Mangal Sutra

The Sacred Sutra

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India is a land of diverse cultures and traditions and this gets manifested in the customs and rituals of various weddings performed. Each of the ceremonies performed during a wedding, has its unique significance and is performed with immense reverence. In a Hindu wedding ceremony, there are five auspicious bearings that signify the marital status of a woman; the sindoor, the toe-ring, the red or green bangles or the chura, the nose ring and the mangalsutra. According to the Hindu doctrine, the phrase mangalsutra can be deciphered into ‘Mangal’ meaning ‘holy’ and ‘Sutra’ meaning ‘thread’. During the wedding, the groom ties the holy thread i.e. mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, in front of the holy fire and in the presence of close friends and family members. The recitation of the Vedic hymns and chants by the priest adds to the sacredness of the ritualistic moment. It is considered to be the sacred symbol of wedlock and one of the sacred ornaments of a Hindu woman that she adorns after her wedding. Since time immemorial, wearing the sacred thread has been considered a token of dignity and love that a husband confers upon his wife. The tying of the holy thread signifies three different aspects of a married woman – the first is obeying her husband, the second is obeying the husband’s parents and family and the third, is putting her trust in the Almighty.