We
all know that India is a land of cultural diversity, which incorporates a
number of communities having different cultural values. Amongst all the regional
communities in India, wedding rituals in Marathi
matrimonial are simplest. However, the customs vary according to the
caste of the residents.
Alike other communities, Maharashtrians
are also specific about selecting the life partner for their children. Parents
prefer to choose the bride and groom for the children themselves, as they
believe that the choice made by the elders is always best. Maharastrians are
specific about choosing the bride and groom from the same caste they belong to,
and the match must be of equal standing. However, with changing trends and
respecting the feelings of their children, parents in Maharashtra are also
accepting inter-caste marriages inMarathi matrimonial
After
finalizing the match, horoscopes are matched, as the Maharastrian community is
very specific about this matter. Family pundits match the compatibility of the
stars. This custom is known as Guna Milan,
and it is important that 16 Gunas must match for the boy and girl to tie the
knot. After the horoscopes are matched, the elders of both the families meet
and discuss the issues such as date, time, venue, etc.
The
pre-wedding ceremonies in a Marathi matrimonial are:
-
Sakharpuda
-
Kelvan
-
Haldi
-
Chuda
-
Mahurat patra
1.
Sakharpuda
Also
known as engagement ceremony, Sakharpuda is held some days before the wedding. The
bride-to-be is given sari as a token of love and acceptance from the family of
groom-to-be. Green bangles and a sugar packet are given to the bride, symbolizing
the engagement. Sakharpuda is the official announcement of the Marathi matrimonial and wedding invitation cards are
printed after it.
2.
Kelvan
It is a kind of feast, which is organized at homes of both
bride and groom. Relatives and friends are formally invited to join the meal
hosted by the families.
3.
Haldi
Haldi
is another special Maharashtrian custom, where celebrations are conducted at
their homes. Mixture of turmeric, mixed with aromatic oils, cream is applied on
the face, and other body parts of the bride and groom to make their skin glow.
The bride and groom are then given a bath with sacred water. Both the bride and
groom are barred to step out of the house after Haldi ceremony.
4.
Chuda
During
the Chuda ceremony, the bride and her relatives and friends wear green bangles,
amidst a fun-filled environment, where women sing wedding songs, and enjoy the
custom. The green bangles are mixed and matched with gold or pearl bangles. The
bride is allowed to remove the Chuda only after 1 month of the wedding. Green
is the sign of rejuvenation and freshness, so it is widely adopted in
Maharastrian culture, which can be seen in the decoration of the wedding venue,
and dressing of the bride and groom.
The
marriage ceremony in Marathi matrimonial starts
only after a Muhurta Patra is set up. The Muhurta Patra is set to measure the time
for counting the auspicious moments of the marriage. The water filled in the Muhurta
Patra measures the drops of water falling down from the Patra. Meanwhile, the bride
dresses in a yellow or green sari. The specific sign of a Marathi bride is a half
moon bindi on her forehead. The half moon signifies good luck and prosperity,
and is a symbolic representation of worshipping of goddess Parvati.
The
wedding rituals are very elaborate and need some special consideration. This
article aims towards giving an idea about the pre-wedding rituals in Marathi matrimonial.
Rashmi writes on behalf of Jeevansathi.com,
which is India’s fastest growing Matrimonial
website. Jeevansathi.com helps the users to search corresponding matches
from their respective community like Maratha matrimony from their online matrimonial and matchmaking services.