Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sports a maangtika in Jodhaa Akbar

You could call it the Aishwarya Rai Bachchan effect. Ever since Devdas and Jodhaa Akbar hit the screens, women have been reaching out for over-the-top hair accessories to dress their manes. So jewellers are currently in overdrive to create just about everything that glitters for the hair. From bouncing curls to sophisticated bouffants, all hairdos are being touched up with gold, silver and even sparkling stones.

So Anjali Jewellers — the brand which designed Aishwarya’s wedding ornaments as well as the jewellery she donned in Rituparno Ghose’s Chokher Bali — has been busy. Jewellery for the hair appears to dominate Anjali’s latest collection and there are multiple choices on offer. There are sinthis, a variation of the traditional maangtika (for the forehead), bagans for the back of the head and kantas or joora-pins — all in 22-carat pure gold.

An ornate beni from Anjali Jewellers is the perfect embellishment for a thick, long braid

“These are pieces of jewellery favoured by Bengali women for weddings and other important family functions,’’ says Shankar Ghosh, a manager at Anjali. Prices are dependent on the weight of the gold and precious stones. So expect to pay in the region of Rs 68,000 for a bagan while a black hair-comb with a gold trimming costs about Rs 20,000.

From top) A diamond-studded, 18-carat gold tiara from Celeste Jewels; Gold crowns, bagans and gold joora-pins are some of the hotsellers at Anjali Jewellers

There’s much more besides: you’ll find the very Mughal-era jhaptas or jhoomars (to be worn next to the hair-parting) in gold and encrusted with diamonds and elaborate benis to decorate the braid.

Jewellery stores like Satramdas Dhalamal now stock up on ornate hair jewellery designed especially for trousseaus. “We always keep a ready stock since most brides scout around for jewellery to decorate their hair-dos and their foreheads. Since Indian marriages are elaborate affairs with seemingly no limits on the amount spent, the price of the jewellery is not a deterrent,” says Raj Mahtani, the man behind Satramdas, who also doubles as designer when it comes to hair ornaments.

For the bridal range, diamonds are the flavour of the season while rubies and emeralds come in close behind. Mahtani shows off an ornate jhoomar that’s priced at a mind-boggling Rs 2.4 lakh. This piece is dressed up with table-cut diamonds or rough-cut diamonds, rubies and rubillets (or pink tourmalines) set in 22-carat gold.

Back at Anjali Jewellers you’ll find benis in gold, pearls and emeralds to jazz up staid braids. Priced at Rs 1.5 lakh, one such design was recently picked up by a Bollywood actress, in Calcutta for a shoot.

Go for an all-gold look with a crown, tikli and a hairpin from M. P. Jewellers

For a woman who obsesses about her hair there’s always the ultimate piece of jewellery — the tiara. A small diamond crown at Celeste Jewels costs Rs 80,000 while the relatively simpler gold crowns for adults at Anjali cost between Rs 20,000 and Rs 22,000.

A model shows off a diamond-encrusted maangtika and (above) a jhoomar with uncut diamonds and rubies, both from Satramdas Dhalamal

Maangtikas in gold and diamonds have also become quite the rage. This piece of jewellery that is almost mandatory for the bride is now also a favourite with the bride’s close relatives. “The utility of the maangtika goes beyond the wedding day and it can also be teamed with Western attire after the big day. A maangtika looks most effective when the neck and the ears are left bare,” said Mahtani.

At M.P. Jewellers too, tiklis (or smaller versions of the maangtika) in gold move fast. The prices for tiklis range between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. Says Pinaki Chakraborty, branch manager an M.P. Jewellers store: “The tikli designs must complement the rest of the bride’s jewellery.’’

With the popularity of hair jewellery on the rise, stylists and make-up artists often end up improvising. “Gold neckpieces and even pendants can be used to dress up the hair. However, it’s important for the colour and texture of jewellery to match the rest of the outfit and jewellery,” says stylist Aniruddha Chakladar.

So if you have a big night coming up, pay extra care to your hair and let it sparkle and shine.