India is a diverse country and is filled with so many traditions and rituals when it comes to celebrate a festival or to perform in a wedding ceremony. Indian people are the strong believer in the institution of marriage and anticipate in every wedding rituals and traditions with great devotion and faith. Like other regional weddings, Marathi weddings are too showcase their vivacious culture and are simple. Whether its pre-wedding rituals, wedding day rituals conducted in the wedding ceremony, or post-wedding rituals, parents leave no stone unturned to make this holy matrimony happy and blissful. Today, we are letting you aware of the post-wedding rituals of Maharashtrian (Marathi) wedding. Read the article and understand the rituals that are being observed in Marathi wedding.
Post Wedding Rituals
• Reception party
On the wedding night, reception or feast is hosted by groom’s family to serve the guests. The special menu is decided by groom’s family to please their guests. Then groom and bride are asked to have dinner when they asked to ensure themselves if all have eaten up and seek their blessings.
• Changing bride’s name
A Maharashtrian wedding has this unique tradition in which bride’s name is changed after the wedding ceremony. This ritual takes place in groom’s house in which the phrase ” Om Ganeshaya Namah” and family ancestral diety’s name (kuldevta) is inscribed by the groom and then he traces the new name of his bride in a plate full of rice.
•Varat ritual
Known as Vidaai ceremony, varat ceremony is the tearful departure of a bride to her groom’s home. It is an overwhelming moment for everyone where all bride’s parents, siblings, relatives and close friends are feeling nostalgic and are having a heavy heart as they bidding adieu to their inseparable part of the heart. The groom picks up the idol of goddess Parvati mounted on pile of rice to which bride prayed during gurihar puja. Varat is the procession where from the bride’s paternal home to her groom’s house.
• Grihpravesh: welcomnewlywed bride
After an emotional varat ritual or Vidaai ceremony, the newly wed bride is welcomed to her new home along with groom by her mother-in-law. The mother in law washed their feet and does aarti and applies tilak on their forehead. A Kalash of rice is placed at the main door which is asked to drop by bride gently with his right foot. A mixture of kumkum and water is kept after that in which bride to be is asked to dip her feets before she steps in as she is the form of goddess Laxmi and is considered to bring prosperity and happiness in her new home.
• Sunnmukh bhagne
Sunnmukh bhagne is a Marathi wedding ritual that takes place after Grih Pravesh of a bride. Sunnmukh bhagne has a meaning. Here, sunn means ‘daughter in law’, mukh states ‘face’ and bhagne depicts ‘look’. This is a holy ritual that means now mother in law considers newlywed bride as her own daughter. She first sees her daughter face in the mirror then her followed by combing ceremony in which mother-in-law combs her hair.
• Tond Dhune and Vyahi Bhet
Tond dhune ritual takes place next day after the wedding ceremony. In this ritual, mother in law gifts saree, jewelry made up of pearls to the bride. To reciprocate the same affection and sweet gesture, father of the bride gifts silver items to the groom.
• Haldi Utarvane
This is the ritual which is the part of significant wedding ceremony. There is a pre-wedding tradition in which both groom and bride have applied the turmeric paste and are not allowed to go but it is completely opposite of halad chadavane ritual. Five Suhasini’s (married women) perform this ritual that sets couple free as they are allowed to go outside.