Gowri Pooja Wedding or Gowri Pooja in Marriage, Jeerige Bella Shastra and Kashi Yatra Wedding

KASHIYATRE or Kashi Yatra – CONVINCING GROOM FOR GRUHASTHASHRAMA

KASHIYATRE or Kashi Yatra is a ritual in which the Groom wishes to go off to Kashi on a pilgrimage leaving behind worldly desires.
Normally the groom wears a kacche panche called Sankalke panche and wears a Mysore turban on which a Bashinga is tied. He also wears slippers. This is his traditional attire
He carries with him an Umbrella, a walking stick, Beesange(fan) and a bag filled with rice and coconut.

All these items are decorated in colours to give it a grand look.
He is made to carry a decorative coconut also.
The bride’s father requests the groom to return back and marry his daughter.
The groom’s feet are washed by the bride’s father and the bride’s brother holds the umbrella.
In some customs, a pair of kodbale prepared with rice flour is fixed on the groom’s ears as earrings by the bride’s mother and a decorative mirror is held in front of him.
The event is filled with fun and frolic.
A path of flowers is laid out for the groom’s return to the stage.

Prayers are offered to Goddess Gowri for a happy and long married life.
This puja is carried out in a room which is beautifully decorated with lovely backdrops and flowers.
Decorative Gowri is kept for pooja along with a silver Mangala Gowri plate.
Rangoli and flower decoration highlights the setup.

Normally the bride’s mother or an elderly lady of the house instructs the bride to do the puja.
In most of the customs, the bride dons a white kanjeevaram saree with a saree draped on the shoulder.
Bashinga is tied to the head. This is the traditional attire.
The bride’s mother ties a ‘Thali’, considered to be symbolic from the parent’s side

Usually, a group of ladies sings the ‘Lakshmi shobane’ for the prosperity and happiness of the couple.

5 decorated Morada bhagina consisting of Dhanya items, Haldi kumkum, bangles, blouse piece, and Sumangali set is kept. Also, coconut and betel leaves are kept.

All the ladies are offered Haldi kumkum and other gifts and the bride takes the blessings from all.

This is an event in which the groom and bride are supposed to see each other for the first time.
The bride is accompanied by her maternal uncle to the stage.
To make the event special and colourful, a flower path is laid for the bride. Sometimes the girl is brought in a big decorated doli just to accentuate the function.

The groom and bride are made to stand opposite each other in separate decorated baskets also called ‘Mettaki butti’. Also called as Chiblu
A tere shalya or a decorative antarpata is held between them by the purohits.

The bride and the groom are given jeerige bella in their hands.
The purohits chant the mantras relevant to the occasion.
At the end of the chanting, the antarpata is removed and the boy and girl put jeerige bella on each other’s head.
This is another important event of a marriage which is highlighted in the background by tunes of nadaswara.

The timeless traditional rituals of South Indian wedding – Part 3