Tag Wedding

Wedding Other Function Invites Hindu Style.

Marriage is one of the most revered and important Customs in India, especially among the Hindus.

The procedures are elaborate, needs careful planning.

A typical Hindu Brahmin Marriage consists of, aside from seeing the bride to be, Betrothal, it has

Sumangali Prarthanai (read my post on this) when the departed Women who died leaving their Husbands behind are worshiped.

This is followed by Samaradhanai (Dahdhiyaaradhanai), th offering of Puja to the Family Deity.

Only after these are completed, Marriage ceremonies take place.

One of the important duties is the Inviting people for the Marriage.

Till about some years back, some twenty years back,two different types of Invitations are printed.

The traditional invitation is meant for close relatives,the other one with Modern type which will be distributed to others,either by the parents or by the Bride or Bridegroom.

It was the practice to post the invitations to people who are staying elsewhere.

This has to be followed by a personal letter(hand written) inviting people individually, to attend the Function.

It was also the practice to reimburse their travel expenses incurred for attending the Function.

For those who are located in the same city, the Invitation is not be posted.

It has to be delivered by hand by the Parents in person with Kumkum, Akshata, Fruits and wherever required new clothes are to be handed over to them.

This process is backed up by a Telephonic reminder a week before the marriage.

To some, this entire process might seem funny.

But there is Families which do not remain on speaking terms for years together on a single misstep in this procedure..

Now how does one decide whom to call one while sending Invitations?

Hindu Wedding Rituals Vratham Kankana Nandi Kasi Yatra Detail

In an ideal Nandi Srardha, 12 Brahmins are invited, Dhotis and Angavastras are ditributed, their feet washed amidst the chsning of the Srardha Mantras.

Kasi Yatra.

In Hinduism a Man has Four Stations in Life,

Brahmacharya, the Ceibate,

The Grihastha, The Married,

The Vanaprastha, the detachment state, and

The Sanyasin, The Renounced State.

Boys aged 5 are anointed with Upanayana(read my post on this ceremony) and sent to a Guru for the Adhyayana or the repeated learning of the Vedas.

When they reach the age of 13 they are married.

Now the marriageable age has changed.

When the boy comes of age for Marriage,after the Vratham, Kankana Dharanam and Nandi, the Boy goes to Kasi(Benares, Varanasi ,the Holy City of The Hindus, to meditate on the Brahman, The Reality.(Symbolically)

The bride's father intervenes and requests the Bridegroom not to undertake the trip,become a Grihastha as Grihathaasrama is the fundamental Stage of Dharma or the Path of Righteousness, and offers his daughter in Marriage , promising that she will be his soul mate in performing the Vediac rituals that would guarantee spiritual enlightenment.