MANGALASUTRA IN HINDU MARRIAGES :- A Mangala Sutra (from Sanskrit mangal, meaning holy, auspicious, and sutra, meaning thread) is a sacred necklace that a Hindu groom ties around the brides neck in a ceremony called Mangalya Dharanam (Sanskrit for wearing the auspicious), which identifies her as a married woman. The woman continues to wear the Mangala Sutra as a sign of her marital status. This practice is an integral part of a marriage ceremony as prescribed by Manusmriti the traditional law governing Hindu marriage. As per Hindu Dharma, Mangalsūtra is an ornament of a woman denoting her marital status. Each person makes a mangalsūtra for the bride as per his capacity. If it is not possible to make a mangalsūtra with a cord of gold or silver, they make it by stringing black beads in a thread. A Hindu marriage symbolizes just coming together of two individuals, the bonding of understanding, commitment, mutual love, oneness and spiritual growth. It demands sacrifice, companionship, dedication, and devotion from both the partners. Each and every rituals and customs associated with marriage portrays the real essence of wedding. Traditionally, there are five signs of marital status of women, according to Hindu culture- mangalsutra, toe rings, kumkum, bangles and a nose ring. Talking about Mangalsutra, the word denotes a significant meaning. While mangal means auspicious, sutra can be deciphered as a thread. SIGNIFICANCE OF MANGALSUTRAS IN HINDU MARRIAGES :- Mangalsutra, a sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by married women, as a symbol of their successful marriage. An inevitable part of Hindu marriage ceremony, Mangalsutra refers to a revered symbol of wedlock. India being a land of diversity, different regions in the country have assigned different names for this scared symbol. While it is known as the thaaly or maangalyam in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India, people in the northern part of India calls it Mangalsutra. It is believed that the concept of this sacred thread had its roots laid down in South India. Having immense significance and importance, it traveled to North India as well and today, forms an imperative part of the wedding ceremony. Mangalsutra is the token of dignity and love given to a bride by her groom. On the wedding day, the groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, while the priest recites Vedic hymns and prays. It signifies the union of the bride and the groom, amidst the presence of deities, who are believed to be attending the marriage. In some regions, the groom ties first and his sisters tie the rest. Talking about its appearance, this sacred thread is made of two strings of small black beads with a locket or pendant. Sometimes, it is also made of small beads of gold and black beads, with gold and diamond pendant. Considered auspicious for married women, mangalsutra is believed to have divine powers. Each of the black beads in the Mangalsutra, signify protection from evil power and are believed to protect the marriage of a couple, essentially the life of the husband. Hindu women feel superstitious, when this scared thread breaks or gets lost. In the present times, mangalsutra are boasts of various designs and patterns. While the Gujaratis and Marwaris often go for a diamond pendant, Maharashtrians have a pendant that consists of one or two vatis and Bengalis in the meanwhile, have coral incorporated in the designing of the Mangalsutra. Present Scenario Today, the concept of wearing a mangalsutra has changed considerably. It is more of a fashion statement than a symbol of marriage, thanks to modernization. With the progressive times, the wearing of mangalsutra in working women has considerably reduced. There is also a marked change in the style and making of mangalsutra over the years. Previously, women used to wear simple design mangalsutra, with small pendants, but now, the trend is to wear short length ones, that too with a single string. Instead of gold pendants, they prefer diamond ones. However, the black beads have still managed to remain constant. Whatever may be the reason to adore it, mangalsutra surely symbolizes the real essence and concept of a Hindu marriage. WHAT IS MANGALSUTRA ? The word mangalsutra is derived from the two words, mangal meaning holy or auspicious and sutra meaning thread. It is a sacred necklace that the groom ties around the brides neck on the day of the wedding in a ceremony called Mangalya dharanam(meaning - wearing the auspicious), thereby giving her the status of his wife and life mate. Thereafter, the wife wears the mangalsutra all her life or till the time the husband is alive as a sign of their marriage, mutual love and goodwill, understanding and faithful commitment to one another. WHEN IS THE MANGALSUTRA WORN BY HINDU LADIES :- On the wedding day, a yellow thread is prepared by using turmeric paste and is tied around the brides neck with three knots during the marriage ceremony while the priest recites Vedic hymns and partakes in prayers. In some customs, the groom ties the first knot and his sisters tie the other two knots. Later, the mangalsutra may be restrung on some auspicious day in the form of a necklace made of gold and black beads strung together on one or two yellow threads or gold chains with an elaborate pendant of gold or diamond. In an arranged marriage, the design of mangalsutra is usually chosen by the grooms family in keeping with their customs. IMPORTANCE OF MANGAL SUTRA :- Due to the mangalsutra the woman remains conscious of Dharma, duty and rules. Wearing mangalsutra is an important conduct for a married woman. This is called code of Righteousness for women. Due to this the woman does not indulge in wanton behaviour and her conduct remains ideal. Due to the mangalsutra the woman and others are conscious of her marital status. Mangalsutra is a marital bondage. Its main objective is that the woman should remember this sacred bondage and there should not be any immoral behaviour on her part. That others should also be conscious that the woman wearing a mangalsutra is a married woman and she should be respected properly is also the objective behind it. Due to the mangalsutra the consciousness of the husband in the form of Deity Shiva remains constantly awakened in the woman. Mangalsutra is symbolic of Deity Shiva and Deity Shakti. In this, gold is in the form of Deity Shakti and the structure of stringed black beads is in the form of Deity Shiva. Mangalsutra is an ornament that attracts Divine Principle in highest proportion. In a mangalsutra both the cups are hollow from one side and are raised from the other. The mangalsutra is worn facing the hollow side towards the body. The Divine Principle is attracted in the voids of the cups in higher proportion than in any other ornaments. Through the mangalsutra the woman gains Energy of Desire, Action and Knowledge. The mangalsutra is a link that provides Deity Shakti in the form of the Absolute Fire Element (Tēj) to the woman to actually perform a task. KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF MANGALSUTRA FOR MARRIED WOMEN :- According to Hindu scriptures, the mangalsutra is very important for a married women and it holds a lot of religious and psychological importance. It is believed to be the sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by women as a symbol of their marriage. Traditionally the mangalsutra is considered the most revered token of love and respect offered to the bride during the marriage ceremony. According to scriptures, it ensures good health and long life of the husband. Losing a mangal sutra or breaking its string is considered as a sign of bad omen. Usually, a string of black beads and gold pendant, it is mandatory for all married women to wear a mangalsutra. This thread also keeps bad and negative thoughts away from her. The black beads represent purity and the gold keeps her energetic and active. Every married women used to get a Mangalsutra, which is known as Thali in Tamil and Thirumangalyam amongst srivaishnavas. This is mostly made in gold as an identifiable mark for married women. This too is believed to regularize a womens blood circulation. This is also said to control the body pressure levels to a maximum extent, as Indian women tend to work hard, more than her male counterpart. The most important thing to note about this Thirumangalyam is, that it should always be hidden or covered in the inner garments. Just because of the constant friction of the metal gold touching the body portion directly, the effect will be more to gain the said benefits. However, if the same is worn outside the clothes and making it visible to everyone, then the effect is reduced. Thats why it is always advisable to wear the Thirumangalyam known as Thali or Mangalsutra inside and not to show off. Three knots symbolize three different aspects of a married woman - the first knot represents her obedience to her husband, the second to her parents and the third represents her respect for God.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:53:41 +0000