A rudraksha tree in Tumlingtaar, Sankhuwasabha of Eastern Nepal. Photo by Nikki Thapa.

The 2025 edition of Maha Kumbha Mela (festival of the Sacred Pitcher), a once-in-144-year congregation of Hindus at Prayagraj in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, drew global attention for its massive size and scope. However, the rudrakshas (dried seeds) worn by the saints and devotees also deserve special notice, as they hold a place of importance in Hindu mythology.

This year rudrakshas were center stage as part of the celebrations. Rudraksha Baba, a sage wore 11,000 rudraskhas weighing over 30 kilograms. Twelve jyotirlingas, a devotional representation of the Hindu god Shiva, were decorated with 7 crore (70 million) rudraksha beads. Last but not least, Monalisa Bholse, 21, a rudraksha seller, went viral in the digital sphere during the event for her heartwarming videos about the rudrakshas.

So, why are rudrakshas so revered in Hinduism, and where do they come from? Regarded as beads originating from the tears of Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism, rudrakshas are seeds of the tree Elaeocarpus ganitrus. The tree is predominantly grown in the Himalayan foothills, particularly in Nepal and India. Commonly used as prayer beads by Hindus and Buddhists, the rudrakshas from Nepal are in high demand.

Based on the first five months of the Nepali fiscal year 2081–2082 (Mid-July 2024 to mid-February 2025 in the Gregorian calendar), a total of 684,909 kgs of rudraksha seeds worth NPR 39,146,000 (USD 280,192) were exported, including 208,966 kgs to China and 475,776 kgs to India.

Nepali photographer, storyteller, and founder of Ask Me About Nepal, Nikki Thapa, traveled to eastern Nepal and documented the process of collecting and marketing rudraksha seeds.

A rudraksha tree forest completely surrounds houses in Dingla, Bhojpur of Eastern Nepal. Almost all villagers in Dingla have given up on traditional crop cultivation and switched to planting rudraksha trees.

Rudraksha seeds are harvested by tapping branches with long poles. The 26-year-old tree from Ramche in Bhojpur of Eastern Nepal, which is featured below, is owned by Govinda Katuwal.

Farmers place clamps on some fruits to create a flattened shape, which appeals to Chinese markets. Whereas the Indian buyers refrain from buying tampered seeds or the seeds from the trees treated with medicines because, for Hindus, rudraksha is a religious item.

Harvesters crack open the outer husk of rudraksha with a wooden block or use a machete (khukuri) and then brush the bead with a comb. The beads are brushed under running water and then wrapped in fine muslin after drying.

In the photo below, traders use a sifting bowl to discard seeds smaller than 20 millimeters in diameter. These big seeds are preferred by Chinese buyers. The smaller lot is then dispatched to the Indian markets or made into different rudraksha products like garlands, bags, vases, and chair covers, among other items.

In the photo below, a worker measures a 14-Mukhi rudraksha with vernier calipers at Khandbari, Sankhuwasabha of Eastern Nepal. Rudrakshas with one, two, and twenty-one facets (mukhi) are considered rare and hence most valuable. Four, five, six, and seven mukhi beads are ordinary. One tree can produce different sizes of beads, with up to 23 different mukha (or mukhi).

This story was first published by the Author in Global Voices on 17 March 2025