Mangala sutra

This article is about the necklace. For the 1966 film, see Mangalasutram (film). For the Buddhist discourse, see Mangala Sutta.
"Thaali" redirects here. For other uses, see Thaali (disambiguation).

Indian Mangalsutra with black beads
A mangala sutra before being tied around a bride's neck.

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.

  1. ^ Subhamoy Das. "Mangalsutra Necklace - Hindu Symbol of Love & Marriage". About.com Religion & Spirituality. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  2. ^ Tagare 1958a.
  3. ^ Rocher 1986, p. 157, with footnotes
  4. ^ "Poem: Purananuru - Part 127 by George L. III Hart". www.poetrynook.com.