Monday, January 30, 2012

Gaye Holud and Its Importance in the Bengali Matrimony


In traditional Bangla, holud stands for turmeric. The turmeric paste is applied on the body of the bride-to-be before their wedding day. As per the general belief, turmeric has medicinal qualities, which purifies the skin and adds a glow to it. Turmeric also helps in reducing the dark spots and pigmentation, and also reduces body hair growth. The turmeric also leaves the skin soft and supple, giving it a fairer appearance. All these benefits are combined with the essential oils to make it more effective for the skin.

In the Bengali matrimony, there is a ritual named as Gaye Holud, in which the bride and groom are applied with the turmeric paste. The turmeric used during Gaye Holud is not the turmeric which is used in the cooking, but the fresh ones. The bride wears a yellow saree during the ritual, and the exposed arms, legs and face are massaged with turmeric paste, which is believed to enhance the beauty of the bride. The term 'Gaye Holud' literally means 'Body Turmeric', referring to application of turmeric on the body before the wedding.

The tradition of Gaye Holud is generally performed by the ladies of the family, who massage the turmeric paste over the bride’s body, tease her and crack jokes to create a light and fun-filled atmosphere. The bride is also offered traditional sweets to make her new life full of sweet taste. With time, the custom of Gaye Holud has changed, and the groom’s family is also invited to the function. However, as per the customs of Bengali matrimonial, the groom is not allowed to join the function and see the bride, unless they are married. Similarly, the groom is also applied with the paste of turmeric, and the bride is not allowed to see him.

Author: Rashmi Karan

Sunday, January 22, 2012

The Grace of Odissi Dance


Watching the dancer’s graceful movements, I was left wondering how one can master such moves with so much ease. I was attending the family get together of a close family friend, who happens to be from the state of Orissa. They are giving a small party to celebrate the engagement of their daughter with a well known Odissi dancer. Their daughter, who will soon to be tied into wedlock, is also an Oddisi dancer.

I was mesmerized by the dance form and inquired some more from the guests present there. What I learnt was that is classical dance from the state of Orissa. This is actually a temple dance performed in the Hindu temples. This dance form was common during the princely rule of India. In the modern times, only few are practicing this dance form. The modern day performers of Odissi dance adapted the style from paintings, poetries and ancient manuscripts.

What I noticed from the performance was this dance style had unique posture. This posture is known as tribhangi, which means thrice deflected. In a Odisi dance, the dancer bents his or her body at three places, and shape is similar to a helix. The shifting of the torso from side to side is the distinctive move of the dance and makes it one of the difficult dances to master. It requires years of practice and dedication to learn the dance moves. Once learnt, this dance is an epitome of refinement.

I also learnt that a special dance troupe from Orissa is going to perform on the Oriya matrimony function day.  After the completion of rituals, which starts from dawn in an Oriya Matrimony, guests will enjoy an Odissi dance drama.  The love tales of Radha-Krishna are among the favorite themes. They are beautifully interpreted and gracefully presented on stage.

Author: Shipra Sinha

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Fixing of a Wedding in Kerala Matrimony

In India, a wedding is the biggest event for a family, which is a true reflection of social obligation, kinship, traditional value, impassioned sentiment, and economic resources. There are many traditions in India because of the large number of religions coexist. However marriage is a momentous time for all in life. Marriage unites more than just a man and a woman, it binds two families. For an individual, marriage is the greatest turning point of life, marking the transition to adulthood and provoking the sense of responsibility in everyone. The rituals and traditions of the Hindu marriage are passed from generation to generation. The wedding ceremony is one of the oldest traditions of Indian culture.

Marriages in India are not personal arrangements like western countries. It is primarily an arrangement between two families, and then the union between a man and a woman. Even today, 90% of Hindu marriages are arranged. The wedding ceremonies vary among castes and regions. However, the initial rituals of the ceremony remain similar in almost all the religions. In Kerala matrimony the matches are found by the parents, who generally take help of match makers or online matrimonial sites. After finding the perfect match, the two families and the boy and girl meet.

The astrologers are concerned and the horoscopes of the boy and girl are matched to predict their future life. If the horoscopes have some issues that may be harmful for the future life of the couple, there are solutions too! The parents take help of their family astrologers and perform Puja to correct the positioning of stars, as per their belief. The date and time suitable for the wedding ceremony are fixed and the wedding in Kerala matrimonial is conducted in a very simple and elegant manner.

Author: Rashmi Karan

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Superstitions and Horoscope: Are These the Life Deciding Factors

Horoscope

In the Hindu community of India, the horoscope plays a major role in fixing the wedding and it is believed that the future of the married couple also depends on the positioning of stars and planets. However, personally I don’t believe that the movement of planets can affect anyone’s life. It’s completely the bonding between two, understanding and love that determines that how your future life would be. The families generally believe in matching the horoscope as they feel that their child remains happy and safe. I respect this feeling of elders, but how can planets decide that what you will behave and in which things you will find happiness!

Let me discuss a case here: A Bengali friend of mine was in love with a Kerala guy. In the Bengali matrimony, there is no hard and fast rule about matching of horoscopes, but in Kerala matrimony, the matching of horoscopes is a must in wedding. The horoscopes were matched by the boy’s family and they found that the planets and stars of both are not compatible. The wedding was then called off just because of this silly reason, and my friend went into deep depression. Therefore in my view, there is no point sacrificing any life just for the reasons that the horoscopes are not compatible.

The Kerala matrimony is quite strict about following the Horoscope matching trend. Generally the Keralites believe in arranged marriages and matches are preferred between the same communities, where the horoscopes play a major role in determining the alliance. The compatibility of stars is matched by the family astrologer and it is ensured that at least 16 gunas are matched. Really, there is need for the people to wake up and understand that happiness and understanding is the key for the success of an alliance and not positioning of stars.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Importance of Music in Kerala Matrimony


Beyond love, one might think that the secret to success of a wedding lies in the bride's appearance and spirit of the guests, whether they are willing to spend a pleasant evening. However, behind the scenes is the music that plays a strategic role in the wedding celebrations. In the Indian state of Kerala, a big number of Christian families form the Keralite community. The Kerala matrimony follows the Christian wedding rituals very religiously.

The rhythm of the music also marks the festival and symbolizes the beauty of the Kerala matrimony. A good DJ is one who plays the music according to the mood of the attendees and is sensitive towards the choice of people. We all are aware of the fact that a boring music can make the party fail. A DJ is expected to shoot a string of musical hits in a way that the temperature of the party raises by a few degrees.

Another key issue is the selection of the music which highlights the wedding. That will require the couple to decide that which are the special moments in a wedding. They are usually three; the first one is when the bride enters the ceremony. The next is at the time of wedding. The output of music is another important point, usually the music is stronger at this moment and it is common to choose a melodious music which is accompanied with trumpets.

The third crucial moment arrives with the reception, you should first think of a very romantic theme as well as music that give a great introduction to the couple who enters the room. Whatever your choice is, it is important that the attendees can identify with the music that it’s a crowning celebration for the couple in Kerala matrimony.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Traditional Outlook of a Hindu Matrimonial


If you are belong to the Hindu religion and want to celebrate your wedding according to the defined Hindu rituals, you can have the chance to get married surrounded by colors and symbols. The rituals and wedding rites are very sacred in every religion, and similar is the case with the Hindu religion.

One of the most interesting rituals in the Hindu matrimonial is the Mehendi ceremony, where intricate patterns of henna are designed on the hands and feet of the bride in order to decorate her body. This is believed to bring good luck and remove the bad omen. The mehendi ceremony is generally celebrated at bride’s home and is accompanies by sangeet, where women of the family sing wedding sons to bless the newlyweds. The family and friends of the bride accompany her during these interesting rituals. Most of the families call professionals who excel in the art of applying mehendi.

The costumes are an important part in the Hindu matrimonial, the bride generally wears a red sari or lehenga, which is embroidered with threads of gold and the bride, is then beautifully decorated. Some ofther colours which are also popular among Hindu bride are pink, yellow, orange, green, blue, Fuchsia, etc. The bride is made to wear lots of jewellery and is beautifully decorated. The groom also wears a heavily embroidered kurta, which is known as Sherwani. During the wedding, the guests also get dressed in bright colours to show their happiness to the couple.

The marriages are accomplished in exotic settings in the Hindu matrimony, known as Mandaps. The bride, groom, and their family and friends unite to bless the newlyweds. The bride and groom are presented with the wedding gifts, which are generally stuff that can be helpful for their future.