Malas

The trend of wearing malas might be “new” to Western travelers, but it actually dates back thousands of years. The history of prayer beads, usually consisting of 108 beads per string is believed to have originated in India around the eighth century B.C.E. Many of today’s religions also use beaded necklaces — mala, rosary, subha — to help meditate and recite prayers. The English word bead even comes from the Anglo-Saxon words bede and bidden which mean “prayer” and “to pray.” All our Malas are handmade out of gemstone or special wooden beads.