Marriage in Mithila
This article is arranged by Dept. of Anthropology of California State University USA. If you are interested you can visit webpage http://www.csuchico.edu/anth/mithila
The
women of the compound await the arrival of the groom. A magical kalash
and ox yoke are in waiting in the middle of the compound.
Men of the family await
the arrival of the groom separately. Men and women have different ritual
responsibilities at the wedding.
The groom arrives,
welcomed by the women of the household. A woman on the far left
represents "grandmother yogi," whose powerful eyes assures the
bride's control over the groom
The vidkari, the
bride's assistant, welcomes the groom with sandalpaste and tests of his
ascetic training.In this test, the groom's ascetic control of breathing
is demonstrated. Or is it, as the women say, another bit of magic so the
bride can lead him by the nose?
Dhobin Suhag -
The bride receives the blessing of the dhobi's wife, who is said never
to become a widow. She always dies before her husband. The blessing is
transferred by touching a bit of yogurt to the hair of the dhobin and
giving it to the bride to eat.
The groom and bride are
led to the Kul Devi shrine--the only time the groom will ever enter the
room of his father-in-law's lineage goddess.
Gauri Puja -
the bride thanks the goddess Gauri for bringing her a husband "like
Shiva." Gauri is the betelnut on the head of the clay elephant.
Gauri Puja -
the bride has finished thanking Gauri for the groom she has brought;
Gauri can be seen on the elephant's head.
Otangar
- The ceremonial pounding of rice by 8 Brahman men. Every marriage is
the mixing and combining of "seed" or bloodlines connecting
patrilineages in new ways. The groom joins in otangar, the mixing and
processing of seed in the mortar/womb.
Nana yogin -
"Grandmother yogi" is a mysterious rite of the women in which
a tray of magical objects is waved over the groom's head while these
words are chanted: "Take your yoga and give us wealth." Images
of nana yogin are found in all four corners of the room, always shown
with a fan and a tray on her head.
Bride and groom, who have
never met, and have not seen each other's face, have their photo taken
during this lull in events.
Bride and groom sit side
by side facing the sacred flame. Across from them, with his back to us,
is the girl's father. Between them on the right is the presiding
Brahman. The sacred flame made of sandalwood and ghi for fuel calls the
god Agni to witness the marriage.
Kanyadan - the rite in which the father formally presents "the gift of a virgin." He takes the groom's hand and lays his daughter's hand in it
Saptapadi -
the seven steps around the sacred flame. Bride and groom have been tied
together to signify their new union, and they circle the sacred flame
where Agni resides, taking the first seven steps of life's journey
together.
Sindurdan -
The "gift of sindur" is the husband's first gift to his wife.
Sindur in the part of a married woman's hair signifies her auspicious
wifehood (suhag); while her husband lives, she will renew this red
powder every day.
Ghungat -
"the veiling"--The husband veils her head for the first time,
her brother unveils her, representing the dual lives of a woman, a proud
unveiled daughter of her father's village and a modestly veiled wife in
her husband's village.
Durbakschat
- the Brahman men toss husked rice at bride and groom, a wish for
fertility and prosperity.
Chumaon -
women wave the tray filled with magical objects over the bride and
groom, wishing them protection by feminine powers.
After four days of ceremonies at the bride's house , she and her husband are carried to the husband's village in this unique way. A special caste, known as Kahars, has the responsibility for carrying Brahman brides to their husbands' villages.
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