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A mangala sutra (Sanskrit: मङ्गलसूत्रम्, romanized: maṅgalasūtram), or tali (ISO: tāḷi), is a necklace that the groom ties around the bride's neck in the Indian subcontinent, in a ceremony called the Mangalya Dharanam (Sanskrit for 'wearing the auspicious') during a Hindu wedding. The necklace serves as a visual marker of status as a married Hindu woman.[1]
The mangala sutra's origin dates back to the 4th century BCE, referred to as the mangalya sutra in the Lalita Sahasranama,[2][3] and the Purananuru, a Sangam text, mentions a sacred marriage tail upon a woman's neck.[4] It also finds a mention in the 6th century CE as a single yellow thread that was tied around the bride for protection from other men and evil spirits. The tying of the mangala sutra is a social practice widespread in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.