A japamala, also known as jaap maala or simply mala (Sanskrit: माला, mālā, meaning 'garland'), is a loop of prayer beads commonly used in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The mala is principally employed for counting recitations (japa) of mantras, prayers or other sacred phrases, serving as an aid to concentration during devotional practice.
Beyond counting recitations, malas are used in a variety of spiritual contexts. They may be worn to ward off evil, used to count repetitions within other forms of sadhana such as prostrations before a holy icon, and carried as symbols of religious identification. In several traditions, the mala thus functions both as a practical tool of devotion and as a visible marker of belief.
The main body of a mala usually consists of 108 beads of roughly the same size and material. Smaller versions, often based on factors of 108 such as 54 or 27 beads, are also found. A distinctive 109th bead, known as the guru bead or mother bead, is very common; it is not counted during recitation but marks the beginning and end of a cycle. Mala beads have traditionally been made from a wide range of materials, including wood, stone, gems, seeds, bone and precious metals, with different religious traditions often favouring particular materials. They are typically strung on natural fibres such as cotton, silk or animal hair. In the modern era, synthetic materials such as plastic or glass beads and nylon cords are also used.
Malas share affinities with other forms of prayer beads found in world religions, such as the misbaha in Islam and the rosary in Christianity, reflecting a broader human practice of using beads as an aid to prayer and meditation.
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Japamala.