Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Pre-Wedding Rituals in Agarwal Matrimony

Baniya community is the business class according to the Indian caste system, and is mainly involve in trading and businesses. Agarwal is the main sub-section of the Baniya community who deeply believe in arranged marriages. Inter caste marriages in Agarwal matrimony are very rare as Agarwals do not promote this. The pre-wedding rituals involved in Agarwal Matrimonial are similar to those followed in other Hindu communities.

Sagai:

It is the formal wedding announcement ceremony, where the bride and groom exchange ring with each other. It is a kind of engagement, which is attended by the families only. Both families exchange gifts, such as clothing, jewellery, sweets and other auspicious things.

Haldi:

During Haldi ceremony, the families of both bride and groom apply a paste of turmeric on their body to make the skin glow. In the Agarwal matrimony, the rituals depend on the region from where the bride and groom belong.

Mehendi ceremony:

Mehendi is the most awaited ceremony during a wedding, where the young girls of the family get chance to apply beautiful patterns of henna on their hands and feet, along with bride. The groom’s family sends the henna to the bride. Mehendi walas are called to design beautiful patterns of henna on the girl’s hands and feet. In the Agarwal families, beautiful henna designs are also applied on the hands of the groom, just as a part of shagun.

After the accomplishment of interesting pre-wedding rituals in Agarwal matrimony, follow the main wedding rituals.

The festive rituals and wedding celebrations in the Agarwal community are almost similar to other Hindu communities of India. However, some of the basic differences can be observed in some of the rituals and marriage practices in Agarwal matrimony. The basic difference lies in the “Mama phere”, when the bride sits in the lap of her mother’s brother, and takes seven rounds of the groom and sacred fire. This custom is different from other Hindu Matrimony, and is typically followed in Agarwal wedding.

Author: Rashmi Karan

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