In southern Indian Hindu custom, the thali is the principal gold marriage ornament or auspicious amulet placed on the mangal sutram wedding necklace. Derived from the local term for palmyra palm (thala), this Sanskrit term thali makes reference to the ancient custom of tying strips of palm leaf around the neck of a married woman; in indication of her married status. This is an impressive and intricate wedding ornament; a component of the Chettiar wedding necklace or kazhuthuru, representative of the material heritage of the Tamil, Chettiar community; who are among the earliest Indians to settle in the Singapore-Malaya region.
