Rig Veda Hindu Marriage Tradition
(Compiled by R.Venkata Subbaiah):
Eight different types of Vivaah have been documented in the ancient Indian
scripture Manu Smrti . These are
Brahma Marriage, Daiva Marriage, Arsha Marriage, Prajapatya Marriage, Gandharva
Marriage, Asura Marriage, Rakshasa Marriage, Paishacha Marriage.
Brahma vivah is considered the best marriage. In this the boy and girl belonging to good
families and the same varna get married. The
boy’s family approaches the girl’s family.
“Kanyadaan”, which is the handing of the bride by her father to the groom,
is an important ritual of the Brahma Vivah.
Pre-wedding customs
The rich and varied cultural heritage of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh of India, is reflected in the ceremonies
conducted there. Almost all festivals are celebrated with religious
observances, holding supreme importance in the lives of the residents of the
state.
Niśchitārtham (నిశ్చితార్థం)
Niśchitārtham means engagement. The two families meet to perform
rituals to make the engagement official. A muhūrtaṃ (auspicious date &
time) for the wedding is decided based on horoscopes. The Telugu people
generally avoid the months or a time period where Aashaadham, Bhadrapadam
and Shunya maasam occurs, because they are considered inauspicious for the
ceremonies. The couple is then blessed by elders of both families, and is given
gifts including jewelry and clothing by their new family. During this ceremony
the future mother-in-law of the bride presents her with clothes, gold and also
silverware, formally ending the engagement (Niśchitārtham).[4]
Snātakaṃ (స్నాతకం)
Snātakaṃ means Graduation or Bath Graduate or Post graduation. It is usually performed before householder responsibilities
are handed over to the Groom.[5] Snaatakam ritual takes
place at the bridegroom’s residence before the muhūrtaṃ. As a part of this custom, the groom is asked to wear
a silver thread on his body. The ritual is conducted a few hours prior to
the wedding.
Kāśī Yātra (కాశీ యాత్ర)
Traditionally, after
Snātakaṃ, groom will be eligible for higher studies and he will be eligible to
go to Kashi and study further or
become Sanyasi. However, as a pre-wedding
ceremony, the groom just pretends to go to Kashi and says that he has discarded
the worldly pleasures (such as marriage, relations and properties) and is no
more interested in leading a family life. He will then be stopped by the
brother(cousins) of the bride, who persuade him to assume the responsibility of
a house hold as in they tease each other quite a lot and groom readily agrees
for it in the end.
The rituals conducted by the Telugu speaking people during the
ceremonious occasion of wedding are different from those conducted in
neighboring southern state of India. In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu people
follow their own traditions, while conduction a wedding. The bride’s maternal
uncle and her brother play a prominent role at the time of her marriage. Unlike
other South Indian weddings, the muhūrtaṃ in Telugu weddings
does not take place in the morning, but close to midnight. Telugu Brahmin wedding customs differ
from the wedding customs of the other Telugu communities. In addition to the
rituals mentioned below, their weddings start with rituals common in South
Indian Brahmin weddings like Punyahavachanam, Niśchitārtham, Matrukapujanam, etc.
Maṅgaḷa Snānaṃ (మఙ్గళస్నానం)
As a part of Maṅgaḷa
Snānaṃ custom, the bride and groom are required to take an auspicious bath on
the wedding day. The aim is to purify them and make them prepared to perform
sacred rites. This bath is called Abhyangana Snānam
Bridal Makeup
In this ceremony at
the bride and grooms' respective houses, all the relatives and well wishers
gather and they smear them with turmeric paste (Nalugu - which is a mixture of
flours and turmeric powder) and oils. This is done to cleanse their skin, so
that a natural glow is radiated after they bathe. This is where the actual
ceremony starts. They are given a new set of clothing to wear and are blessed
that everything goes by well in the preparation. The bride is told not to go
out of the town until the actual wedding ceremony.
Aarti or Hārati (హారతి)
Oil is applied to the
bride and groom at their respective houses. Thereafter, the family members get
together to perform Aarti. They pray for the bride and groom to be granted the
wisdom to lead their life happily.[7]
Ganēśa and Gauri Pūja
(గణేశ పూజ ; గౌరీ పూజ)
Before the wedding
ceremony, the groom attends the Ganesha and Gowri pooja, which is conducted
at the maṇḍapaṃ. And the bride does the Gauri Pūja at the house with all her family
members and relatives attending before going to the ceremony. It is during this
time that "Pravara" a ritual of changing Bride's Gotram from her paternal Gotram to the Groom's Gotram, is performed. Elderly couples from both families are
required to attend and witness the "Pravara" while the bride is
performing Gauri Pūja.
Kanyādānaṃ (కన్యాదానం)
Kanyādānaṃ is the
ceremony in which the girl’s family hands over their daughter’s responsibility
to the groom. During the ceremony, the bride sits in a bamboo basket. Her
maternal uncle brings her to the maṇḍapaṃ. Until the completion of the
Kanyādānaṃ, the bride and groom are not allowed to look at each other and
therefore, they are separated by a curtain that is place between them, as a
partition. Thereafter, the bride’s parents wash the groom’s feet, as gesture of
respect because on the day of wedding the bride groom is considered as
"Lord Vishnu Svarūpaṃ" or incarnation of lord Vishnu who has come to marry their daughter who is considered as
"Devi Lakshmi". The groom is made to chant "Dharmēca Arthēca
Kamēcha Mokshēca Nāti Carāmi" three times and give Bride's father
assurance three times that the bridegroom shall remain for ever her companion
in joy and sorrow.
Paṇigrahaṇaṃ (పాణిగ్రహణం)
This means
"holding hands". The groom holds the hand of the bride. The Mantras
say: The Devas have offered you to me in order that I may live the life of a
householder (Gruhasta); we shall not part from each other.
Jīlakarra Bellaṃ &
Madhuparkaṃ (జీలకర్రాబెల్లం ; మధుపర్కం)
The priest recites the
ślokaṃs from the Vedaas. Thereafter, the couple is asked to place a paste made
from cumin seeds and jaggery on each other’s head. This custom is referred to
as Jīlakarra-Bellamu. This ceremony is observed to communicate that the relationship
of the married couple is unbreakable and inseparable. This is the actual muhūrtaṃ time if this ceremony is done all relax and complete the other
ceremonies slowly. The ritual of changing Bride's Gotram, "Pravara" is once again performed on
the marriage dais in the presence of groom and everyone attending the ceremony.
Henceforth, the bride no more belongs to the father's gotra and belongs to Groom's gotra.
As a part of Madhuparkaṃ ritual, the bride dresses up in a white
sari with a red border. The groom wears a white dhoti with a red border. White
symbolizes purity and red represents strength.
Sumangaḷi (సుమంగళి)
Ten married women
(Sumangaḷi) accompany the bride. Six out of the ten women hold plates
containing sacred rice(a mixture of rice and turmeric powder), while the rest
of the four hold small lit lamps on their respective plates. Rice represents
abundance, while the lit lamps symbolize light.
Akshitalu (అక్షితలు)
In the Akshitalu or
Talaṃbrālu ceremony, the bride and groom exchange garlands. Married people
witnessing this occasion come forward to bless the couple, by sprinkling flower
petals and rice coated with turmeric powder.
During Maṅgaḷasūtra Dhāraṇa means tying Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ. In order
to perform the ritual, the partition between the bride and groom are removed.
After removing the partition, The mangala sutra is weived by nava dampathulu
and the groom ties the the strings of
the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ, each with a golden disc, around the bride’s neck. The
Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ represents the physical, mental and spiritual union of the
couple. In the Telugu wedding, the groom ties three knots of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ.
As a part of the Saptapadi rituals, the groom and
bride walk seven steps together around the fire, while taking their oaths of
caring, protecting, understanding, loving and guiding each other. During this
the pallu (edge of the sari)
of the bride’s sari is tied to one end of the groom's scarf (Kanḍuva).(Only in
Telugu brahmin marriage)
Sthālīpākaṃ (స్థాలీపాకం)
Sthālīpākaṃ is a
ritual where in the groom adorns the feet of the bride with silver toe rings. This also is believed that the man bends to the
woman in order to claim her as his. Also in order to ward-off the evil eye, the
bride is adorned by a string of black beads during the ceremony. These beads
along with the silver toe rings symbolize that she is a married woman. Right
after, a kunḍa (decorated silver or terra-cotta vessel) full of water is placed
in front of the couple and a ring is put in. The groom puts his right hand in
and the bride puts her left hand in and they fish for the ring. They do this
three times and whoever wins more is supposed to be the dominant one in the
marriage. This is a time of fun, because water splashes everywhere and there
are chants and shouts of support for either side. Also, the bride is made to
cook ( a namesake meal) on the sacred flame of the Agnihōtraṃ, symbolizing she
is now responsible to take care of the health of her husband and family.
Appagintalu (అప్పగింతలు)
Appagintalu take place
right at the end of the wedding. This is when the bride is traditionally handed
off to the groom and his family.
Post-wedding customs
After the wedding
ceremony is over, the bride enters the groom’s house formally. She is given a
hearty welcome by the groom’s family members. The uniting of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ
takes place after a fortnight.
Gr̥uhapravēśam (గృహప్రవేశం)
After the culmination
of the wedding ceremony, the bride is formally taken to the groom’s house. This
is called Gr̥hapravēśam of the bride. As she steps into her new home, she is
welcomed by the groom’s family members, including his mother and closest
relatives.
Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam (సత్యనారాయణ వ్రతం)
Satyam means
"Truth" and Narayana means "The highest being" so
Satyanārāyaṇa means "The highest being who is an embodiment of
Truth". The Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam is very popular in Andhra Pradesh India.
Satyanārāyaṇa Vratam is performed by bride and groom after Gr̥hapravēśam in
groom's residence. This puja is first mentioned in Skanda Purana, Reva Kanḍa by Sūta mahāmuni to the r̥shis in
Naimisharaṇya. The details are part of the Katha/"Story" that is
usually read after the pūja. The Satyanārāyaṇa pūja/vratam can be performed on
any day except on New-Moon.
Tying the mangalsutra at Telugu wedding
ceremony.
Uniting the
Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ
Gr̥uhapravēśam is
followed by a ceremony, wherein the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ is united. As a customary,
the Telugu speaking people unite the two Maṅgaḷasūtraṃs (which was tied by the
groom around the bride’s neck), on a common thread. This ritual is done sixteen
days post wedding. This ritual can be performed by either the groom or an
elderly member of the family. A few black or golden beads are slipped between
the two 'plates' of the Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ, so that they do not clash with each
other. The unison of Maṅgaḷasūtraṃ signifies the harmony between the two
families. After the ceremony is over, the bride takes a bath and wears a new
sari.
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