Authentic Timal Bodhi Seed Mala - 11mm - Rare Locality - Beautiful Dark Color Tone
Earlier this year in late March through early April 2025, I returned to Nepal continuing my practice of Buddhist Pilgrimage.
This mala is one of the few I was able to hand pick while I was in Timal, Nepal from a local resident craftsperson. See the last image of me at the gateway to Timal, Nepal. The beads are sized 10.5mm to 11mm on average. Therefore, I am listing this as an 11mm mala. This is an exceptionally high-quality Timal Bodhi Mala as the seeds have an even and consistently rich, deep dark brown color tone. The shape of the seeds are uniform and round. The integrity of the seed are very high and strong and it is laced with a 1.2mm red nylon braided cord with a red nylon sliding knot. There is a very small trimming on the sides of the Bodhi Seeds.
The overall length is 22.00 inches or 55.88cm from the top to the bottom of the guru bead. From the top to the end of the mala cords and decoration beads is 24.00 inches or 60.96cm. The mala has a complimenting 3-Eye Bodhi Seed guru bead sized at 15.00mm.
This is a very rare Bodhi Seed mala from the small village of Timal in Central Nepal located about 5 hours southeast of Kathmandu by car. This year I was able to return and visit the Yarinak cave where Padmasambhava stayed and practiced. It was said Guru Rinpoche, on his journey back from Tibet, meditated there before moving to Pharping at Asura cave. Timal, Nepal is connected with Guru Rinpoche himself when he taught that Bodhi Seeds should be used for counting mantra. Additionally, it is said Padmasambhava defeated Tirthikas—sworn enemies of the Dharma near Yakinak cave. Afterwards he blessed the lands of this area. Over time the Bodhi Trees and the seeds of Timal have become deeply connected to Guru Rinpoche.
A research paper by Khem Raj Bhattarai and Mitra Lal Pathak published in the Indian Journal of Plant Sciences identified the Bodhichitta tree as a distinct species—Ziziphus budhensis—unique to central Nepal. The researchers believe that the tree, known locally as Buddhachitta, is found only in a small area of the Kavreplanchok district of central Nepal, and differs from other species of Ziziphus known to grow in Nepal and similar species identified in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Pakistan.
The Bodhi Seeds from this area are grown, harvested, and crafted into malas by the local people. This seller lives in and is a resident farmer and crafts person of Timal. One of the only ways to be for sure of the authenticity of a Timal Bodhi Seed mala, is to go directly to the source.
This is an extremely rare, high quality, and beautiful mala with a deep local connection to Guru Padmasambhava.
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Thank you for your visit and consideration.
Shipping fee covers handling and packaging materials cost.
