Rudraksha Plant Although there are no specific prohibitions, it is more common for women to wear beads made of other materials, such as pearls.
Rudraksha beads may be strung together as a mālā and used to count the repetition of a mantra or prayer, similar to the use of rosaries in Christianity. Most garlands contain 108 beads plus one, as 108 is considered sacred and a suitable number of times to recite a short mantra. The extra bead, called the "meru", bindu or "guru bead", helps mark the beginning and end of a cycle of 108,