Importance of Mangalsutra in Hindus

Weddings in India are a beautiful affair. In Hindus, tying Mangalsutra is one of the most auspicious customs of the wedding. A Mangalsutra is a lovely neckpiece, which is in the form of black beaded string and has a gold or diamond pendant. In the Hindu community, particularly in the Marathi community green bangles and Mangalsutra is the sign of the marital status of a woman. The groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride as a ritual. A Mangalsutra symbolizes the eternal love between the bride and groom who are going to be united by the bond of marriage. 

The term Mangalsutra can be simplified as a sacred thread, where the word Mangal stands for auspicious and Sutra stands for a thread or string. Nowadays this is worn by the females as a sign of fashion statement after marriage as it appears like a piece of jewelry. The concept of Mangalsutra has originated from Southern India, where they call it as a thali, which is usually a yellow thread and is tied around the bride's neck and three knots are made. 

Although, one can recognize that which culture the woman belongs to by seeing the type and size of the Mangalsutra as it varies region to region. In northern India, women love to experiment with their Mangalsutra and prefer wearing diamond pendants with the black beaded string, while in the western India, the Mangalsutra consists of two big round gold beads and the same black string. The Mangalsutras are available in different sizes, ranging from short to long. It is also believed to keep the bad omen away and protect the couple from evil. Women now have a number of options to choose from, thanks to the increasing impact of Bollywood and television.