Maharashtrian Wedding Series-Pre-Wedding Rituals
Here, we discuss about simple yet endearing Maharashtrian wedding rituals. This is the Maharashtrian Wedding Series which will focus on pre-wedding rituals, during the wedding rituals and post-wedding rituals of the wedding that will give you the ultimate guide to decode Maharashtrian weddings. Firstly, let’s take a look at the pre-wedding rituals that begin once the bride and groom have decided finally to get married.
Lagnaach Bedior
This is the first phase of the wedding rituals in a Maharashtrian Wedding. Here, the horoscopes or “patrikas”of the bride and groom are matched. A ritual which is prevalent mostly in case of an arranged marriage, wherein the parents choose a spouse for their son or daughter. The family priest then fixes an auspicious time and date for the wedding.
Sakar Puda
This is the engagement ceremony. Here, the groom’s family gifts the bride a saree and a packet of sweets, usually sugar (known as sakhar in Marathi). In this, the groom’s family and close relatives comes to the bride’s place and perform all the rituals. However, nowadays families celebrate this ritual in grand manner. The ritual begins wherein the bride sits in between her parents and ‘karvali ‘ bride’s younger sister, they then sit in a row on a wooden block. Grooms mother applies “haldi-kumkum” brides forehead, gift her a saree, in which the bride is supposed to change. After that groom’s mother does the “Oti Bharane” and gifts her “Sakar puda”, a cone-shaped packet filled with ‘pedas’ a sweet delicacy. Later, the bride’s mother performs the same rituals with the groom. After, the couple exchange the rings.
Muhurat Karane
After the wedding date and time is fixed, the preparations begin few months before the D-Day. Five “Suhasanies” or married women are invited by the bride’s mother and they start making turmeric powder which they later use for haldi ceremony and Sandege (pulses and spice powder) in mortar and pestle to be used later in the wedding. Rolling of Papad is yet another very important pre-wedding activity of Muhurt Karane. After all this, the shopping begins for what all will be gifted to the bride from her parents. The women then hold a “Rukhwat” by decorating artistically and exhibiting bridal Lehengas and sarees, jewellery, kitchen utensils, sweets, dry fruits and all sorts of the bridal trousseau.
Kelvan
This ritual is performed few days prior to the wedding wherein both bride and groom families invite each of their close family and relatives to their respective place for an elaborate meal-lunch or dinner. The rituals usually begins with the families performing a Puja to their “Kul devata” or family deity for blessings.
Halad Chadavne
The same “Suhasanies” from Muhurat Karane perform this ritual where they apply turmeric paste with mango leaves on the forehead, shoulders, hands and feet of the groom, the paste being made of the turmeric powder which they had prepared during “Muhurat Karane”. Off course, they begin this ceremony and later on others are also invited to apply haldi. The same paste is taken to the bride’s place and is applied on her with the same rituals. After this ceremony, both bride and groom are not allowed to go out till their wedding.
These are pre-wedding rituals that takes place in a Maharashtrian wedding. Stay tuned for the rituals that take place during the wedding ceremony.