The ‘Arai moody’, Thamil meaning ‘loin cover’.

'Arai moody'

Sketches taken from Pinterest

    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 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, 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. Ther Governer had an official mansion in the ‘Fort’ area of Combo. 'Pettah' was the commercial area adjacent to the Fort. The British Governer had his friends and family friends, paying a visit to him 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 anklets and an ornament to cover her genital area. The Lady on going back to the Governers Mansion, had requested a worker there to purchase a similar piece of jewelry for her. She had given a worker named Arnolis, a small amount of money and waited the outcome. After a few days she noticed that Arnolis, was avoiding her. One day she cornered him and asked him about the piece of jewelry. Arnolis appeared very bashful and said ‘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 from the confrontation.  She had wanted to take one of these to show her friends, In the UK when she returned to Britain. .from the confrontation.  

She had wanted to take one of these to show her friends, In the UK when she returned to Britain.