It was Diwali 2022; I was up to my ears in streetwear research. I had every intention to launch my brand in the spring but I kept feeling like something was missing. I had the designs. I had the business plan. I taught myself how to do technical packets for all of the designs. I had the manufacturer. I attended the right conferences. I was advised by seasoned fashion designers. I had said no to all the things in my life that were taking up space. I didn’t need more time in the day. I needed to do less, which was hard for me. I have always been taught to DO and not just BE; I was practicing on just being. Instead of looking outward for answers, I had become accustomed to looking inward. So I closed my eyes, and inward I went. A very strong message came through: “Look at the mangalsutra!” I was puzzled. I am launching a streetwear brand. Why would I look at jewelry? I listened. I stayed curious. I kept my eyes, ears, and psyche open to anything to do with the mangalsutra.
The mangalsutra, commonly known as the Indian Wedding necklace, is put on the bride, much like the ritual of a western wedding ring. It usually is made of gold and black beads,with the design varying by region. There are even different names for it. In the South, it’s called a Thaali. I even found that Syrian Christians wear the mangalsutra– replacing the pendant with a cross. Interesting right?
Then I started looking at articles written in the media. A husband sues the wife for “mental cruelty” because she removed the mangalsutra from her neck. Whaaat? He even lists it as one reason as grounds for divorce. Perhaps even more shocking: the courts granted him the divorce. I read a few more articles, learning how the mangalsutra is weighing down on many women. It is, in a sense, heavy around the neck. Heavy, that is, with the patriarchal narrative that has been weaved into the design over the last couple millenia.
I read an article from renowned art jewelry historian Usha Balakrishnan.She says that the mangalsutra actually has nothing to do with a wedding ceremony. The mangalsutra - mangal meaning auspicious and sutra meaning thread - was a simple thread that was dipped in turmeric and had a single black seed tied to it. It was then put on the daughter by the mother for her protection. The turmeric to boost her immunity, and the black seed to protect her from bad energy. Over the years the meaning changed from her protection to his protection. This meant families were willing to spend more money to “protect the lineage.” It was a great marketing strategy for jewelers: This is for your son’s protection, shouldn’t it be crafted with expensive stones and gold?
Of course, after reading this, I had to dig deeper. Where and when did the mangalsutra actually first appear? I found it buried in an old Hindu text, the Sree Lalita Sahasranamam from the Bramanda Purana:
In the scripture, a Goddess appeared from a fire sacrifice. From the fire rose Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari, already wearing a mangalasutra. No one put it on her, rather she brought it with her as part of her being. It was made by the universe for a Goddess, and that protection was then carried down lineages of women for their daughters.
“This is so beautiful,” I thought. How can I bring this beautiful bond between mother and daughter back to the surface? It is veiled by so much disinformation.
The answer, to me, is merging the healing energy of crystals and the idea of love and protection of the mangalsutra that was birthed by the divine feminine. This is my intention. It is set. Let’s see where this takes us.