After the Hastamelap, it’s time for the Mangasutra. This part of the wedding is done with the Mangalsutra, a piece of jewelry consisting of a diamond or gold pendant suspended on a black and gold necklace and it is meant to depict love, companionship and good luck. The etymology of Mangasutra involves two words: Mangala, which can be interpreted as sacred and sutra meaning thread, in Sanskrit therefore, the Mangasutra means the ceremony of the sacred thread.
The bride seats next to the groom on his left side; as close as possible to his heart. It is in this position that the groom performs the Mangalyadharanam, which involves lacing the sacred thread around his bride’s neck. He then places red vermillion, locally called sindoor or kumkum, on the center of her forehead. The actions have the double significance of the groom declaring his life-time devotion to the bride while the red vermillion marks the bride as being promoted to the social status of being a wife.
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After the Mangalyadharanam has been completed, the couple exchange rings indicating their commitment to stick with each other through thick and thin. The importance of the Mangasultra in a Hindu wedding ceremony cannot be overstated because it symbolizes the agreement and commitment of the couple to stay true to each other.
On the beads making up the Mangasultra, there are images of Lord Vishnu and Shiva, and these are meant to ward off evil forces from attacking the bride. Also, the Sindhoor is a mark of maturity and womanhood, and so is considered highly symbolic and sacred, unmarried women are not allowed to have it on their foreheads. And even for the bride, the Sindhoor is not applied until it’s time to perform the Mangalyadharanam.
Turmeric paste is used to make the lucky thread from which the Mangalsutra necklace is made. While placing the Mangalsutra around the bride’s neck, the groom chants some Vedic mantras and ties the necklace into three knots. Although in modern times, the shapes and colors of the Mangalsutra have occasionally been altered to suit the bride’s fashion tastes, it is still a traditional requirement that the pendant is suspended on a turmeric thread.
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After all the wedding ceremonies have been concluded, the bride may decide to re-string the pendant on another sort of beaded chain or something else. The Mangalsutra is considered very sacred and important to the wedding as a token of protection from the Gods. Therefore, losing it or getting it damaged is often taking to portend bad luck or an imminent evil occurrence.
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