Rudraksha
- What it is
- The hard, ridged seed (endocarp) of the Elaeocarpus sphaericus tree, often called E. ganitrus. 'Mukhi' comes from the Sanskrit for 'face' and counts the natural lines that divide the bead.
- Where it comes from
- The Himalayan foothills of Nepal and India; the tree grows naturally from the Himalaya to northern Myanmar.
- In tradition
- Traditionally associated with Lord Shiva, the name means 'eye of Rudra'. Each mukhi count is linked to a particular deity, and a japa mala has 108 beads plus a guru bead.















