Final masterpiece mala (prayer beads)

This Rudraksha strand was handpicked recently, and it is my final masterpiece of the year. I received a batch of raw large Rudraksha seeds from Nepal, roughly over 200 in total. I intend to make a 20mm mala (prayer beads), so I first sort out the seeds that meet the required size.

The seed selection process is actually quite grueling. Step one is checking the size, step two is looking at density and skin color, step three is checking the bead shape, step four is examining the grain / texture. Every step requires careful attention. It took several days back and forth before I picked out a satisfactory strand.

This year's final Rudraksha mala (prayer beads)

When selecting seeds I have a few criteria. First is density — it should feel weighty in the hand; if it feels light and flimsy, it's an immediate pass. Second is skin color — yellow skin or red skin are both fine, but there must be no shaded patches or mottled skin. Third is bead shape consistency — you can't have one bead tall and another short. Fourth is that the grain / texture style should be similar.

After this strand of seeds was selected, each bead's size, shape, and grain / texture were very close, and strung together the overall effect is great. When drilling, I use a 1.5mm drill bit at a slow speed to avoid cracking. When stringing, each bead faces the same direction so it looks neat when rotated.

Finished result

After stringing, I looked over the whole strand — uniform size, consistent bead shape, similar grain / texture style, and it feels great on the wrist. Friends who saw it all said this strand was well selected, far better than randomly buying one at a physical store.

Actually, selecting seeds and stringing a mala (prayer beads) is just like this — it takes time and strains the eyes, but the strand you pick out is comfortable to wear and pleasing to look at. With cultural playthings, what matters is the care you put in. If you put your heart into it, it will reward you.

A few final words

If anyone wants to pick out a Rudraksha mala, I'd suggest being patient and not rushing. Compare more, look more, and the beads you pick won't be bad. With collectibles like this, it's all about the process—you can't rush it.

Hope everyone can pick out their ideal mala (prayer beads) and enjoy the breaking-in (patina process).