Rudraksha (also Rudraksh;
Sanskrit: rudrākṣa ("Rudra's eyes") is a large evergreen
broad-leaved tree whose seed is traditionally used for prayer beads in
Hinduism. The seed is borne by several species of Elaeocarpus,
with E. ganitrus being the principal species used in the
making of a bead chain ormala. Rudraksha is a Sanskrit compound
consisting of the name Rudra ("Shiva") and akṣha ("eyes"). The
specific epithet ganitrus is possibly taken from ganitri,
the name for this species in Sundanese and Malay.
Rudraksha grows in the area from the Gangetic Plain in foothills of the Himalayas to
South-East Asia, Indonesia, New Guinea to Australia, Guam, and Hawaii. Rudraksha seeds are covered by
an outer shell of blue color when fully ripe, and for this reason are also
known as blueberry beads. The blue colour is derived not from pigment but is structural. It
is an evergreen tree that grows quickly. Rudraksha Tree starts bearing fruit in
three to four years. As the tree matures, the roots buttress rising up narrowly
near the trunk and radiating out along the surface of the ground.
The intensely blue fruit. This one was
harvested at grove of rudraksha trees onKauai, Hawaii
Rudraksha beads are the material from which
malas (108 beads in number) are made. The term is used both for the berries
themselves and as a term for the type of mala made from them. In
this sense, a rudraksha is a rosary, used for repetitive prayer (japa), a common aid to
worship in Hinduism.
Rudraksha is also used for treatment of various diseases in traditional Indian medicine.
The seeds show variation in the number of grooves on
their surface, and are classified on the basis of the number of divisions that
they have. Different qualities are attributed to the rudraksha based on the
number of grooves, or 'faces' that it has. A common type has five divisions,
and these are considered to be symbolic of the five faces of Shiva. It can only
be worn with red string or a gold chain. 
Rudraksha Mala has been used by Hindus as well as Sikhs and Buddhists as rosary at least from the 10th century onwards for meditation purposes
and to sanctify the mind, body and soul. The word Rudraksha is derived from Rudra (Shiva—the Hindu God of all living
creatures) and aksha (eyes). One Hindu legend says that once Lord Shiva opened
His eyes after a long period yogic meditation, because of extreme
fulfillment .He shed out a tear. This single tear from Shiva’s eye grew into
the Rudraksha tree. Rudraksha fruit is blue in color but turns black when
dried. The central hard Rudraksha uni-seed may have 1 to 21 faces.