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The kannada wedding has a start up
ceremony - Naandi that is performed separately at bride
as well as groom's house. This is to ensure that the marriage
takes place despite any circumstances. This is followed by Kashi
Yatre, here the groom pretends to be very angry as nobody is
searching for a bride for him. He announces Brahmacharya. This
is when his maternal uncle convinces him and puts forth him the
girl that he has chosen for him or would offer his daughter's
hand for marriage.
Dev Karya, is performed on the day of
arrival of the groom's family to the village. All the goods that
were to be exchanged or used in the marriage were placed in
front of Lord Ganesha to seek blessings from the Lord. On the
same day haldi is applied to the bride as well as the groom in
their respective houses. Another ritual is where the Uddin
Murth a type of grain is ground. This is considered to be
sacred.
On the day of marriage the first ritual that is
performed is the Mandap Puja. This is to make the mandap
or the hall in which the marriage is to take place, appropriate
for an event as sacred as a marriage. The bride's father brings
the groom to the mandap and is worshipped in a ceremony called
the Var Puja. The bride's parents honour him by washing
his feet and offer him a silk dhoti and pitambar, which are to
be worn by him. When she is brought in the mandap no one is
supposed to see her face, so her sister shields her face with a
fan of peacock feathers.The bride and groom stand on the either
side of a white cloth, which separates them. The bride and the
groom garland each other amidst the chanting of mantras. The
groom's sister holds a kalash of holy water that contents a
coconut, beetle leaves and Kombu Gindi.
During the wedding, Dhare Herdu
symbolises handing over of their daughter to the groom. The
groom holds the bride's hand with a coconut and beetle leaves,
while her parents sprinkle the holy water on their hands. After
that the mangalsutra is tied around the girl's neck.
Saptapadi the ceremony of the couple
taking seven rounds of the havan or the holy fire. In most
marriages a game called Okhli is generally played, the groom's
wedding ring is dipped in a vessel containing coloured water.
The bride and her brother are expected to search for the ring
thrice.
After the wedding ritual of entry of the bride
into her new home is called Graha Pravesh. The bride
kicks a kalash full of rice with her right foot kept at the
threshold of the house. Then comes the name change ceremony.
Here the groom decides a name for his bride he inscribes with a
ring on a plate containing rice. On the second day the bride's
family comes to take the newly wedded bride and the groom to
their house. The couple stays at the bride's place for a few
days. Later the groom's family goes over to their in-laws place
to fetch the bride and the groom.
Beyond the wedding ceremonies, the grooms family
gives the bride five sarees each meant for an occasion. A nice
saree meant for the Dare Puja, a Kanjivaram saree for the
wedding, a simple saree for haldi, a saree for the puja and a
saree for the girl to sit on when she comes to the groom's house
after graha pravesh are must. The bride is made to sit on a
saree after coming to her new house, this saree is later given
to her. The groom on the other hand wears a silk dhoti and a
pitambar, which is a cloth meant to cover the upper part of his
body and has a zari border. The reception is fixed in the
evenings. The food is simply delicious and one shouldn't miss
this part. The ceremony ends with each guest from the groom's
side being handed out a coconut and sweets wrapped in a packet. |