Karungali Malas, Bracelets and Pendants in Ebony Wood

What is Karungali?

Karungali is the Tamil name for ebony, a dark and dense wood. The Karungali meaning in daily use is simply this wood, which is shaped into beads and carved forms.

Karungali is often paired with other materials. A design can combine more than one material, including Rudraksha or another bead, so read each listing to see what is used. Caps, wire and pendants may be silver, gold or copper in finish, as each listing describes.

Karungali designs in this collection

• Capped bracelets: the silver cap Rudraksha Karungali bracelet with Trishul Damroo and the silver cap Trishul Damroo bracelet.
• Copper wire malas: the copper wire malai with Vel pendant and the copper wire malai with Om Shiva Trishul.
• Hanuman and Shiva: the silver cap mala with Hanuman gada and Trishul and the gold cap mala with Trishul Damroo.
• Murugan: the Lord Murugan pendant malai and the Vel peacock pendant malai.
• Counting mala: the Tulsi Karungali mala with silver cap, 54 beads.

Reading silver, gold and copper details

Read the finish of the cap, the wire and the pendant separately. A silver cap, a silver-finish pendant and a copper wire are three different details.

Check how the selected option changes the length, bead size or central motif before choosing it for daily wear. A mala for counting japa and a necklace for daily wear have different jobs, so compare the bead count with the length.

Wearing and caring for Karungali

Many devotees wear Karungali during japa or keep it on through the day. Follow your family custom or the guidance of your guru on when to wear it.

Keep the wood dry and wipe it with a soft cloth after wearing. Store the mala in a clean pouch. For related designs, see Karungali bracelets, Karungali necklaces and Karungali idols.