Thali - Mangal Sutra...

The word mangalsutra means an auspicious thread or cord. It is also called thaali or maangalyam in Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India.

Mangalya Dharanam (literally "wearing the mangalya") is the most important part of a Hindu marriage ceremony. The mangalya is strung on a yellow thread prepared by using Turmeric paste. It is tied around the bride's neck with three knots. Later the mangalya may be restrung to a gold chain on some auspicious day.

Ok the reason for me to go and on about this thali is that.... after 5 years of marriage i took it out.... i also need to explain that its not a custom for the indians to remove the thali unless one is divorced or widowed. But unfortunately i had to remove it because everyone around me is worried that i might be the next victim of snatch theives.

There have been many women who i have seen lately who do not wear their thaali for the same reason. Once it was a taboo to remove ones thali... now it seems that it has become a norm for everyone to remove it. See how the world has changed.. no I am not faulting the ladies/men for these changes... it is the crime rate which forces everyone to do it.

I for one, had never thought of removing it.. was stubbornly wearing it holding it close to my heart. That was the first thing anyone would see and their comment will be.. "why are you still wearing your thali", "aren't you afraid", " you are clearly going to be the next victim if you dont remove it" and so on so forth. These remarks has always been passed to me by everyone.. even by people whom i've just met.

Finally i removed my Thali.. the one which i stubbornly held on to... on the 5th of March.. one mth after my 5th Wedding anniversary. I had enough... everyone.. including my mother-in-law who took the trouble to call me the previous nite to tell me about the snatch theft which occured around the corner to a dear friend (mind you, he is a well built guy) and he got snacthed while he was driving his car. So now everyone has already already confirmed that it is not safe for me to be wearing a thick gold chain around my neck (however sacred it may be).

Even after a few days, it still worries me.. i just feel that a part of me seems to be missing. Call me naive, call me superstitious, call me traditional or old fashioned... call me anything.. i am who i am... it will probably take me some time to get used to not wearing it.