# What's up with George Harrison's hand? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124 "2020-12-15T19:38:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/1 "2020-12-15T19:38:46Z")
Wikimedia Commons hosts the following photograph of George Harrison, purportedly taken while chanting Hare Krishna in Vrindavan, India in 1996: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/George_Harrison_Chanting_Hare_Krishna.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/George_Harrison_Chanting_Hare_Krishna.jpg) What’s up with his right hand? It looks like the entire appendage, except for the thumb, is covered in a thick cloth wrapping. Is this some sort of ritual mitten associated with the chanting of Hare Krishna? Or is it possible that he burnt, broke, or otherwise injured his hand that year? Does anyone know the story? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/2 "2020-12-15T19:50:26Z")
There’s no mention of a hand injury in '96 in his Wikipedia entry, nor does Google return anything illuminating; most hits on “George Harrison injury” are related to when he was nearly-fatally stabbed by an intruder in his house in '99. This is another picture which appears to be from that same trip to India in '96 (his hair and beard appear identical, and it might even be the same shirt), and his right hand looks just fine. [![](https://daytrippinmag.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/georgeh-harekrishna-1996.jpg?w=820) ](https://daytrippinmag.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/georgeh-harekrishna-1996.jpg?w=820) So, my guess is either (a) it’s a ceremonial wrapping, or (b) he injured his hand some time shortly after the above picture was taken, but it wasn’t a serious injury. I’m not sure what the tan thing is that’s dangling from his neck in the above picture, but it is a similar color to the hand wrapping in the picture you found, so it might be possible that they’re the same item. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/3 "2020-12-15T20:01:11Z")
Aha! Answer: it’s a bead bag, meant to hold the beads that one uses to chant. As the beads are sacred, the bag is used to keep them clean and off the floor. > [@](#): > > While chanting, you’ll keep the sacred _japa_ beads in a bead bag to keep them clean and off the floor. One side of the bag is large enough to insert your hand. Your index finger comes out of the smaller hole on the other side, to help you hold on to the bag. Place your beads in the bag, and you’re ready to go. [http://www.krishna.com/how-chant-beads](http://www.krishna.com/how-chant-beads) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/4 "2020-12-15T20:08:48Z")
Well George has “Been beat up and battered 'round Been sent up, and I’ve been shot down” after all. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1o4s1KVJaVA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Traveling Wilburys - Handle With Care (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o4s1KVJaVA) Maybe Dylan was jealous and broke his hand. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/5 "2020-12-15T20:21:00Z")
Ah, so this is something akin to a rosary, then? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/6 "2020-12-15T20:24:15Z")
I know nothing about Hare Krishna, or these beads, but that article does suggest that they serve a very similar purpose to rosary beads – to help one keep count of the chants / prayers being done, as well as providing a tactile focus. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/7 "2020-12-15T22:47:48Z")
So… not a first baseman’s mitt, then? ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/8 "2020-12-15T23:30:51Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Ah, so this is something akin to a rosary, then? That’s the word Kipling used. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/9 "2020-12-16T02:03:25Z")
So he didn’t have blisters on his fingers? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-george-harrisons-hand/928124/10 "2020-12-16T05:57:15Z")
Nah, [that was Ringo](https://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question69714.html).