The mangal sutra is a sacred symbol of wedlock in Indian culture, consisting of a gold ornament strung from a yellow thread, a string of black beads or a gold chain. The black beads, a North Indian tradition, are thought to protect the new bride from the evils that can affect her married life. In South India, women often wear mangal sutras made from a colourful cord.

This traditional piece of wedding jewelry represents the uninterrupted bond of understanding, happiness, sorrow, love, and scarifices in the sharing of two lives - not uncommon to the wedding ring that symbolizes marriage in Western culture. It is especially significant in Hindu marriages.

Mangal sutra can be made in various designs. When a marriage is arranged, the pattern is usually chosen by the groom's family according to their customs. On the day of the wedding the mangal sutra is tied by the groom, with three knots, around the neck of his bride. Once married, Indian women are not to remove their mangal sutra until the death of their husband.

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