Page 14 - Seniorstoday November 2021 Issue
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about the four ashrams (stages) of life – around the fire and initiation of a new life
brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha together and are symbolic of living a life of
and sanyasaa. Grihasthashram begins with dharma (duty to make each other happy),
marriage. arth (earning livelihood based on honesty
and integrity of purpose), kama (fulfil
desires keeping the principle of dharma
in mind) and moksha (‘Self’ knowledge or
nirvana) to break the circle of life and death.
The Saptdapadi (the seven steps)
represents the journey of the bride and
the groom together and cover important
aspect of managing life itself – providing
nourishment, nurturing oneness, efforts
A typical Kanyadaan ceremony in an Indian wedding towards success and wellbeing, mutual
In a typical marriage setup, the mandap happiness and dedication, healthy progeny,
per se represents the universe. The four enjoyment of all seasons and loyalty to
corners of the mandap represents North, vows. Maangalyadharanam or mangalsutra
South, East and West. The four pillars or the ring is a token of abiding love and
represent the four parents of the bride and devotion while sindoor in itself represents
the groom. Fire denotes the divine light the blessings of the Divine. Ashirvachan
and acts as the witness to the union of the or aashirvadams are blessings bestowed
bride and the groom. Mangalvadya is a by the elders and families. Bidaai refers to
necessary part of the ritual and refers to the farewell and the bride throwing back
the soothing percussion instruments that a fistful of rice behind her symbolises her
are played in the course of the Swagatam good wishes to her childhood home for a
rituals to welcome the families. The earthen continued prosperity.
pot, containing curd, honey, grains, etc. The pity is that the beauty of the
symbolise the world and the groom breaking fundamental rationale and deeper meanings
it represent his capacity to face the world behind the various marriage ceremonies
and handle challenges in life. Ganesh are lost on most of the people and they do
or Vignaharta puja is done to remove not bother to understand their respective
obstacles and give a good start to a new life cultures or customs or the genesis of it all.
of togetherness. Antarpat refers to the white Perhaps, Mohey (a derivative of the word
curtain between the bride and the groom ‘moha’ or attraction) was thinking that
to denote that they are separate before the marriage is about a transient attraction and
completion of the ceremonies. Kanyagaman not a lasting bond between the bride and
refers to the bride’s uncle escorting her to the groom based on mutuality and sound
the mandap and facilitating in removing the principles.
antarpat and exchange of garlands between A recent family wedding culminating
the bride and the groom. Kandyadaan with welcoming the bride at home was a
refers to the parents giving away their cherished and beautiful experience of these
daughter’s hand in marriage to the groom. ceremonies. There was bidaai, there was
The Mangalpheras refer to the ambulation daan. But it was all joy, no sorrow.
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