subject: The Importance Of Mangalsutra For Indian Women [print this page] The Mangalsutra is one of the most important ornaments for married Hindu women in India. Though there are many other Indian wedding jewelry ornaments that hold a place of significance for Hindu women, there can be nothing comparable to the Mangalsutra which symbolizes the holy union of marriage. This is one of the many ornaments that the groom offers the bride during the wedding ceremony. This piece of ornament is akin to the wedding rings in the western culture. This sacred thread constantly serves as a reminder to the women about their duties towards their husbands and prevents them from making mistakes that are considered a taboo in the Indian culture. Though certain women prefer the ones made on only gold, most of them prefer the sacred thread made of two strings of black pearls which have gold beads in between.
Though the Mangalsutra was only used by Indian Hindu women in the past, today people from various cultures across the world have accepted this as their cultural symbol of marriage. Though for most of them it does not have a religious significance, they use it because of the beauty it imparts. This sacred thread is one of the items of the Indian wedding jewelry that has transcended boundaries and has established a strong presence all over the world. Today, not only celebrity couples in Hollywood, but many other couples from the western countries, who prefer to wed as per the rules laid down by the Hindu culture in India, purchase this piece of jewelry.
A few years ago, it was compulsory for every married Indian woman to wear the Mangalsutra at all times till the death of her husband. But, with the practices of people changing with each passing day, few women wear this ornament all the time. However, though it is not used regularly, this piece of Indian wedding jewelry is worn by married ladies for all important occasions, festivals and family celebrations. An increasing number of women today prefer the sacred thread with two strings of black beads for more reasons than one. While a few of them prefer this piece of jewelry because of the beauty it imparts, there are a few others who purchase it because it is cost effective. With the prices of gold increasing by the day, the Mangalsutra made of black beads is being highly sought after. The ones made of black beads have pendants made of gold or diamonds. The pendants are also available is various shapes, designs, patterns and materials for women to choose from based on different factors.
Before the internet gained prominence, people used to visit jewelry stores to buy all types of Indian wedding jewelry, including the Mangalsutra. But now, thanks to the internet, it is possible to save a significant amount of time and money by shopping for these pieces of jewelry from online stores. These stores also have a wider collection that you can access right at your fingertips as compared to the retail outlets in your neighborhood.
