Rites Of Passage

Indian weddings can be extravagant and lengthy, full with rites and rituals. While the number of rituals involved can be mind-boggling, almost every ritual is backed with a heart-warming reason. Pallavi Gambre rounds-up four such rites of passage that promise health, happiness and prosperity to the newly-married couple.

Oonjal

A quintessential South Indian wedding reminds you of women looking resplendent in their Kanjeevaram silks, and temple gold jewellery, and men in their crisp white veshtis. Though South Indian marriages have many big and small rituals embedded into them, oonjal is one of the most beautiful customs distinct to certain sects of Tamil Brahmins. Here, the couple is made to sit on an oonjal (a swing) decorated with beautiful flowers and ornaments. Married ladies, related to the couple, softly rock the oonjal, back and forth, all the while singing traditional songs to bless the bride and groom’s union. It is believed that the couple’s feet should not touch the ground while on the swing. At the end of this ceremony, five or seven prominent ladies of the family wash the couple’s feet with milk and honey and feed them with pieces of banana and sweets. Then, they throw red and yellow rice balls in four directions to ward off the evil eye. Family and friends rock the couple back and forth to symbolise their unwavering support for each other during the highs and lows of their life together. For the couple, the chain of the swing is a karmic link to God. This ceremony is practised not only to bind the couple in a marital bond but also to give an opportunity to the family to come together and bless the couple.

Mangalsutra

Mangalsutra technically means a sacred thread. But, it is much more than that—an inseparable bond between a married couple. The origin of the mangalsutra can be traced back to the 6th century A D. It is believed that the practise of wearing mangalsutra boosts the well-being of the husband. The designs of the mangalsutra vary from culture to culture in India. But, generally, there are two designs of them—the thaali kodi designs and the one with gold with black beads. The black beads are believed to absorb the negative energies and the gold thread or chain is said to destroy these negative energies. Times have changed today. The woman today does not completely rely on the symbolic significance of the mangalsutra to express her love and devotion for her husband. Working women today prefer minimal and lighter mangalsutras that are convenient as well as safe to wear on a daily basis. But, despite the changes, the significance and sacredness of the mangalsutra has stayed intact. Even today, a married woman is emotional about this sacred thread and values it much more than all her other jewellery.

Chooda

The chooda ceremony is an integral part of a Punjabi wedding. The ceremony is a beautiful blend of joy and sorrow as it marks the beginning of a new phase in the bride’s life as she leaves her family behind. Traditionally, a pooja or a havan is conducted as a part of the ceremony. The chooda is ‘cleansed’ in milk. The bride does not get to see the chooda until it is time for the wedding ceremony. So, a cloth is used to keep it covered and, in some cases, the bride is blindfolded while the bangles are slipped on her wrists. The bride’s maternal uncle and aunt play a significant role in this ceremony as they get the red and ivory bangles. The chooda is associated with fertility and prosperity and is worn year-long by the bride or for a minimum of 40 days after the wedding. Thanks to millennials, sporting the red and ivory chooda with casual outfits while on honeymoon is no longer just a sign of being married but also makes for a style statement.

Bichiya

Call them bichiya, jodvi or, simply call them toe-rings, they are probably among the most scientific pieces of jewellery worn by Indian women. Wearing toe-rings is a tradition that has been on for centuries now. The main reason is purely scientific and for the benefit of women. Science says that putting slight pressure on the nerves of toes helps maintain a balance of energies. A little pressure on the second and the middle toe improves fertility and keeps menstrual processes healthy, respectively. Women, even girls, have been wearing this piece of jewellery since centuries. There is mention of toe rings in the epic Ramayana. Unmarried girls, from the year they hit puberty, wear toe-rings on the middle toe fingers of both feet, and married women start wearing toe-rings on their second toe. Putting on a toe-ring is an elaborate process where either the groom or the mother-in-law of the bride slips the rings on the bride’s toes. Some cultures also claim that wearing a ring on the second toe helps ease pain during the first intercourse. Men, too, wear toe-rings for acupressure purposes. Apart from these scientific benefits of toe-rings, they also beautify a woman’s feet and make them look strong yet graceful.