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Introduction
Brahmin weddings are held in grand scale. The rituals are very elaborate and take place at many places like the temple, the house of the bride or groom, or even at a hotel. Here's a list of some of the most prominent rituals that take place during a Brahmin wedding.
The wedding ceremony is the first and most important event in a Brahmin's life. It is a time to celebrate the love between two families, which can be traced back centuries. The rituals that take place during a Brahmin wedding vary from community to community, but all these rituals are aimed at strengthening the bond between bride and groom's families. A Brahmin wedding has many traditional elements that are held very dear by Brahmins across India; these include - Ganesh pooja, Kanyadaan or Pheras or Vidaai/Saptapadi ceremony etc.
Anusham
Anusham is the second day of your marriage. It is a day for you to pray for your husband’s long life, as well as for good health and prosperity in all their endeavors. On this occasion, brides are dressed in red saris and grooms wear white dhoti pants.
The bride walks down the aisle carrying water from a pitcher that represents life-giving water (which she will pour on her husband). In addition to this, there are two types of flowers used - rose petals represent love while banana leaves symbolize fertility; both are placed in front of each couple during their wedding ceremony.
Sravanam
The second day of the month of Sravana is considered to be a very auspicious day for performing poojas. On this day, the sun travels from one zodiac to another and enters Leo’s zodiac. This is also a good time for performing poojas as well as offering gifts to deities and ancestors.
Bhishmashtami
Bhishmashtami is the day when Lord Vishnu was born as the son of Goddess Bhumi and Lord Shiva. It is celebrated on the eighth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapada (August/September). In this festival, people perform pooja to their ancestors and offer flowers, coconuts and new clothes to them along with some food items like rice or dal roti etc..
Tulasi-Saligram Puja and Vratham
The Tulasi-Saligram Puja and Vratham is a very important ritual in the life of a Brahmin. This ritual is performed by performing sacred rituals like lighting lamp, chanting mantras, etc., in order to please Lord Vishnu who is known as Brahma and Lord Ganesh. This can also be done at any auspicious time or day like New Year's Day or Diwali festival.
Pradosham
The Pradosham is a prayer for universal peace, harmony and prosperity.
It is observed on all days of the waxing moon, during which time it is believed that this divine power can be more easily invoked.
Ganesh Pooja
Ganesh is the Hindu God of wisdom, prosperity and good luck. He is the remover of obstacles, so he is considered to be an important part of any wedding ceremony. The priest will first perform a ritualistic dance around an altar in front of which there is a picture of Lord Ganesha. The priest then offers prayers to him before performing another dance around him again with flowers and fruits on their heads, which are also offered at this time as thanksgiving for your blessings!
Vratham
The Vratham is the very first ceremony of a Brahmin wedding. The welcoming of the groom's family, known as the baraat, by the bride's family is thought to mark the beginning of the Brahmin wedding ceremonies. The Vratham ceremony is present for this welcoming of the groom's family.
In this ritual, the bride's and groom's relatives tie a sacred thread around the couple's wrists to protect them from any bad karma. Until the wedding ceremony is over, this thread should be knotted around. This action is significant because it represents both families' approval to embark on a new journey in life.
Jaanavasam
Jaanavasam is the following stage in Brahmin matrimony. For the groom specifically, this phase is intended. A straightforward pooja is performed in a neighbouring temple during this step. In the past, the groom would ride an elephant back from this pooja. However, for a variety of factors, most attendees use automobiles to leave this ceremony. This action is significant since it is acknowledged as a successful beginning to the full wedding.
Nichayathartham
After receiving the blessings of the All-Powerful, involvement is now necessary. Engagement is a distinct rite with great significance in western weddings. The Brahmin community practises the custom of exchanging rings as a show of understanding in Indian heritage and culture. The name of this ring-exchanging ritual is Nichayathartham. Along with the exchanging of rings, Lord Ganesha is honoured in this ceremony.
Kasi Yatra
The next step after a successful ring ceremony is the Kasi Yatra. As the name suggests, this process is enjoyable. In order to leave materialistic pleasure, the groom must act as though he is going to Kashi to become a Saint. He needs to be stopped and dragged back into the mandap by the father of the Brahmin bride.
The groom is then prepared for entering the Grihashtha phase of his life after he has explained the meaning of marriage to him. The father of the bride places his daughter's hand on the groom's hand after making the groom understand the value of marriage. Due of the four distinct stages of a Brahmin's life, this Kasi Yatra step is very important.
Maalai Matruthal
The next step after a successful ring ceremony is the Kasi Yatra. As the name suggests, this process is enjoyable. In order to leave materialistic pleasure, the groom must act as though he is going to Kashi to become a Saint. He needs to be stopped and dragged back into the mandap by the father of the Brahmin bride.
The groom is then prepared for entering the Grihashtha phase of his life after he has explained the meaning of marriage to him. The father of the bride places his daughter's hand on the groom's hand after making the groom understand the value of marriage. Due of the four distinct stages of a Brahmin's life, this Kasi Yatra step is very important.
Oonjal
The following ceremony in a Brahmin wedding is called Oonjal, which literally translates to swing. As suggested by the name, this tradition involves feeding the bride and groom a mixture of banana, milk, and sugar while they are both seated on a wooden swing. This custom is derived from references to Radha and Krishna's union and love.
Women place rice balls in each of the couple's four directions to ward off any ill spirits. The other family members participate in this ceremony by singing various songs and engaging in other activities, making it incredibly upbeat and joyful. In a wedding ceremony, this ritual demonstrates the elegance and closeness of a partnership.
Kanyadhaanam & Sapthapathi
The bride’s parents give their daughter in marriage to the groom. The groom accepts the bride's hand in marriage and ties a mangala sutra around her neck. After this, he gives a gift to her and then she joins him at home as his wife.
After Oonjal comes Kanyadhaanam, in which the father of the bride sits his daughter on his lap and places her hand on the hand of the Brahmin groom. This rite is very important because it symbolises the relationship between a father and a daughter.
The bride's neck is subsequently wrapped in a madisar as a sign that the groom is now taking on his wife's additional obligations. Following the pandit's pious chanting, the bride and groom both circle the fire. The Agnidev, who is thought to have witnessed the entire wedding, is represented by the fire, according to legend. This completes the wedding process.
Nalangu
Following the wedding, the family of the bride and groom are brought together to form a close friendship. The Nalangu rite is called that. In this ceremony, both families get together, share food, and give gifts to strengthen their relationship. Due to Indian culture's emphasis on the relationship between the bride's family and the groom's family, this rite is particularly significant.
Pheras
The bride and groom walk around the holy fire seven times, then exchange garlands of flowers. They also share a coconut.
Vidaai/Saptapadi
Vidaai is the ritual of leaving the bride's home after the wedding. The couple then goes to the groom's home and performs a sangeet for all those who attended their ceremony. This marks an end to one chapter of your life, as you begin another new chapter with your partner.
Pithi Ceremony
The pithi ceremony is the first ritual in a Brahmin wedding. The bride’s mother applies a paste of turmeric, sindoor and kumkum on her daughter's forehead. This ritual is done to welcome the bride into her new family by cleansing her from all pollutants that may have been present during her previous birth or marriage.
The traditional pithi ceremony involves three steps:
Application of turmeric paste (on forehead)
Application of sindoor (on parting)
Application of kumkum(on parting)
Akshata-Rice showering ceremony
This ceremony is performed on the morning of your wedding. It is a fertility ritual and involves showering the bride and groom with rice, which symbolizes wealth, prosperity and happiness. The bride is showered with yellow flowers while she wears yellow garments to signify that she will be blessed with good health in her marriage. Her groom follows suit by receiving his own “ritual bath” of rice as well as being showered with yellow flowers until he too becomes covered in them!
Haldi
Holud is a traditional ceremony that is celebrated in the Hindu community. The ceremony is performed by applying a paste of turmeric, sandalwood and other herbs on the bride's face, hands and feet. It is a symbol of the bride's purity and good health.
The ritual consists of three different steps:
Akshamala (a sacred thread ceremony)
Kalyana Kshetra (wedding feast), which includes rituals such as singing songs, playing musical instruments like drums etc., serving food to guests etc., dancing together with their friends/relatives etc., cutting off her hair with scissors (the groom's family cuts his wife's hair after marriage), feeding her sweets made from rice flour along with milk powder into her mouth so that she doesn't feel hungry throughout this period because it will give them energy later on during pregnancy or lactation periods
Masa Shivaratri
Masa Shivaratri, also known as the Festival of Shiva and the Night of Shiva, is observed by Hindus on 13th night and 14th day in the Krishna Paksha (कृष्ण पाक) of Maagha month. The festival marks the birthday of Lord Shiva. It occurs once a year in mid-February or early March according to some calendars, but it falls between March 10 - 14 according to Gregorian calendar.[1]
During this day, people gather together for prayers and worship at temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. They also perform special puja rituals such as reciting mantras from scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Manusmriti etc., bathing in holy rivers like Ganga or Yamuna etc., wearing new clothes made specifically for this occasion etc..
Padma-sasthi Vratham
Padma-sasthi vratham is performed on the day of the birth of Lord Krishna. It is performed by women to get a husband and also by women who want to get married.
Putrada Ekadashi fast
Putrada Ekadashi is observed on the 11th lunar day of the bright fortnight in the Hindu month of Kartik. The name ‘Putrada’ means 'the husband's day' and this festival is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his wife Goddess Lakshmi. It falls during their wedding anniversary, which is also known as Janmashtami or Pitrsvamshta (Lord Vishnu's birthday).
The significance behind this particular day goes back to when Lord Parshuram was born as Brahma's first son out of his wife Satyabhama's womb. Upon hearing about it from a sage named Astavakra Muni, Satyabhama asked him not to reveal anything about her pregnancy because she feared gossiping among women who might make fun at her pregnancy or ridicule her husband Kshemadeva by calling him an illegitimate child born out of an illicit relationship between two unmarried people like them (Brahma & Satyabhama)
Thriuvadhirai star Krithigai fasting day
The first major ritual of the wedding is known as 'Thriuvadhirai' and it is celebrated by the bride's family. This day is marked by fasting, which means that no one consumes any food or drinks water during this period.
The reason behind this tradition is to express gratitude towards Lord Shiva for gifting his wife away to another family member and thus initiating their marriage into an auspicious event.
On this day, all members of the bride's party will fast together and pray for blessings from their new in laws before going through with their wedding rituals (reception etc).
The Food and Music
Food is an important part of the wedding. Food is served to family and friends, and it's also served at different courses during the reception. The food can be a combination of both vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes depending on what you want your guests to eat.
Food plays an important role in weddings because it helps bring people together. You will find that there are some types of food that are better for certain situations than others, such as sushi being ideal for dining during an intimate dinner at home with just two people present (like yours truly). On the other hand, hors d'oeuvres would not work well when serving 100 guests who come from different backgrounds and cultures—you'd need something more substantial like burgers or hot dogs! So when choosing between these two options: think about how many people will be attending your event before making any decisions about which one works best for you."
Takeaway:
The takeaway from this article is that a Brahmin wedding should have its own unique rituals and traditions, which are important for the bride and groom to participate in. Fasting and performing Puja are two such rituals that should be incorporated into your ceremony.
Fasting is an important part of Hinduism, but it can also be an important part of your wedding day if you want it to feel more spiritual or traditional. If you’re planning on having a large meal after the ceremony, keep in mind that many Brahmin families will choose not to eat anything before they say their vows (or at least until they have had time alone with their loved ones).
The rituals of a Brahmin wedding are important to the bride and groom, the family and friends, and even to the community. The importance of these rituals can be seen in the fact that they are followed by many people who do not necessarily belong to any of these groups. This is because it is important for everyone involved in this event to feel comfortable with what's happening around them.
Conclusion
A Brahmin wedding is a special occasion and should be treated as such. The rituals may look different from the one you have seen in other weddings but they are all important and should not be skipped. The most important ritual for a Brahmin wedding is Anusham, which means “to unite” and denotes the marriage as one of union of two families or individuals. Thereafter, there are further ones like Sravanam, Bhishmashtami and Tulasi-Saligram Puja which are performed to mark auspicious events like pregnancy tests among women who want to become pregnant soon; babies being born; and marriages.
A Brahmin wedding is a special occasion that should be celebrated with rituals and traditions. The food, music and dance are all part of the festivities. This article will help you know what are the top rituals of a Brahmin wedding so that you can plan accordingly!