Length: 70 cm.
In Hinduism, when a girl gets married, she wears special jewelry that indicates her new marital status. Just as many Europeans wear a wedding ring after the wedding, the bride, according to Hindu tradition, must wear a mangalsutra necklace, bracelets and rings on her nose and fingers on her wedding day. An indispensable attribute is a red bindi made of kumkum (or vermillion), which symbolizes not only the rite of initiation of a girl into a married woman, but also her elevated position in society as an adult who enjoys respect and is able to run a household.
What is Mangalsutra?
The word "mangalsutra" comes from two words: mangal, meaning holy or auspicious, and sutra - thread. This is a sacred necklace that the groom puts on the bride's neck on the day of the wedding ceremony, called "mangalya dharanam", thus giving her the status of wife and life partner. After that, the wife wears the mangalsutra all her life or as long as her husband lived, as a sign of their marriage, mutual love, goodwill, understanding and loyalty to each other.
When do they put on the mangalsutra?
A yellow thread smeared with turmeric paste is specially prepared for the wedding ceremony. At the end of the marriage ceremony, the groom ties this thread around the bride's neck, while the priest reads Vedic hymns and prayers. Later, this thread is replaced by a mangalsutra necklace - golden and black beads strung on one or two yellow threads or gold chains, with a gold or diamond pendant. In marriage by agreement, the design of the mangalsutra is usually chosen by the groom's family in accordance with their customs.
What does the mangalsutra symbolize?
Mangalsutra is worn by most married Indian women. It is known by different names in different parts of the country: 'thaali', 'thaaly', 'pustelu', 'maangalyam' or 'mangalsutram' in the southern states of India and 'mangalsutra' in the northern states. Each black bead in the mangalsutra is believed to hold divine powers that protect the married couple from the evil eye and protect the husband's life. Indian women are very superstitious about mangalsutra. If the necklace breaks or is lost, it is considered a very bad sign. Thus, a mangalsutra is not just a beautiful piece of jewelry, but a sacred necklace of love, trust and family happiness of Hindu couples, a vital symbol of marriage. Is it fashionable to wear a mangalsutra now?
The needs of women change over time, especially in large cities. Now, when the tradition of the housewife is gradually receding into the background, the mangalsutra necklace is becoming more of a mere decoration than a symbol of marriage. In addition, it is rare for a working woman to wear a mangalsutra in combination with a fashionable business suit. The style of the product itself has also changed dramatically. Earlier, women wore heavy gold mangalsutras made of several threads, but now the trend has developed to wear short, smooth single-thread necklaces with small diamond pendants. However, it is still believed that the black mangalsutra beads protect a woman from evil and help maintain the sanctity of the institution of marriage.
Mangalasutra, Indian necklace k.20, Ayurveda Here
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