In
recent years, there have been increasing cases of visitors coming back to
Rajasthan to get married. Nowhere else is a marriage as likely to be more
romantic or majestic. It is an occasion when the bride and groom truly think
themselves royal. However, even attending a marriage as a guest is a special
occasion.Of course, in Rajasthan, marriage dates are set according to
planetary considerations, and auspicious dates are usually between May-July
and November-February.
Should a visitor have the occassion to attend a wedding, it is a chance
that should not be lightly discarded. The wedding takes place at the bride’s
house to which the bridegroom comes accompanied with a large barat or
procession. This happens even when the bride and groom are from separate
towns, which is usually the case since the marriage are ‘arranged’.
The groom rides to his bride’s house astride a white mare, and in the
regalia of a prince, complete with sword. While the marriage rituals are
conducted in the house, the bridegroom’s procession is entertainment
and dinner. The bride’s family is responsible for the hospitality, and
to ensure it is not lacking, they take great effort to look after their
guests.
Pre Wedding Ceramony
Pithi Dastoor
The Pithi Dastoor ceremony follows which involves the bride/groom and
continues until the day of the wedding. The actual ceremony consists of
application of turmeric and sandal wood paste to the bride/ groom who cannot
leave the house once the pithi starts. The pithi dastoor at the bride's
house is an elaborate affair.
The bride dresses in an orange Rajasthani dress and is then brought under a
silken canopy, which is held up with swords at four corners by four ladies
who must belong to the same clan as the bride. She is brought to the ladies
gathering, who then apply the paste to her. A similar ceremony takes place
at the groom's place as well, although it is not that elaborate.
Mehfils
Mehfils
are an integral part of every Rajasthani wedding. It is usually held in the
evenings, they are again segregated into the 'ladies mehfil' and the 'gents
mehfil'. At the ladies' mehfil, all the women gather at a central place in
an enclosed courtyard or hall.
In dazzling dresses, they perform the ghoomar (a special dance done in a
group). The bride at the mehfil is given an important position to sit and
watch the proceedings. If the ladies' mehfil is in progress at the groom's
house, then only the groom is privileged to attend the all-women affair. Of
course, the men have their own mehfil, where singers perform and these are
strictly all male parties.
Janev
In the Janev ceremony, the sacred thread is given to the would-be groom on
the eve of his becoming a house-holder. The groom has to be dressed in
saffron robes like an ascetic and perform a havan before wearing the thread.
Palla Dastoor
On the day of the actual wedding, or maybe a day prior to it, the Palla
Dastoor is brought in by a few of the groom's relatives, accompanied by
family retainers, to the bride's house. The palla dastoor consists of
clothes, jewelry and gifts from the groom, which the bride has to wear
during the wedding ceremony. This particular custom is typical to the
Rajputs. The traditional Rajasthani wedding dress is usually red, but it
could also be orange, gold, yellow, or pink. In certain Rajput clans, a
bright parrot green is also worn.
Baraat
A
Rajput baraat consists entirely of male members. The bridegroom is usually
dressed in a gold achkan, with an orange turban and a churidar or jodhpurs
with jootis. The baraat members also must wear achkans or sherwanis with
jodhpurs and safas. All members, including the groom who rides an elephant
or a horse, carry swords.
Wedding Rituals
Aarti
As soon as the actual wedding ceremony begins the groom is taken inside to
the ladies section where he is received by the bride's mother with the
traditional aarti, and then taken to the mandap to perform the actual
wedding rituals. The bridegroom has to be accompanied only by a male member
of the family, either a married relative or his younger brother or a younger
male cousin.
The bride must keep her face covered throughout the wedding ceremony.
While the wedding is in progress, the baraat is entertained outside by the
bride's male family members. Therefore, it is mostly the women members of
the bride's family who attend the wedding ceremony.
Post Wedding Ceromony
Bidai
However at the time of the bidai, a coconut is placed under the wheel of
the car before the bride lifts her veil for the husband after the wedding.
At this stage, the groom usually gives a piece of jewelry to his bride.
Grihapravesh
After the bride reaches the groom's house Grihapravesh takes place. The
bride still wears the veil while the puja and other ceremonies take place. A
few games are played between the bride and the groom.
Pagelagni
The day following the grihapravesh, the pagelagni takes place. This is a
ceremony where the bride, still in veil, is formally introduced to all the
family members of the groom who bless her and give her gifts. The veil is
then finally removed.
