Maharashtra exhibits a culture that is a blend of the northern Aryan and southern Dravidian culture. Known for saint poets like Jnaneshwar, Tukaram and Eknath, who established the revolutionary Warkari cult in the face of orthodox caste system, this land is also famous for the warrior king Shivaji and the sturdy Marathas who gave the last formidable resistance to the British. This is the land that gave birth to the fiery freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak who gave the call of "Freedom is my birth right". Its capital city, Mumbai, is the financial capital of India and hosts the nation's major film industry, Bollywood. The land which gave us the world famous Ajanta paintings is known for a strong theater movement in modern times. Come monsoon and there is festive mood in the air. People celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with great pomp and show. There are colorful pandals everywhere and cultural programs for ten days.
Marriage THROUGH THE AGES
Maharashtrian wedding extends upto a number of days. Traditionally, the marriage takes place in the morning hours only. Though, there may be variation, it can take place in the afternoon as well. But it happens only when there is a muhurta for the same. Such a muhurta is known as the goraj muhurta. Goraj is so known as it is the time when the cows return home from grazing. As a rule, a Maharashtrian marriage never takes place at night.
Matchmaking is done within the community only. Once a girl or a boy becomes eligible for marriage , the parents start looking for the right candidate among the people they know. Otherwise, they also contact marriage bureaus and give advertisements in the newspapers for wide selection procedure.
COSTUMES
Bridal Wear
A Maharashtrian bride looks ravishing in the traditional saree. The Maharashtrians believe that green is the auspicious color. So, the bride usually drapes a green saree. The Paithani type of saree is most preferred one. Also green glass bangles are worn by the bride. She may also wear toe rings made of silver, and typical Maharashtrian earrings are seven-pearl studs on each ear. The pearl and bead nath (nose ring) is worn on the left nostril. The bride adorns a bindi, too. Sindoor is not mandatory though.
Kelvan
Kelvan is an interesting ritual which entails both the bridal as well as the groom's families to host a feast at the respective houses. So, the girl's family hosts a feast at their residence for all the guests assembled there. And the boy's family does the same at their place.
Wang Nishchay is a ritual that encompasses both the formal engagement and kuldevta pujan (worshipping the respective patron deities of the two families). The engagement ceremony takes place after this and the wang-nishchay feast follows after that. This feast is quite a lavish affair, though not as grand as the wedding day feast.
Bath Ceremony
A day before the actual wedding, it is customary to smear the bride and the groom with sandal and turmeric paste individually at their houses. Then, they take their baths. It is a very common ritual in the Indian marriages . It acts as a kind of beautifying and purifying process. Turmeric is a very positive ingredient for such occasions as marriage and it is generally regarded as a cleansing and purifying agent. In case, the muhurta is at the evening, then the paste is applied in the morning of the actual wedding day.
Seeman Pooja
This is an interesting and a very traditional practice which has the girl's parents welcoming the groom and his folk. The tradition is that the bride's father and mother wash the feet of the boy, his parents and traditionally the women of his family. They offer a square tool called Chaurang for the boy to sit upon. At this point, the girl's family may present the boy the gifts like the ring, watch, gold chain, etc. The boy also gets silverware (plates, glasses, bowls, spoons etc.), which may be used immediately in the meal that follows.
Rukhvat
Rukhvat is a sumptuous breakfast that is offered to the groom, his siblings and friends etc. It is generally a way of showing to the groom's people what they can look forward to in through the entire course of wedding. The breakfast would include stuff such as sweets, regional snacks, fruits and vegetables.
Gouri-Har Pooja
Gouri-Har pooja is performed by the bride as the groom has his breakfast as a part of the Rukhvat ceremony. The bride worships the goddess Gauri whose idol is being kept on the chaurang of the bride. At the end of the Gouri-Har pooja, the bride is brought for the antarpaat (curtain) ceremony by her maternal uncle. The girl is aptly dressed in a yellow saree and has tinkling green glass bangles in her arms. To add to the charm yet, she wears a sehra - a crown like embellishment with flower strings hanging loose on the forehead and not covering the entire face.
Marriage Rituals
Antarpaat
Antarpaat is an important ceremony and some or the other version of it is seen in other Indian marriages . In this, the boy is taken to the centrestage where an antarpaat is arranged by way of putting up a shawl between the boy and the girl. This shawl is of silk and is especially provided by the priest for this occasion. The aim of antarpaat is to separate the boy and girl until the actual moment of their marriage . Previously, it was customary that the boy and the girl did not see each other until the actual marriage time. The antarpaat served as a final curtain before they were revealed to each other. The girl and boy "face" each other, separated by the antarpat. The bride and groom hold a garland, which they continue to hold throughout the ceremony. The antarpaat is eight sets of mantras and stutis, with invocations to the different gods. The eighth time, when the utterance is made, the antarpaat is removed and the bride and groom "see" each other, ostensibly for the first time. They also exchange garlands this time.
Havan
Havan is an integral part of Maharashtrian marriage . It has the groom and the boy and their respective parents assemble around the holy fire. A Maharashtrian wedding involves the following important steps:-
· Punyavachan (calling the day auspicious).
· Sankalp (expressing the desire to marry).
· Mangalsutrabandana (adorning the bride's neck with the sacred necklace).
· Panigrahan (receiving the hands of the bride in marriage )
· Agnishakshi Pratijna (pledge before the fire).
· Lajahoma (sacrificing popped rice).
· Parikraman (circumambulating the holy fire).
· Shilarohan (ascending the stone).
· Saptapadi (walking seven steps together).
· Karmasamapti (concluding the ceremony).
Rituals After Marriage
Mangala Ashthakn Muhurat
This is singing of marriage hymns while the priests' chants the mantras. Along with certain mantras, akshata (rice grains mixed with a little kumkum) is showered on the groom and the bride, and the groom and the bride garland each other. The sisters of the groom and the bride stand behind them and sprinkle water over them with mango leaves. They then perform an arti of the newlyweds. After this, the marriage ceremony is over. Sweets are distributed and haldi (turmeric) and kumkum are applied to the foreheads of the ladies present and betel leaves and nuts distributed amongst the men. The wedding feast follows this.
CELEBRATIONS
Music & Dance
Cuisine
The Marathis believe in enjoying their feast by sitting on the floor. Food is to be served on glistening banana leaves and variety of traditional Maharashtrian dishes are being served. These days, though, eating on steel plates are common practice. The bride and the groom, along with immediate families on both sides, eat out of silver plates and crockery, specially arranged for the occasion. There are a galore of dishes - like those of the Bombil Batata bhaji, Khamag Kakri, Kolhapuri Mutton, Vada Pav, Pitlai, Sheera, Shrikhand, Solachi Kadhi, Varan, Vatanyachi Usal and Zunka are some of the local favorites.
SOME STRANGE CUSTOMS
After the wedding is formally over (i.e., after the mangalsutra ceremony), the newly weds receives gifts from various family members and other guests. At this junction, the bride's mother-in-law gifts her a sari, usually of silk and green in color, and preferably a Paithani . As soon as the bride receives this gift, she is expected to retire to the changing room and don her new sari. This sari-change marks her acceptance into her in-laws' household (discarding old clothes for the new). The girl changes into the new sari and wears a "shela" (silk shawl-like garment that is draped around the shoulders). The boy's married sister (the said sister has to be a married one) ties the shela to the boy's "uparna" (piece of cloth draped over the boy's shoulders, which goes with his kurta and dhoti). The other-in-law also gifts her two pairs of toe-rings. Both are necessarily made of silver.
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