Re: REQUEST : Significance of mangalasutra(taali)

Posted By Mani Varadarajan (mani@be.com)
11 Mar 1997 10:36:47 -0800

rperav1@engr.umbc.edu (ravindra peravali; ENEE) writes:
>
> Namaste,
>
> The recent discussion on the significance of the boTTu (and my ignorance
> about the same) prompts me to ask about the significance of the
> mangalasutram worn by a married woman.
>
> Is the practice socially/culturally motivated or just like so many other
> Hindu practices also have a scientific motive?
>

The wearing of the mAngalya or mangala-sutra is entirely a
south Indian practice, foreign to both the Vedas and north Indian
custom.

I find it intriguing that modern Hindus feel the need to justify
cultural practices by superimposing new, ``scientific'' interpretations
upon them. These fanciful interpretations are for the most part
extremely far-fetched and are incredulous. As if any wearer of
the bindi ever had any clue about ``positive energies being released!''

These practices are valuable because they are culturally
significant. The original meanings are either lost in history
or are straightforward. There is no need to invest them with
a retroactive, pseudo-scientific significance.

Mani
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