KASHMIRI POST WEDDING RITUALS

Weddings pose as a great time for enjoying and making merry. It gives ample of opportunity to re-bond with all the relatives and rejoice the union of two individuals. One of the vital features of a Kashmiri wedding is the pre, per and post wedding traditions practiced. 


Apart from the ritualistic practices and the religious obligations that are performed on the wedding day, there are a number of traditions that are specifically practiced after the marriage ceremony is over. In Kashmir, Satraat ceremony Phirlath ceremony and Roth Khabar are three of the most essential customary practice practiced. To get information about each of the three ceremonies, browse through the following lines.

Kashmiri Post Wedding Customs

Satraat Ceremony
In the Satraat ceremony, the bride visits her parental house in the evening time. Usually, she is accompanied by her husband and a few kids. The newly wedded couple is presented new attire on this occasion.

Phirlath Ceremony
It is the same as Satraat ceremony, but it takes place during the second time the couple visits the bride's parent's house. This time also, they are given a set of new clothing.

Roth Khabar
In Roth khabar ritual, the bride's parents send a freshly baked traditional cake to their daughter's house on the Saturday or Tuesday after the wedding. It is brought to the girl's house by her brother. When he goes back, his sister as in the bride also accompanies her. In fact, she stays at her parents' house for a few days and comes back to her house, when some one from her in-laws family comes to take her.

KASHMIRI WEDDING RITUALS

A splendid affair, marriages in Kashmir is one of the most flamboyant and ostentatious ones practiced in India. Having its own charm and luster, the huge list of rituals observed before and after the Kashmiri marriage makes it a prolonged affair. Similar to the Hindu marriage, in Kashmiri wedding, a purohit plays a major role in the wedding ceremony. 



He performs the rituals in front of a sacred fire. Apart from the traditional rituals, ceremonies and customs, the marriage offer a time of family union for the Kashmiri�s. To get detail information about the traditional wedding ceremonies and rituals performed on the D-Day, browse through the following lines.

Kashmiri Wedding Rituals
The friends and close relatives help the bride and groom in getting ready for their special day. The paternal uncle of the groom assists the boy in draping the gordastar (turban). Peacock feather is tied to the gordastar using gold thread. Before the groom's marriage procession leave for the bride's house, the groom is made to stand on a vyog (a beautiful pattern made from rice flour and colors). The boy is fed nabad (sugar lumps). To declare the announcement of the boy's departure, a conch shell is blown. Two rice pots are taken in which some money is kept. These are distributed among the poor people.

Receiving The Marriage Procession
When the marriage procession reaches the doorsteps of the bride's house, the guests are given a warm welcome by the bride's family and close relatives. The arrival of the marriage procession is declared by blowing a conch shell. The bride's maternal uncle leads the bride and groom to the vyog. The eldestfemale family member gives nabad to the couple. Two rice pots are given as alms to the poor. Thereafter, the purohit takes the couple to the door, where dwar puja is performed. The to-be wedded couple is then taken to the lagan mandap.

The Wedding Ceremony
The purohit conducts the wedding ceremony rituals in front of the sacred fire. An important ritual is aathwas, in which the bride and groom are asked to cross their arms and hold each other's hands. A cloth is used to cover their hands. As per the Kashmiri folklore, the one who is able to take out the engagement ring of the other first will rule the household. 

Thereafter, a golden thread is taken and tied to their foreheads. The couple is asked to place their right foot on a kajwat or grinding stone. Thereafter, the couple takes their first phera by stepping on seven one-rupee coins. In totality there are seven pheras. At the end of the wedding ceremony, the newly weds feed some rice to each other.

Vidai Ceremony
The newly wedded couple is made to stand on the beautifully decorated vyog. Then the eldest female member of the family comes forward and offers nabad to the couple three times. Thereafter, she kisses them on the forehead. The bride is then seated in the doli or palanquin. The friends and relatives of the bride bid her tearful good bye, as she leaves to start a new journey with her life partner.

Welcoming The Newly-Weds
The groom's eldest aunt refuses to let the couple make an entry into the house, until she gets cash or jewelry. The couple is then taken to the vyog, where they are offered nabad by the groom's eldest aunt. Also, she kisses them on the forehead. To welcome the newly weds, a pair of pigeons is set free. The next part of ceremony involves the exchange of mananmal tied on the forehead. Thereafter, the groom's aunt leads the couple to the kitchen, where they are made to sit on the mud stove. Delicious food is served to them by the aunt. After they've had their food, the bride wears the clothes presented to her by her in-laws.

KASHMIRI PRE WEDDING RITUALS

Wedding is all about merriment and cheerfulness. However to make the day a perfect one, hectic preparations and organizations mark the preparation phase of the weddings and Kashmiri marriage is no exception. Before tying the nuptial knot on the actual day, there are a number of ceremonies that are performed. 

These traditions practiced are termed as pre-wedding rituals. These traditions are important, as they lay the foundation for the celebration due to take place on the D-Day. Right from livun & wanwun (which involves the process of sanctifying the house), to maanziraat ceremony (wherein beautifying of the door of the homes and application of henna is done) to the devgon ceremony (which marks the transition phase of both the bride ands the groom from the brahmacharya stage to grihastha stage) is performed. To get in detail information about each of the above mentioned rituals, read through the following lines.

Kashmiri Pre Wedding Customs

Livun & Wanwun
Livun is a ceremony in which the entire house is cleaned before the wedding. It takes place at the bride as well as the groom's house. It involves cleaning and treating the Kashmiri mud house floors with a mixture of cow dung, mud and water. All married females in the family witness this ceremony. 

On this day, the family cook also known as waza arrives and places a mud-and-brick oven called war in the house backyard. It is this place, where all traditional meals are cooked for the celebration of various wedding ceremonies. Wanwun are the music sessions that take place during the evening time at the bride as well as the groom's house. Close relatives and friends participate actively in this joyous function.

Maanziraat Ceremony
The maanziraat ceremony usually happens 1 week prior to the wedding. It starts with krool khanun, a ceremony that involves beautifying the door of the homes of the bride and the groom. This is followed by the bride's bathing ritual, in which the girl's maternal uncle washes her feet. It takes place in the evening. Thereafter, the girl's eldest aunt adorns her hands and feet with maanz (henna). All invitees are served a delicious Kashmiri meal. Thereafter, everybody participates enthusiastically in the wanvun or music session.

Devgon & Duribat
The Devgon ceremony symbolizes the transition of the bride and the groom from brahmacharya stage to grihastha stage. Before performing this ritual, the close relatives of both the families observe a fast. The purohit conducts the ceremony in front of the holy fire. The ornaments and utensils that the bride's parents wish to give to their daughter are also placed. 

An important custom is the kanishran, in which the boy/girl is bathed with a mixture of water, rice, milk and curd. Flower petals are also showered on the bride/groom. Thereafter, they are dressed up in new traditional clothing. Duribat ceremony takes place on the same day as that of Devgon. Usually, it is attended by the bride/groom's maternal relatives. Traditional vegetarian lunch is served. Also, it involves exchanging of gifts.