Posted on: 18 September 2012

Article:
Bond with the beads
By Maharaj K. Koul

INDIRA GANDHI and violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin wore them; so does the actor Chandrachur Singh. The best of the berries ever produced in the world, the Rudraksh is catching on like never before. The berries are being now taken for necklaces by innumerable people, thanks to a growing interest in alternative therapies.

Rudraksh has always been recognised as a medicine in the East and the sages of yore seem to have always known, the spiritual values of the beads. Traditionally used by sages and sadhus to attain a state of perfect physical and mental health, Rudraksh is also used by people as a rosary while chanting mantras and has been found to exert an influence like acupressure.

It is believed that wearing a rudraksh not only enhances the effectiveness of other systems of medicine but also endows the wearer with rare psychic powers and prosperity. Rudraksh therapy is guided by the time-tested principles of ayurveda.

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Image:
Rudraksha Garland
late 19th - early 20th century
Gold, double berries, silver, diamonds and rubies
India

This sumptuous garland features double rudraksha seeds from the utrasam tree (Eleocarpus ganitrus), sacred to the Hindu god Shiva, alternating with gold spacer beads. Its elaborate clasp contains a tiny figure of the goddess Parvati and the strands terminate in a gold image of the bull Nandi, Shiva's vehicle. A large pendant gold casket, empty today, most likely contained a small portable linga (an abstract symbol of the god Shiva), perhaps of crystal or gold, as well as sacred ashes.

Copyright © Smithsonian Institution


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Om Namah Shivay

Does anyone know where the Smithsonian Institute got it from

The Chineese have started counterfeiting them!!

Only a fraction of the material from India in western hands has their route of acquisition well documented. Most of the material left during general loot during the colonial period. A large source was the looting by soldiers post victories in the wars (the officers would get the best cut naturally) -- however even during the time there was no war, any number of otherwise nobel families were driven into penury through usurious taxation and protection fees etc and were forced to sell major treasures to the British for pittance.

Also any number of ruins in the land under British control were freely stripped off their better pieces and those shipped out. Often such theft is listed under "discovery" -- "Such and such statue was discovered by Col Smith in Central Provinces while on a hunt" etc.

Of course it would be nice to know where this particular piece came from as well.

This necklace is to die for. I did not read the entire article, just the bit above but did not understand the novelty issue in this practice. It has been around for millenia, I would think, What's new?

Wow!!beautiful!!!

stunning!

Sorry gopal didnt read this earlier so asked a bunch of stupid questions on hippie trail,....kate

W O W...........need i say more :)

It is a garland of Gauri Shankar Rudraksha so beautifully arranged ! A Rare piece indeed !

what r the types of rudraksha? how can we understand that the rudraksha we have is EKMUKHI or something else?

I believe ekmukhi is extremely rare to get and most of what is in the market could be imitations from china. There are many sites giving information on Rudrakaha. May be you can read: http://www.interessantes.at/rudraksha_e.htm for a beginning.

beautiful!

The one which Indira Gandhi wore was gifted to her as a blessing from Ma Anandamayee. Unfortunately the string snapped much before Indira Gandhi"s assassination.