Weddings in India are very colorful and charming. As per the Hindu tradition, there are five signs to define a marital status of a women they are Mangalsutra, sindoor, bangles, nose ring and the toe ring. Among this the Mangalsutra holds a significant and vital place in the wedding rituals as it symbolizes a wedlock. It defines the union of two individuals being one soul in the bond of marriage. It is a precious ornament for the married women along with the sindoor as it signifies the long life of her partner.

The concept of Mangalsutra is believed to have been originated in south India. There is known as thali or maangalyam. Basically it is a yellow thread painted in turmeric and has two strings of black beads attached to it. It has a golden pendant with 2 rounded discs at the center. It is tied with three knots each of which has an importance. The first knot shows her obedience towards her husband, the second towards his parents and the third knot shows respect to God. In some regions, the groom ties one knot and rest of the two knots are tied by the groom’s sisters. People in northern India call it Mangalsutra.

The word Mangalsutra has deep meaning, mangal means “sacred” or “holy” and “sutra” means a “thread”. Mangalsutra is not just jewelry, it holds immense importance for a married women. It a symbol of love presented by the groom to the bride. It is believed to have divine powers; each black bead is believed to protect the marriage and the husband from all prevailing evils. It is tied around the bride’s neck by her husband on the wedding day after the saat pheras while the priest chants the Vedic hymns. The woman continues to wear it till her husband’s death.

Nowadays, the style and design of the Mangalsutra has changed. Women’s have switched from long length to shorter ones. Even the design of the pendants has changed from golden to diamond. Despite of all this changing trends the significance of Mangalsutra in Indian weddings remains unchanged.