Mangalsutra

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A mangal sutra is an Indian and Nepali symbol of Hindu marriage, consisting of a gold ornament strung from a yellow thread, a string of black beads or a gold chain. It is comparable to a Western wedding ring, and is worn by a married woman until her husband's death.

According to Hindu culture, there are five signs of marital status of women. They are mangalsutra, Toe rings, Kumkum, bangles and a nose ring. Mangalsutra is the most important among them.

The word mangalsutra means an auspicious thread or cord. It is also called thaali or thaaly or maangalyam in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India.

It is probably passed from South India to North India.

Mangalsutra are made in numerous designs. When a marriage is arranged, the pattern is usually chosen by the groom's family according to their customs.

Mangalya dharanam (literally "wearing the mangalya") is the most important part of a Hindu marriage ceremony. The mangalya is strung on a yellow thread prepared by using Turmeric paste. It is tied around the bride's neck with three knots. In some families, the groom ties the first and his sisters tie the rest. Later the mangalya may be restrung on some auspicious days.