Club Obi Wan

Lightning wrote:looks a lot like a shoelace to me, just cut off the aglets.

Sacred Thread
Brahmin_threads The sacred thread) is a symbol of highs status in the caste system: only the Brahmin and Kshatriya castes are allowed to wear it. It is comprised of three cotton threads that are looped over the shoulders across the chest and under the opposite arm. It signifies that the wearer is twice born: the first time by his mother and the second time when he is initiated into Hinduism and receives the sacred thread (which is known by many names, varying by region and community, including janai, janeu, lagun, yajnopavita, yagyopavit, yonya and zunnar )>

The three intertwined threads symbolize the mind, body and act of speaking The knots tied in three threads symbolize the mastery of these three things by the wearer. The wearer is expected to keep the sacred thread clean and pollution free. If it becomes frayed, dirty or polluted by contact with lower castes or menstruating women it must be replaced. The wearer goes through great lengths---often tucking it behind his ear, to make sure it doesn’t get dirty when he goes to the bathroom, shaves or washes.

The sacred thread ceremony serves as a coming of age ceremony for the castes that wear it. Traditionally, at age seven years of age a boy’s head is shaved or his hair is cut, his body is thoroughly cleaned and his fingernails and toe nails are cut. If the head is shaved usually a small tuft of hair is left to show the boy is a Hindu. Before the ceremony the boy eats only one meal that can not contain meat, onions or garlic. At the ceremony which can be held at a home or a temples a Brahmin priest reads scriptures, invokes Vishnu and drapes the sacred thread over the initiates neck.

After being given the sacred thread the boy is fully initiated into his caste and is regarded as a man. He is allowed to eat with the men and is given new responsibilities. The cost of staging the ceremony can be quite high. Some times several poorer families join together to reduce costs.

Indiana Jeff wrote:Found this information. The bolding is mine.

Indiana Jeff wrote:I would guess not since all of the Thuggee are wearing them (the guys on the other side of the lava pit kneeling). Like much of TOD, I think they snagged on a bit of Indian/Hindu culture and used it as part of the costuming.

davidd wrote:

Indiana Jeff wrote:I would guess not since all of the Thuggee are wearing them (the guys on the other side of the lava pit kneeling). Like much of TOD, I think they snagged on a bit of Indian/Hindu culture and used it as part of the costuming.

So you think it was simply part of the generic "bad guy" costuming? A visual tip to the viewers that Indy, while brainwashed or hypnotized or drugged, was under the control of the villains? That makes sense.