Rudraksha Beads and Malas
Rudraksha are dried seeds of the Elaeocarpus ganitrus tree. They are worn as beads and prayer malas.
Updated . Edited by: Ilyass Ben Hakim.
Where to buy
- Search AmazonLive search · amazon.com
- Google ShoppingLive search · google.com
- Search eBayLive search · ebay.com
- Search WalmartLive search · walmart.com
Temple shops, Indian spiritual stores and online bead dealers sell rudraksha. For costly high-mukhi beads, insist on an independent lab report.
Professional insight
Bead dealers count the faces and judge origin before price. Certificates matter only for rare beads.
- Five-mukhi beads are common and should cost little.
- Nepal beads run larger than Indonesian ones.
- X-ray shows whether inner seed chambers match outer faces.
- Water and coin tests prove nothing either way.
Check the label
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Rudraksha bead facts
- Tree
- Elaeocarpus ganitrus
- An evergreen broadleaf tree.
- Nepal bead size
- About 20 to 35 mm
- Indonesian beads are about 5 to 25 mm.
- Standard mala
- 108 beads plus 1
- The extra is the guru or meru bead.
Types
| Format | What it is | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Single bead | One bead on thread or in a pendant | Wearing one mukhi type |
| Japa mala | 108 plus 1 beads for counting prayers | Daily recitation |
| Bracelet | Smaller beads on elastic or wire | Everyday wear |
| Collector bead | Rare face count with lab report | Serious collectors |
Red flags
- Rare one-mukhi round beads offered cheaply.
- Faces look cut, glued or filled in.
- Certificate from a lab you cannot find or contact.
- Seller relies on float or coin tests as proof.
- Every bead in a lot looks perfectly identical.
Care
- Keep beads away from soap, perfume and chlorine.
- Brush dust from the grooves with a soft brush.
- Oil lightly now and then if the seller advises it.
- Restring a mala when the thread frays.
Common questions
- Are most rudraksha fakes?
- A small lab test found fakes less common than claimed. Risk rises with rare, costly beads.
- Which mukhi is most common?
- Five-mukhi beads are the most common and least expensive.
- Do rudraksha have proven health effects?
- No. Benefits are traditional and spiritual, not medically proven.