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A rudraksha (IAST: ) refers to the dried Pyrena or seeds of the genus Elaeocarpus specifically, Elaeocarpus ganitrus.Bharati Bhattacharyya (2026). 9788179934418, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). . ISBN 9788179934418 These seeds are used as prayer beads for Hinduism (especially Shaivism) and Buddhism. When they are ripe, rudraksha stones are covered by a blue outer fruit so they are sometimes called "blueberry beads".
The stones are associated with the Hindu deity Shiva and are worn by believers for protection and for chanting such as Om Namah Shivaya (; ). They are primarily sourced from India, Indonesia, and Nepal for jewellery and japamala () and valued similarly to semi-precious stones. Rudraksha can have ridges that are termed as "faces" (, ) and some people associate each face with a particular deity.
Elaeocarpus ganitrus trees grow to . They are evergreen trees which grow quickly, and as they mature their roots form buttresses, rising up near the trunk and radiating out along the surface of the ground.
The pyrena of the fruit, commonly called the "pit" or "stone", is typically divided into multiple segments by seed-bearing . When the fruit is fully ripe, the stones are covered with a blue outer fleshy husk of inedible fruit. The blue colour is not derived from a pigment but is due to structural colouration. Rudraksha beads are sometimes called "blueberry beads" in reference to the blue colour of the fruit.
Many types of stone are described. A savar is a type of rudraksha bead that is naturally conjoined, or attached to another bead. Gauri Shankar refers to two beads which are naturally conjoined. Ganesha refers to beads which have a trunk-like protrusion on their bodies. Trijuti refers to three beads that are naturally conjoined. Other rare types include veda (4 conjoined savars) and dvaita (2 conjoined savars).
Hindus often use rudraksha garlands aids to prayer and meditation, and to sanctify the mind, body, and soul, much as Christians use prayer beads and Rosary to count repetitions of prayer. There is a long tradition of wearing 108 rudraksha beads in India, particularly within Shaivism, due to their association with Shiva, who wears rudraksha garlands. Most garlands contain 108 beads plus one because as 108 is considered sacred and a suitable number of times to recite a short mantra. The number 108 is sacred in many spiritual traditions, symbolising the universe’s completeness. The extra bead, which is called the "meru", , or "guru bead", helps mark the beginning and end of a cycle of 108 and has symbolic value as a 'principle' bead. Rudraksha garlands usually contain beads in combinations 27+1, 54+1, or 108+1. The mantra Om Namah Shivaya, associated with Shiva, is often chosen for repetitions ( Japamala) using rudraksha beads.
Rudraksha is primarily cultivated in the foothills of the Himalayas, mainly in Nepal and India. The most popular varieties of rudraksha are found in the regions of Kathmandu, around Arun Valley Region in Nepal and Kullu district, and Rameswaram in India. There are several naturally occurring trees of rudrakshas in the alpine forests of Dhauladhar and lower Sivalik Hills ranges of the Himalayas.
Groves are mostly found in Uttarakhand state of India.
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