08. BHAVA

The Marriage continues in this page bringing in many memories for all of u, have

YEAR 1943

CONTENTS

Introduction (message from the me).......................................... Page  1
Marriage...........................................................................................Page   3-5

MARRAIGE(CONTD)

The main day of the  marriage arrives. All the people get up in the morning by 5.30 am. The morning coffee is ready. The first coffee is sent to the grooms party by the cook escorted by a senior lady. The coffee is served steaming hot to all people who finish their brushing. The tooth powder homemade and gopal tooth power and farroqui tooth power are made available to the grooms party. People start getting for bath one by one. A separate hot water boiler is arranged for the bride groom party. A band of servants are at the bride grooms party to serve them hot water , towels, soaps etc.

 In our Bride side the bride is given a morning Aarathi and is getting ready for a kalyana snanam. This is a ceremonial bath given  to the bride with my parents. All the  three sit on wooden planks made for the purpose and around them a series of brass pots (chembu) are provided encircling with rows of thread dipped in haldi paste.

All the three are given bath with hot water by married senior ladies in the family. They are given Aarathi in the end of snanam. After wiping with dry new towel they are given new clothes to wear. The bridegroom side also the same ritual takes place.

All other guests are also getting ready after their bath and going into new clothes to appear best in their looks.

The breakfast gets ready by 7.30 am. The senior married ladies will escort the cook to the bridegrooms place and serve breakfast. Meanwhile breakfast is served by the cook to all other people in the back side of the house in plantain leaves. The breakfast also contained a variety of freshly prepared snacks and also are prepared variety of sweets and snacks. All people finish the breakfast and gets ready for Muhurtham which was at 09.48 am.

Meanwhile in the front Pendal decorations are complete and our family Purohit Hanumantha char is ready with all preparations for the marriage. The music people with Nadaswaram are already engaged with music right from 6 am and continue their music giving complete festive look.

The main Sikh band arrives with the set of 16 people . The bride is ready performs her Gowri pooja. Our Purohit assistant performs pooja to our deity in the pooja place.

The decorators are adjusting the flowers and mango leaves tied everywhere in the house and Pendals.

The groom and his relatives are invited for the marriage by a band of senior ladies and gents along with Nadaswaram . The groom party arrives and take their positions in the Pendal. The Silk Band people start their music. After rituals the Purohit calls for the bride to be brought to the Pendal. Usually the brides maternal uncle brings the bride to the Pendal in a basket made out of bamboo reeds. Though I had 4 maternal uncles none were available. Some other close relatives  did the job and the bride was brought to the Pendal . Meanwhile the Purohit placed a new cloth curtain between the bride and bridegroom held by hand by two of his assistants. The rituals started with Vedic chartings as per the procedures laid down. The music of Nadaswaram and silk band were in progress. After completion of rituals exactly at 9.48 the cloth curtain is removed between the bride and bridegroom among clapping by all the audience. The bridegroom first places the paste of Jeera and jaggery on brides head and the bride places the paste on bridegrooms head. This solemnizes the marriage.

All the guests sprinkle the rice grains coated with haldi as a mark of blessings to the newly married couple. The both sides exchange pleasantries.

Meanwhile, the sky is overcast with dark clouds threatening rain arrival at any moment. After the marriage the meals stated at 10.30 am As usual the meals were served on plantain leaves in the back side dining place. There were no buffet meals in those days. All people will sit on floor. The cooks serve the food. The Purohit assistant comes and gives thirtha to everyone. Taking the name of our deity the meals commence.

In the Pendal the tying of Mangalasutra commences. A set of 6 to 8 couples sit in a circle formation and a cotton thread is passed around holding in their hands to form a circular thread in rows.

This is looped in a mala formation to which the gold Mangal Sutra pendants two numbers  brought by bride and grooms party are tied to the thread formed by the set of couples. The thread is dipped in a paste of Haldi. With Vedic chanting by the Purohit the bridegroom ties the Mangalasutra to the bride with three knots with ghatti melam with high pitch music of Nadaswaram and Sikh band. This completes  the Mangalasutra Dharana.

All the guests are having meals and it continues in batches . Everyone in their good dresses mostly new, ladies wearing silk sarees from Banares, Kanchi, Dharmavaram,Arni and Mysore in enchanting colors and design with pure silver Zari giving the festive atmosphere with loud music in progress. The outside situation becoming grave with threatening of rain. The meals session continued till 2 pm.

Around 3 pm it started raining heavily and the whole ceremony is upset. People running helter shelter. Though there was Pendal in the front side and a Shamiana in back side of our house they were leaking at some places. There was lot of inconvenience but our people managed the situation. The bridegroom party was first shifted to their lodging immediately and made comfortable.

The rain stopped around 3.45 pm. The other religious functions were postponed to subsequent day.

NOTE: Marriage chapter continues subsequently.

Concept: KRISHNA RAO KHANAPUR

Graphics Support: MANU KONNUR