piece of jewelry, was needed for the lady's personal use. This type of jewelry is worn only in infants.