Pre-Wedding Rituals in Marathi Matrimonial
We all know that India is a land of cultural diversity, which incorporates a number of communities having different cultural values. Amongst all the regional communities in India, wedding rituals in Maratha matrimony are simplest. However, customs vary according to caste of residents.
Alike other communities, Maharastrians are also specific about selecting life partners for their children. Parents prefer to choose bride and groom for their children themselves, as they believe that the choice made by elders is always the best. Maharastrians are specific about choosing bride and groom from the same caste they belong to, and the match must be of equal standing. However, with changing trends and respecting feelings of their children, parents in Maharastra is also accepting inter-caste marriages in Marathi weddings.
After finalizing the alliance, horoscopes are matched, as Maharastrian community is very specific about this matter. Family pundits match the compatibility of the stars. This custom is known as Guna Milan, and it is important that 16 Gunas must match for boy and girl to tie the knot. After the horoscopes are matched, elders of both families meet and discuss things such as date, time, venue, and other aspects of the wedding ceremonies. Pre-wedding ceremonies are as important for any wedding as the wedding rituals, and are fun to enjoy those cherished moments with near and dear ones. Here is a short description of the pre-wedding ceremonies in a Marathi wedding, take a look.
Also known as engagement ceremony, Sakharpuda is held some days before the wedding. Here Sakhar stands for sugar and puda stands for a packet. The bride-to-be is given sari as a token of love and acceptance from the family of groom-to-be. Green bangles and sugar packet are given to the bride, symbolizing the engagement. Sakharpuda is the official announcement of wedding and invitation cards are printed after it.
It is a kind of feast, which is organized at homes of both bride and groom. Relatives and friends are formally invited to join the meal hosted by the families. These days, the grandeur of Kelvan is no lesser than a reception and people also tend to book a banquet halls for their families and friends. Also, brides' extended family also invites the groom and vice versa. People have taken this as a great idea for the families to mingle together and know them better.
Haldi is another special Maharashtrian custom, where celebrations are conducted at their homes. Mixture of turmeric, mixed with aromatic oils, cream is applied on the face, hands and feet of bride and groom to make their skin glow. Bride and groom are then given a bath with sacred water. Both bride and groom are barred to step out of the house after Haldi ceremony.
Chuda
During the Chuda ceremony, bride and her relatives and friends wear green bangles, amidst a fun-filled environment, where women sing wedding songs, and enjoy the custom. Green bangles are mixed and matched with gold or pearl bangles. The bride is allowed to remove the Chuda only after 1 month of wedding. Green is the sign of rejuvenation and freshness, so it is widely adopted in Maharastrian culture, which can be seen in the decoration of the wedding venue, and dressing of bride and groom.
Wedding ceremony starts only after a Muhurta Patra is set up. Muhurta Patra is set to measure the time
for counting the auspicious moments of the marriage. Water filled in Muhurta Patra measures the drops of
water falling down from the Patra. Meanwhile, bride dresses in a yellow or green
sari. Specific sign of a Marathi bride is a half-moon bindi on her forehead. Half-moon signifies good luck and prosperity,
and is a symbolic representation of worshipping of goddess Parvati.
Wedding rituals are very elaborate and need some special consideration. This article aims towards giving an idea about the pre-wedding rituals in Marathi matrimony.
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