THE ANATOMY OF A TRADITIONAL NORTH INDIAN WEDDING (7) - VADHU PRAVESH (Part-2) - It's about ceremonies embracing the arrival & welcome of the Bride, and her crossing over the threshold of her new home.
NOW WE ARE AT THE THRESHOLD. It's a memorable and heart-warming moment as a new member of the Family is about to formally enter the household. With the first step across, the Bride tips over a small tumbler full of rice grains with her right bare foot. That symbolizes that she is bringing in good fortune and energy to the home. Prachi then steps in with both feet into a large salver which has a thick spread of 'Kum Kum' (Kum Kum is a red cosmetic powder made from turmeric which is considered pure & auspicious), She proceeds to walk into the house leaving behind footprints of Kum Kum - this signifies that Goddess Lakshmi is entering the house bringing in prosperity, love and happiness. Remember we earlier talked that in Hindu mythology the Bride is equated with the divinity of Lakshmi and that's the nature of respect that is always bestowed upon her. Malika and Family walk along, guiding her through different rooms. The atmosphere is now quickly changing from seriousness to one of merriment and fun by light-hearted banter and leg-pulling by the younger lot - and even the senior lot chip in.
Before we get on to the fun and frolic part, a crucial serious job needs to be done - TO STRIKE A RAPPORT BETWEEN THE MOTHER-IN-LAW AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. It's symbolic! Here the pretty bride Prachi takes a spoonful of Yoghurt & Honey (considered very auspicious) and feeds her very amiable Mother-in-Law, Malika Nadda. Applause! And then the indulgent Mom, Malika, reciprocates with lots of love & warmth. Cheering and Applause! The Rapport is Struck forever - for life! Don't go by the usual Mother-in-law stories!!
The hilarious fun begins. It's been a long and arduous journey of ceremony to ceremony, function after function. Prachi is a tough girl. She has kept up her charming, cool smile throughout. We are not mentioning Girish as he and his younger brother, Harish, are strong & skillful footballers with enormous stamina. This fun event is an ice breaker for the Bride - it's time for her to enter The Gang & be part of it! The Bride & the Bridegroom are pitted against each other in some small little competitive games. It could be a quiz about the two families, it could be games involving nimbleness of the hands or agility of the mind. I must tell you what happened in the most popular of the games. There is this shallow, wide, round dish filled about four inches deep of a mixture of milk and water and floating on it is a layer of rose petals. In it is dropped a coin. Girish and Prachi sit by its side and on the word ‘GO’ by the Referee, they dart one hand each into the liquid. Whoever comes up with the coin is the winner. "On your marks, get set, GO". And both are splashing away, putting their heart and soul to win. It's not easy to grab the coin in these conditions. "Cheating, Cheating", cry out Girish's supporters as Prachi comes up triumphantly with the coin. Well, in this game of wits & agility cheating is allowed, especially if you have the swiftness to trick a referee of the caliber of no less than eldest Aunt, super specialist doctor, Shishta Nadda Basu. Congratulations Prachi, you won everyone's heart! And Girish, even in defeat, feels happy & elated for his Lady Love that she came up with flying colors! So thus Prachi truly enters The Gang!
Puja and a 'Hawan' ceremony solemnized by Pandit ji is an integral part of Vadhu Pravesh. It is to seek the Blessings of The Almighty for the happiness of the family and to bring purity in the house. This is always followed by paying obeisance at the Family Temple.
In traditional families, it's a noble custom to go to the Elders at the conclusion of a ceremony to pay your respects by bending down, touching their feet & seeking their blessings. The elders in their turn shower good wishes, give warm hugs, cheer up the spirits and give them a very well thought out gift which will always be cherished by the Young. In the photos you will see the Couple with the very eldest Grand Aunt just under the young and bubbling age of 102 years, her younger sister and Grand Aunt closing on to 90 years and then their very eminent Brother and Girish's Grand Pa, Dr NL Nadda, at the energetic & dynamic 96 years. You can yourself imagine and gauge to what heights of happiness the combined Blessings of these leading lights will take Girish & Prachi!
In Indian homes generous hospitality is never in short supply, whatever the occasion, you cannot go away without a meal. So the thousand neighborhood well-wishers who had come in to welcome Girish & Prachi were all invited to a 'Dham' which is a four to five course community feast.
Now, we look forward to talking about the festivities at Receptions, first at the Family Home in Himachal Pradesh and then at the place of work in New Delhi, where lots of colleagues and friends live.
NOW WE ARE AT THE THRESHOLD. It's a memorable and heart-warming moment as a new member of the Family is about to formally enter the household. With the first step across, the Bride tips over a small tumbler full of rice grains with her right bare foot. That symbolizes that she is bringing in good fortune and energy to the home. Prachi then steps in with both feet into a large salver which has a thick spread of 'Kum Kum' (Kum Kum is a red cosmetic powder made from turmeric which is considered pure & auspicious), She proceeds to walk into the house leaving behind footprints of Kum Kum - this signifies that Goddess Lakshmi is entering the house bringing in prosperity, love and happiness. Remember we earlier talked that in Hindu mythology the Bride is equated with the divinity of Lakshmi and that's the nature of respect that is always bestowed upon her. Malika and Family walk along, guiding her through different rooms. The atmosphere is now quickly changing from seriousness to one of merriment and fun by light-hearted banter and leg-pulling by the younger lot - and even the senior lot chip in.
Before we get on to the fun and frolic part, a crucial serious job needs to be done - TO STRIKE A RAPPORT BETWEEN THE MOTHER-IN-LAW AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. It's symbolic! Here the pretty bride Prachi takes a spoonful of Yoghurt & Honey (considered very auspicious) and feeds her very amiable Mother-in-Law, Malika Nadda. Applause! And then the indulgent Mom, Malika, reciprocates with lots of love & warmth. Cheering and Applause! The Rapport is Struck forever - for life! Don't go by the usual Mother-in-law stories!!
The hilarious fun begins. It's been a long and arduous journey of ceremony to ceremony, function after function. Prachi is a tough girl. She has kept up her charming, cool smile throughout. We are not mentioning Girish as he and his younger brother, Harish, are strong & skillful footballers with enormous stamina. This fun event is an ice breaker for the Bride - it's time for her to enter The Gang & be part of it! The Bride & the Bridegroom are pitted against each other in some small little competitive games. It could be a quiz about the two families, it could be games involving nimbleness of the hands or agility of the mind. I must tell you what happened in the most popular of the games. There is this shallow, wide, round dish filled about four inches deep of a mixture of milk and water and floating on it is a layer of rose petals. In it is dropped a coin. Girish and Prachi sit by its side and on the word ‘GO’ by the Referee, they dart one hand each into the liquid. Whoever comes up with the coin is the winner. "On your marks, get set, GO". And both are splashing away, putting their heart and soul to win. It's not easy to grab the coin in these conditions. "Cheating, Cheating", cry out Girish's supporters as Prachi comes up triumphantly with the coin. Well, in this game of wits & agility cheating is allowed, especially if you have the swiftness to trick a referee of the caliber of no less than eldest Aunt, super specialist doctor, Shishta Nadda Basu. Congratulations Prachi, you won everyone's heart! And Girish, even in defeat, feels happy & elated for his Lady Love that she came up with flying colors! So thus Prachi truly enters The Gang!
Puja and a 'Hawan' ceremony solemnized by Pandit ji is an integral part of Vadhu Pravesh. It is to seek the Blessings of The Almighty for the happiness of the family and to bring purity in the house. This is always followed by paying obeisance at the Family Temple.
In traditional families, it's a noble custom to go to the Elders at the conclusion of a ceremony to pay your respects by bending down, touching their feet & seeking their blessings. The elders in their turn shower good wishes, give warm hugs, cheer up the spirits and give them a very well thought out gift which will always be cherished by the Young. In the photos you will see the Couple with the very eldest Grand Aunt just under the young and bubbling age of 102 years, her younger sister and Grand Aunt closing on to 90 years and then their very eminent Brother and Girish's Grand Pa, Dr NL Nadda, at the energetic & dynamic 96 years. You can yourself imagine and gauge to what heights of happiness the combined Blessings of these leading lights will take Girish & Prachi!
In Indian homes generous hospitality is never in short supply, whatever the occasion, you cannot go away without a meal. So the thousand neighborhood well-wishers who had come in to welcome Girish & Prachi were all invited to a 'Dham' which is a four to five course community feast.
Now, we look forward to talking about the festivities at Receptions, first at the Family Home in Himachal Pradesh and then at the place of work in New Delhi, where lots of colleagues and friends live.
Anatomy-7 Gallery Vadhu Pravesh (Part-2): https://photos.app.
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