Earplugs and ear elongation

[Geeta Bharathan]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2000, Paul Kekai Manansala wrote:

> I have been comparing the use of earplugs and the associated practice of
> ear elongation in India.
>
> ear elongation minus the ornament. Also, in South India, statues, such
> as those of the Tamil saints, suggest that ear elongation was still
> prevalent at latter periods.
>
> My question is when did ear elongation fade out in different parts of
> India. Are there any old texts that go into detail concerning this
> practice?

As far as parts of southern India are concerned, I would say, without
either academic "Indological" credentials or old texts, that the
"practice" of ear elongation in recent years, at least, is merely the
outcome of wearing large, heavy ear ornaments ("ear plugs?") When women
stopped wearing these ostentatious ornaments, the practice of ear
elongation stopped, too. I've seem women of my grandmother's generation
with elongated years.

--Geeta, tickled by this exotic description of a familiar phenomenon.