Arya Vysya Customs and Traditions - Wedding/Maduve

After writing about Seemantha, I had many requests from readers to write about many rituals. I just thought of recording Arya Vysya wedding procedures which will be usefull to me and others who are from this community. Among Vysyas traditions differ so I would like to say that this is 'our house tradition'/'namma maneya paddathi' for wedding.

Probably every Indian wedding starts with preparing the bride/Groom for the occassion. It may be haldi function in northern region or devara karya or harishina kuttuva shastra (turmeric breaking ritual) in our community in south.

Devarakarya/harishina kuttuva shastra/Chapparada Pooje

Preparations:

1. You need one oralu kallu (wet grinder)

2. 2 onake/long sticks to pound trumeric

3. 1 fistful of Uddinabele hittu. 1 new cloth or kerchief.

4. 1 panakada chombu (1 new glass/tumbler to hold sugar water)

5. 50 veelyada ele (Paan ke patte or u may even call them betel leaf)

6. Fruits

7. Flowers (bidi hoovu)

8. 8 holi colors

9. 10 buckets of warm water

10. Castor Oil or Coconut Oil

11. Pearls and Corals with few grains of togaribele(toordal), hesarubele(moongdal) and akki (rice) tied in a cloth which is predipped in turmeric and dried.

12. Decorative items to decorate oralu kallu/grinder and Onake

13. Chappara hakisuvudu on the day itself in the morning. Decorate chappara.

14. Soak moongdal, cut cucumber into small pieces, make green chilli paste to make kosambari for the guests who come on that day

15. Invite your neighbours, make a list of relatives who come on that day

16. Decide upon a menu and get the caterers deliver the food on time. Some people like to cook at home. Holige oota is a must for Atte (father's sisters) on that day so keep holige adige ready.

17. Tambula to all invitees

18. Hasidara (cotton thread which is used to make garlands) tavaru mane tali ponisalikke. Taali bottu, karimani(black beads), turmeric, should be readily kept in  front of the godess.

Early Morning around 6 AM: Enne(oil) shastra (ritual)

This is a ritual where by the bride and their parents are applied oil. All members at home will pour turmeric water on the bride. Buckets are filled with different colors along with two buckets of turmeric water. All elders at home pour this water on the bride and bless her. The bride/groom are not sent outside the house after this ritual till wedding completes. Bride and her parents get ready for next ritual.

Gowri Pooje , Venue : Prayer room of the house.

Pour sugar and water in a big new tumbler. Dip 5 betel leaves in the water like the petals of a flower. The tip of the leaf faces you in this arrangement. This is called kalasa.  Make gowri with turmeric and place it in front of this Kalasa. Worship gowri.

Place 5 turmeric cloves with corals and pearls in the oralu or grinder. Every married lady (relatives) at home will pund the turmeric with the pounding stick for 3 times. In the end, the pounding stick is placed in a vesseld having little milk in it. These pounding sticks are not to be kept inside the grinder or on the flour anytime during this process which means the process should be contineous.

Most of the time these turmeric cloves don't break, so they are taken outside and powdered. This turmeric powder is mixed with store bought turmeric powder. Make a paste. This paste is applied to the brides cheeks, hands and legs. Arathi is given to the bride.

 

Mix uddinabele hittu (Uriddal flour) with water and divide it into 5 batches. Color each batch. A new cloth is placed in front of the gowri and sandige is placed on the cloth. 5 married ladies will place these sandige. One color per lady.

 

All these 5 ladies (inlcudes brides mother) will sit together and stitch the taali bottu. They just link the beads to the turmeric clad thread. This thread is kept in front of the godess gowri and prayed by everyone. Arathi is given to the godess. Sing as many devotional songs you know during the whole procedure. Music creates a feel good atmosphere. I am sharing few pictures

Ladies busy preapring turmeric gowri.

Wet grinder clad in saree..ready to pound turmeric in it.

 

The next ritaul is to pray the chappara. All ladies at home, including bride pray to chappara with vermilion, trumeric, flowers and arathi. The cloth which holds pearl ,coral and dhanya is tied to the arm of the stick which holds chappara (you can see in the picture below). Walking inside the house we pray the threshold and enter the house.

Bride's father's sisters are fed with holige oota (lunch) and given madilakki (a ritual where by the lady is given rice, coconut, jaggery, turmeric etc) on that day. Distribute panaka(juice) and salad to all those who have gathered for the function before they disperse for lunch. Do not forget to given them taamboola (betel leaf with a fruit or coconut) before they leave the house.

Decorated Chappara..

P.S. Many terms stated here may not have english translation. Pardon my English. Non Kannada readers please bear with me :) Thank you for your co operation.

Lakshmi@tasteofmysore