Searches for a mangalsutra bracelet or ring for men have grown since a few Indian couples began exchanging mangalsutras at their weddings. The question behind them is real: if the mangalsutra marks a marriage, why does only one partner wear it? This explainer sets out what the custom actually is, what married men traditionally wear instead, why some couples are changing it, the arguments on both sides, and what a men's piece usually looks like.
It is written for couples deciding together and for anyone buying for a husband. It describes practice and debate; it does not tell anyone what to believe or wear.
Do men traditionally wear a mangalsutra?
No. In Hindu weddings that include it, the groom ties the mangalsutra around the bride's neck, and in most communities that use it, the wife wears it afterwards as a sign of marriage. No mainstream Hindu tradition asks the husband to wear one.
The form and name vary widely: the vati mangalsutra in Maharashtra, the thali or thirumangalyam in Tamil Nadu, the pustelu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Some communities do not use a mangalsutra at all, and other ornaments carry the marital meaning. Our guide to regional groom jewellery traditions covers what grooms wear across these regions.
The history is less fixed than many people assume. Historian Usha Balakrishnan, interviewed for Open magazine's history of the mangalsutra, says old texts list no mandatory bridal jewels and no mangalsutra, and that the gold, gem-set mangalsutra as a marriage requirement is a modern idea. She also suggests, without firm evidence, that the earliest sacred thread may have been tied on both boys and girls at the start of their education.
What do married Indian men wear to show they are married?
For most Indian men today, the wedding ring is the sign of marriage. Beyond that, practice depends on community.
| What is worn | Who wears it | Does it mark marriage? |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding or engagement ring | Men across communities today | Yes, by modern custom |
| Sacred thread (janeu) with six strands | Some Hindu communities where men wear the thread | In some traditions, a married man's thread has six strands instead of three |
| Kara (plain iron or steel bracelet) | Sikhs | No. It is an article of faith, not a marriage symbol |
| Sehra, kalgi, wedding garland | Grooms in many regions | Worn on the wedding day, not afterwards |
So there has long been an asymmetry. A married woman may wear a mangalsutra, sindoor, toe rings and bangles, depending on her community; a married man in many communities wears nothing that marks his status. That gap is what the modern men's mangalsutra responds to.
Why are some men now wearing a mangalsutra?
Some couples exchange mangalsutras to make the symbols of marriage equal. The best-known Indian example is Shardul Kadam and Tanuja Patil, a Pune couple who married in December 2020 and, as Open magazine reported, tied mangalsutras on each other at their wedding. His was designed for a man.
Kadam wears his daily, tied around his wrist, and a necklace version with traditional clothes at festivals such as Diwali and Ganapati. His argument was that the mangalsutra is an auspicious thread and a mark of respect and love, and that nothing in that meaning excludes men. He also reported the reaction: most women at the wedding were delighted, while some men mocked him behind his back.
The idea is older than that wedding. Jewellery designer Eina Ahluwalia staged a men's mangalsutra in a 2009 dance performance, with the bride placing a large piece of black volcanic rock and carved metal beads around the groom's neck, as she describes in Garland magazine. She reports that much of the audience was taken aback by the reversal.
The debate over men wearing a mangalsutra
Opinion splits three ways, and each position is held sincerely. Here is the case each side makes.
| Position | The argument |
|---|---|
| For a shared mangalsutra | If both partners make the same vows, both can wear the same sign. It reframes the mangalsutra as a mark of mutual commitment rather than of a wife's status alone. |
| For keeping the custom as it is | The mangalsutra belongs to a specific rite with a specific meaning, handed down in families. Changing who wears it changes the rite, and some see that as disrespectful to a sacred practice. |
| Sceptical of symbols on either side | Some argue the real issue is the expectation placed on women, and that the answer is choice, not adding a symbol for men. On this view a matching piece of jewellery changes the look of a marriage, not its terms. |
Most couples who do it hold a middle position: they keep the traditional mangalsutra for the bride and add a men's piece as a personal gesture, not a replacement of the rite. Family reaction varies a great deal, and it is worth discussing before the wedding rather than surprising relatives at the mandap.
Is a mangalsutra legally or religiously required?
Legally, no, for either partner. Section 7 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 says a Hindu marriage may be solemnised according to the customary rites of either party, and where those rites include saptapadi, the marriage is complete and binding when the seventh step is taken. The mangalsutra is not named.
The Tamil Nadu and Puducherry amendments, which add Section 7-A for suyamariyathai (self-respect) and seerthiruththa marriages, list the tying of the thali as one of three ways such a marriage can be solemnised, alongside a spoken declaration before witnesses, or each party garlanding the other or putting a ring on the other's finger. The linked text is the Puducherry version of the Act. Religiously, practice is set by community and family custom rather than one text, which is why it varies so much.
What does a men's mangalsutra look like?
A men's mangalsutra is a modern design, so it takes whatever form the couple chooses. These are the forms people search for and commission:
| Form | How it is worn | Design notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mangalsutra bracelet for men | On the wrist, daily | Black beads or black diamonds with a gold or diamond centre; a clasp or tie |
| Wrist mangalsutra (thread) | Tied on the wrist | A black or yellow thread with a small gold element, closest to the original idea of a thread |
| Mangalsutra ring for men | On the ring finger | A band with a row of black diamonds or black enamel echoing the beads |
| Men's mangalsutra pendant | On a chain, under a shirt | A small gold pendant on a black bead or plain chain |
| Couple mangalsutra bracelets | Both partners, matching | One shared element, such as the bead colour or an engraved date |
The black-and-gold palette is what makes a piece read as a mangalsutra rather than any bracelet. Black diamonds keep that palette in a form durable enough for a man's wrist. Our guide to the black diamond mangalsutra covers how the stones are used in traditional designs.
How to choose one if you decide to
Treat it as a piece he will wear every day, because that is usually the point.
- Decide when it is given. Tied at the wedding, given at the reception, or exchanged on the first anniversary. Each changes how much the family needs to be consulted.
- Choose the form for his life. A bracelet suits most men; a ring suits men who already wear one; a thread suits those who want the oldest form.
- Build it for wear. Beads on a wrist take knocks. Black diamonds set low in a gold or silver bracelet last longer than glass beads on thread.
- Size it properly. Measure the wrist below the bone and allow about a finger's width of room for a bracelet.
- Link the pair privately. A date or initials engraved inside does more than identical designs.
If a ring is the better fit, our guide to couple rings for men covers how to pair two rings without making his a scaled-up copy of hers.
How AXIOM approaches this
AXIOM makes mangalsutras and couple pieces as bespoke commissions, alongside its men's range. For a men's mangalsutra, the design starts from the couple's own idea of what it should say; natural black diamonds, the house's signature stone, carry the black-and-gold language of the mangalsutra in a form built for a man's wrist or finger, set in sterling silver or in 14K or 18K gold. Allow about three weeks to make, plus delivery, and start the conversation through bespoke commissions or contact.
The practical takeaway
A mangalsutra for men is a choice, not an obligation or an established custom. If you want one, talk it through with each other and with family, choose a form he will actually wear, and keep the bride's traditional mangalsutra and its rite intact unless you have both decided otherwise.
