Tips & Trends in The MangalSutra- A Symbol of Love&Marriage

The Mangal Sutra is to an Indian Hindu bride what a wedding ring is to her western counterpart. This important piece of jewellery has a greater significance than a necklace: it is symbolic of the holy and eternal union between a husband and wife. The Indian wife is traditionally required to wear the mangalsutra all throughout her married life and until her husband is alive.

The word mangalsutra is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Mangal’ which means holy or auspicious. Traditionally, a mangal sutra consist of black beads interwoven with gold beads and two golden plates (hollow, golden semi circular discs)’ in place of the pendant. The black beads are considered to have the power to ward off evil spirits and protect the married couple, while the two circular plates represent the man and woman. The husband/groom ties the mangal sutra around his bride’s neck during the Saat pheras , the holy marriage vows.

The modern versions of this important piece of jewellery are getting a suitable twist. Today, a bride-to-be can select her mangal sutra set in diamond pendants or even opt for a complete set with matching earrings. Most designers are keeping the traditional black beads of the Mangal sutra intact, but a few are creating bolder styles with single, shorter strings of black beads instead of multiple ones or are alternating gold and black beads or even simply using fewer black beads on simple golden chains.

Thus, there are plenty of varieties available for the modern Indian bride to be as far as the mangalsutra is concerned. Using these variations, she can give the affirmation that she is married without compromising on style and fashion.

A few tips for selecting the mangal sutra:

Select the mangal sutra according to the outfits you generally wear. Smaller and sleeker designs go well with T-shirts and western apparel as well.
Shorter and sturdier the string, the better. This way, there is lesser chance of the piece getting tangled or pulled.
Many modern women keep two sets of mangals sutras; an artificial or semi precious set may be worn while travelling etc.
Mangal sutras are readily available online nowadays. But we certainly recommend getting one from reputed jewellery stores for quality and standardization. This way, you are also likely to get the after sales service, if needed.