Sourashtra people, also known as Sourashtrians, are part of Indo-Aryan Hindu community settled in South India. When it comes to Sourashtra Matrimony, the rituals are special and unique in their own ways. The rituals of these weddings are known to be elaborate and long. Most of these, however, is full of culture and they are meant to bring joy to both the bride and groom. The groom is referred to as Nowra and the bride is called Nawri. Most of the rituals are synonymous to Vaishnavites.
Here are some interesting rituals involved in a Sourashtra shadi.
Pre-Wedding Formalities
Pre-wedding rituals in a Sourashtra matrimony are all about getting rid of the evil and making it a joyous moment for the couple. Like many others, a Kashi yatra is considered a norm in this wedding too. The groom or Nowra has to take a stick and umbrella and pretend to set off on a journey. The bride’s father has to stop him from taking this journey and instead choose to marry his daughter. There is also an engagement ceremony that takes place as part of the pre-wedding formalities. Some gifts are exchanged between both the families and blessings are given to the couple by elders of the families.
Wedding Day
Priest plays an important role in a Sourashtra wedding. Everything right from the horoscope to the chanting of mantras is carried out by Brahmin priests. As the bride and groom arrive for the wedding ceremony, they exchange garlands. Once the garlands are exchanged, the couple is asked to sit on a jhula or a swing. Five married ladies would gather around this jhula and give their blessings to the couple.
Once the couple is blessed, other wedding formalities like kanyadaan and saptapadi follow. Kanyadaan involves the bride’s father giving away his daughter to the groom. He also asks the groom to look after her and gives away her hand in the groom’s hand. Saptapadi is seven vows that the bride and groom have to take around the holy fire. The newly married couple should also have food in various halls instead of sitting in one place to eat. This custom is not explained by many but followed by most. Since the community is considered orthodox and even close-knit, some wedding formalities are practiced to date but remain unexplained.
Food and Fun
Sourashtra weddings have the tastiest of spread on offer. Since these people are Brahmins, the food at weddings is generally vegetarian. Culture and tradition are of utmost importance to this community and the same is applied to food as well. Generally, the food is served on banana leaves and is considered holy. People partake in all wedding festivities and enjoy the fresh food that gets served at the end of the wedding formalities.
Sourashtra people are very religious who value morals and high character. In every step towards, during and after the wedding, a certain set of formalities have to be followed and adhered to. Deviation from the norm is not encouraged and this is what makes Sourashtra weddings unique in their own way.
