MAHARASHTRIAN WEDDING
India is the land of cultures and diversity. The fun fact is that the diversity can be seen in its weeding as well. The state up has a different style of celebration while it’s neighbor state Bihar has its own ritual. Very likely Maharashtra rich in its fame lights and camera. Behind every wedding shooting in Maharashtra stands it’s real indigenous weddings.
1) LAGANACH BEDIOR:-
Globally we have sites where both brides and groom share there bio data, in India after gaining the practical and materialist knowledge, we match horoscope which plays a significant role and declare The holy date of marriage.
2) SAKHAR PUDA:-
We Indians believe in agreement but these agreements are neither based on a single word or on paper but these agreements are done culturally in front of the universal witness. God. SAKHAR PUDA is the same cultural agreement. We can call it as a ethical engagement.
3) MUHURAT KARANE:-
The preparation for the wedding begins months before the D-day. Sushasanies or married women are invited by the bride’s mother. They begin making turmeric powder and Sandege (pulses and spice powder) in mortar and pestle to be used later in the wedding. Rolling of Papad is still another very important pre-wedding activity of Muhurt Karane. And then start shopping! The women then hold a Rukhvat by decorating gracefully and revealing bridal lehengas and sarees, jewellery, kitchen utensils, sweets and all types of bridal trousseau as a part of the wedding customs of Maharashtra.
4) HALAD CHADAVNE:-
Halad Chadavane is the Maharashtrian version of the Haldi ceremony. It is a pre-wedding ritual held at both the bride’s and the groom’s house. In this Marathi wedding ritual, the Haldi or turmeric paste is applied to the bride’s and groom’s bodies. Applying Haldi is a very famous Indian ritual that is believed to have healing powers and also makes the skin glow.
5) GANPATI PUJA:-
The wedding day begins with worshipping Lord Ganesha and asking for his blessing for the couple’s future and that their lives are devoid of any obstacle.
6) GOWRIHAR PUJA:-
As the groom’s side of the family enjoys their lavish breakfast, the bride performs a gowrihar puja with her parents. The bride prays to the goddess Parvati, who represents love and devotion, for a happy marriage and new life. The puja is practiced by placing rice on the idol’s head as a mantra is recited.
7) ANTARPAT RITUALS:-
The antarpat is a silk shawl placed between the couple as they sit in the mandap and recite prayers. The bride and groom are not supposed to see each other until specific mantras are said, so the shawl keeps them from resisting temptation. After the mantras are recited, the shawl is removed.
8) KANYADAAN RITUAL:-
The bride’s father gives his daughter’s hand to her new husband, who then ties a mangalsutra (gold necklace worn by married women) around her neck and applies a vermillion tikka (sindoor) to the part in her hair. The bride then applies a sandalwood tikka to her husband’s forehead.
9) VIVAAH HOMA:-
The bride, bride’s brother (or close male relative), and the groom light the wedding agni, or fire, together. This ritual symbolizes the support that a bride has from her brother as she enters into married life.
10) PHERAS & SATAPADHI:-
The couple takes the traditional Hindu seven rounds around the ceremonial fire, which symbolizes their partnership in the next seven lives, known as the pheras. The wedding party recites the holy vows of matrimony as the couple walks around the fire. The bride also touches seven beetle nuts by her right foot for additional holy blessings, the satapadhi. Beetle nuts are placed on top of this small pile of rice. On the last, or eight step, he bride puts her right foot on a grindstone with the groom holding her hand (or her foot), symbolizing that she needs to be strong like a stone and that he will always support her.
11) KNOT TYING:-
The bride’s athya (father’s sister) unties the cloth knot between husband and wife (that was used to connect them in the pheras). As a fun custom, she makes the bride and groom say a silly poem or pay her off with a bribe before she does so.
12) KARMASAMPATI RITUAL:-
To end the ceremony, the bride’s father prays for his daughter’s blessings and officially gives her away to her new family. A fun Maharashtrian custom follows: the bride’s brother (or male relative) pulls the ear of the groom and warns him that he’d better treat his sister well! Often, the groom has to bribe his bride’s brother with money or presents to let his ear go.
13) DAKSHINA:-
After the ceremony, the priest is released of his duties. His payment, or donation, is called the dakshina. At last we want to conclude that wedding bells are pure the same way a child cries for the first time. There we celebrate for his first breath this time we celebrate togetherness till last breath!