Showing posts with label Tradition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tradition. Show all posts

Friday, April 18, 2014

Sindoor or the application of the Red Dot

The 'Sindoor' or the 'Vermillion' powder or 'Kumkum' signifies married. Its a symbol as of marriage like the engagement ring or mangalsutra for that matter. In a Traditional Hindu household, these two things are symbolic of a married women. Sindoor or the Red Dot is generally applied on the hair parting. It is said that a married women should adorn herself with Sindoor till she is married. Its an integral part of our Wedding Ceremony though nowadays many young boys and girls do not follow this tradition. 





According to Hindu mythology, it has been suggested by scholars that the red color imparts power and when sindoor is applied to the parting of the hair it symbolizes the energy of female divinity – Parvati and Sati. It is also believed that if a woman wears sindoor in her hair parting then Goddess Parvati will bless her husband with the longer life. Application of sindoor also wards off evil and invokes Goddess Parvati to safeguard their husbands. Applying sindoor is considered to be auspicious as it brings good fortune.


In earlier times, women preferred to prepare Kumkum or Sindoor at home. The sindoor is prepared using mercury, turmeric and lime. The mercury in the sindoor acts as a catalyst that eases stress and strain. It also helps in keeping the brain active and alert. So we have a scientific reason to apply sindoor as well. The Mercury not only keeps the Blood Pressure in check but also helps in controlling blood pressure, activating sexual drive and libidinal energy. 

Sindoor is not just used by the womenfolk of India. Even men, boys, girls and little children apply a dot of this powder on their forehead when they visit a temple or attend some religious function.

However, for married Indian woman, it's is almost compulsory to apply Kumkum 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Kundli Matching and Indian Wedding




Wedding season can get extremely overwhelming and confusing especially in an Indian scenario where the events are so elaborate and there is so much to take care from an event planning perspective as well as with respect to following all the rituals and traditions.


During this time of the year, you will notice that every open land or indoor banquet is adorned with colorful flowers, lights and motifs. Indian weddings are a grand affair and tend to keep even the extended family on their toes.

Wedding Costs- Depending on a number of factors, Indian weddings typically host parties of people between 300 and 1000 guests. Since the weddings are considered to be a very important even in one’s life, this big affair is one way of showing to their society the extent of one’s hospitality. Additionally, this extensive guest list is commonly hosted over multiple events that last over a week.




Significance of Kundli Matching- The first thing that happens in any Indian wedding scenario is the kundli matching. Here, the family priest determines whether or not the couple make a good match after comprehensively studying the astrological charts. Once the kundli matching process is complete, which also determines the suitable date of the matrimonial ceremony the wedding planning commences.

Interesting Facts about Indian Wedding Traditions–
  • The invites are typically hand-delivered to the guests, to convey the importance of their attendance in the celebration. 
  • The bright colors like red, pink and maroon are considered very auspicious in Indian tradition and that's the color Bride usually wears on her wedding day. 
  • It is a common belief that the darker the color of the mehendi (henna) on the bride’s hands, the more care and love she will get from her mother-in-law! I am not sure how much its true about this. Also it is believed that the bride should not work or cook till her henna is completely faded. 
  •  In a number of Indian communities, the varmala or jaimala ceremony is converted in a game so as to say, where the bride and the groom compete with each other on who puts the varmala easily. There is an entire fun and game where the siblings and other family members join in where the bride is lifted high enough so that groom struggles to put varmala. Its ofcourse all fun and once varmala is done, there is a lot of cheering and blessings from the elders. 
  • Another common tradition in Indian weddings is when the sister’s of the bride hide a groom’s shoes while he sits in the wedding ceremony. He needs to then bargain with the family to get back his footwear. 

A typical Indian wedding consists of a number of rituals and events. Some of the most common Indian ceremonies include the mehendi ceremony, the sangeet ceremony, the baraat, the pheras followed by a reception. In addition to this there a number of smaller rituals those are conducted at the homes of the bride and groom depending on their familial beliefs and expectations from the elders.


Attending an Indian wedding can be quite an experience since each one feels like a grand celebration right out of the movies.

Attending an Indian wedding that is grand and full of rituals can be quite an overwhelming experience’s. Read this article to gain a basic insight into the great Indian wedding.

Interesting Indian Wedding Traditions

India is a diverse land that holds a myriad of traditions. Each community has their own unique rite of passage. While some may be endearing to learn about others can be purely strange. However, they all come together to form the wedding ceremony that celebrates the matrimonial unification of two souls. 




The Ascetic Groom 

Among the Tamil Brahmins, there is a matrimonial tradition where the groom is expected to pretend to become suddenly disillusioned and want to renounce worldly pleasures. He along with his friends, leave the wedding venue in a traditional dhoti, and the father and other relatives of the bride need to persuade him to return and accept the bride.

Abductions for Marriage 

In some very ancient Indian tribes, it was a norm that marriage can take place only by abduction. As per this tradition, the young man is expected to carry his lady away on his back, make sure she stays hidden for a year and then have a wedding ceremony that is automatically consented for by the parents of the bride. 



Contractual Weddings 

As 'untraditional' as it may sound, the Nagarattars of Tamil Nadu have a tradition right after the ceremonial tying of the Mangalsutra, where the fathers of both the groom and bride are expected to sign a document that states the marriage contract between the families. This contract is known as the isaivu padimaanam. 

Deeper the Color the More the Love

Every Indian bride applies mehendi on her hands and feet before she gets married. It is commonly believed that the deeper the color of the mehendi, the more her husband will love her. In some traditions, it is also believe that the color justifies the love between a mother in law and the bride. Bride’s are also forbidden from doing any housework till the mehendi remains in her hands.

Veiling the Groom 

In many parts of North India, the face of the groom is kept hidden with a floral veil with an aim to protect him from the evil eye. At some point of the wedding ceremony, a member of the bride’s family is permitted to lift the veil briefly to make sure that the groom is the chosen one. 

With so many enchanting matrimonial traditions and ceremonies, an Indian wedding is not only a manifestation of love between the bride and the groom, but also the attachments that are developed between each family member. 


The Indian wedding is a rather enchanting experience to have for those who aren’t familiar with its elaborate rituals and customs. This article talks about the different traditions that are followed in different parts of the country.


Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Indian Wedding Traditions and Superstitions


A matrimonial event in India comes with a lot of baggage with respect to traditions and superstitions. A wedding is considered to be among the most sacred events in the lives of people and hence all the possible measures are taken to make sure that no negativity encroaches upon the events of the marriage as well as the happiness in the lives of the couple hereafter. 




Among the many factors that are taken into consideration before a couple gets married, the most important one is that of the presence of the mangal dosha. The existence of this dosha is believed to have catastrophic results on the couple and hence extra care is taken in form of astrological counselling, rituals and prayers to make sure that there is no occurrence of unwanted events during the course of the life of either the bride or groom. 


Speaking of the wedding event itself, there are number of traditions and rituals that are followed around the country to minimize the negative effect of the ‘evil eye’ on the bride or the groom. Here are some of the most popular and common traditions – 

1.  After the engagement, many families believe that if the bride carries a knife or any other such sharp metal object with she at all times, she will be able to easily protect her virtue from the world including from her own fiancĂ©. 

2.  Some Indian cultures believe that it is good luck if a cat eats out of the left shoe of a bride or a groom a week before the big day.

3.  At the same time, many families take is as bad luck if boiling milk spills over during or right before the wedding. It is taken a sign of an impending disaster. 

4.  As orthodox as it may sound, in many villages of India, if the family of the groom is on the way to express their liking towards a prospective bride, it is believed that they may reject the offer in fear of bad luck if they spot a blind man, monk or pregnant woman on the way. 

5.  At the same time, it is considered to be good luck if the family spots wolves pigeons or goats. It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.

6.  It is considered highly unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding outfit. 

7.  While borrowing a wedding dress brings your good luck, it is believed to bring back luck to the one who lends it. 

8.  The bride along with other women of the household are known to send lentil balls to the house of the groom as a sign to ensure that the kitchen is always filled with food to eat at all times. 

9.  While it is considered bad luck to see an open grave, lizard, pig or a cockerel crow on your wedding, it is considered good luck to see a rainbow, black cat or chimney sweep on your wedding day. 


Many of these superstitions may sound extremely conservative to a modern, progressive family; irrespective of their historical relevance, traditions and superstitions such as that of the mangal dosha are very much prevalent even in today’s more educated environment. Instead of blindly following any one of these, it is recommended that you first get a clear understanding behind each one’s relevance and apply what’s practical in your personal lifestyle.

Summary

India is known for its rich culture and traditions. With it, comes a long list of superstitions which may have had historical significance that has been lost in modern living. Understand each superstition and its relevance before you choose to blindly follow what the society asks you to.