Mangala means auspicious and one of the meanings of sutra is strand or thread. In this case, it's a strand of garnet beads. I got them on the day of my Vedic wedding. Guests gave gifts to the brides and grooms (It was a triple marriage). I remember getting this small stainless steel plate which I used for making offerings to my deities forever afterwards. And then I was given a garnet necklace.
I didn't know at that time what it was. Later on I learned it is something worn by married women. Had I known that earlier, maybe I would have been more careful with it because not long afterwards, I lost it but luckily it got returned. Then after I discovered what it was for and wanted to wear it daily, the strand broke a couple of times! It took me years between times to restring and put it back on.
Then one day, I had grown tired of waiting and carefully restrung it with heavier threads and added some tulasi because many of the beads had by then become misplaced. I was so excited!
I took photos:
I didn't know at that time what it was. Later on I learned it is something worn by married women. Had I known that earlier, maybe I would have been more careful with it because not long afterwards, I lost it but luckily it got returned. Then after I discovered what it was for and wanted to wear it daily, the strand broke a couple of times! It took me years between times to restring and put it back on.
Then one day, I had grown tired of waiting and carefully restrung it with heavier threads and added some tulasi because many of the beads had by then become misplaced. I was so excited!
I took photos:
But for some karmic reason, our happy union was just not meant to be. About a week later, we made a major move cross country and I was so sleepy during one part of the drive that I didn't take it off when we pulled over and rested in the car. As you can see, it didn't have a very secure type of latch to keep the two ends connected. It must have slipped off into that parking lot situated way out in some snow filled countryside on the way to California, after I woke and walked sleepily to a restroom there in the middle of the night. Sigh.
So now all I have is a memory.
Actually, a few days ago, I noticed a few beads that over the years of not restringing the mangal sutra right away, had ended up on my restrung tulasi strands instead, and which I am still wearing. I had forgotten all about doing that. I guess a few beads from the original mangal sutra is better than none!