Mangalsutra’s Meaning
Mangalsutra literally means ‘auspicious thread’, and symbolizes the eternal bond between a husband and wife. It holds a lot of cultural value and importance to a Hindu bride, as Mangal means sacred while sutra means thread.
The mangalsutra is the sacred thread that every married woman should wear according to Hindu traditions. A mangalsutra is also regarded as an auspicious amulet for the immunity of the bride to the evil eye.
It symbolizes the binding promise of love between a husband and a wife. It solidifies their oath to stay together aways as it was believed that the Mangalsutra represents the purest bond between the Hindu divine deities Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
This jewelery is worn by the bride until her significant other’s demise a supplication to the gods for the life span of her wedded life. It is considered to reproduce the same devout obligation of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as their love story even spans two lifetimes.
Mangalsutra as a Tradition
Traditional mangalsutra is made of 108 (an auspicious/favorable number in Hinduism) fine cotton threads twisted together and dyed yellow in turmeric with black glass beads.
During the wedding ceremony, the priest recites mantras (chants) while the groom ties the mangalsutra thread around the bride’s neck, and this act of tying a mangalsutra signifies the groom and the bride are united. The necklace has the same significance as a wedding ring in a Christian wedding.
In Hindu culture, it is believed that breaking a mangalsutra is a bad omen. As mentioned in other articles, the act of breaking a mangalsutra amounts to it losing its sanctity.
Mangalsutra in Modern Times
In modern times, even though there are still women that use traditional mangalsutra in everyday wear, married women in the cities usually chose not to. Not wearing the traditional thread dyed in turmeric has been the choice for women with professional careers.
As a response to the changing times, threaded mangalsutra evolve into a pure silver jewelery that modern women opted to wear today.
Making this traditional piece in a pure silver chain gives this jewelery a higher chance of lasting a lifetime. Silver is lightweight, stylish, and durable. Designs that can be worn every day, and on every occasion are available. Silver mangalasutra is made with inches of pure 925 sterling silver chain that won’t easily tarnish and is also hypoallergenic.
The internet has made it easier to search mangalsutras that suit your style. You can find beautifully designed pieces in Ornate Jewels’ pure silver mangalsutra online collection. Each piece is stamped for purity and rhodium polished to ensure it doesn’t turn black even after years pass. Aside from their collection pieces being made with pure silver, Ornate Jewels’ mangalasutras can also feature embedded AAA-grade American diamonds as highlights.
Creating mangalsutra with silver and with more fashionable designs while still keeping the traditional aspect and cultural meaning of this jewelery is important in preserving the Hindu wedding tradition that holds years of history and cultural value.
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