Conditions Specified By Benedict XVI for Christian Matrimony

A wedding is not just the union of two individuals, but it also connects their souls and demands a sense of responsibility and acceptance from both partners. The entire life is insufficient to know each other. Tying a knot and be together as husband and wife is not easy. It demands some sacrifices and adaptation. Respecting the importance of marriage and the seeing the consequences of a bad wedding, Pope Benedict XVI has filed some specifications.

                                       

Here is a list of some of the new liturgy of marriage filed by Benedict XVI for Christian matrimony

1. The couple must be baptized and have agreed to the alliance.
2. Exemptions for disparity of worship will be issued after review of the maintenance and motivation of the couple.
3. The un-baptized Catholic couple must show their baptism certificate at the time of wedding.
4. Couples must make a clear commitment to raise their children as per the Catholic faith.
5. Preparation for the wedding is mandatory. It is implemented by the dioceses and organizations of the Priesthood, together within the pairs (in groups or with the celebrant, over several days or several months).
6. Emphasis in the wedding ceremony should be laid over the couple's commitment to fidelity.
7. The couple must believe in the Holy Spirit during the ceremony.
8. The imposition of hands of those of the celebrating couple is important; it symbolizes the union of church and torque.
9. An exchange of gifts with the celebrant can be made at the end of the ceremony.
10. The church can be decorated after being discussed with the celebrants.

Finally, the celebrant must ensure the church that his/her role will not end with the wedding day only. It is also a reference in case of marital problems and support in Christian matrimonial

Author: Rashmi Karan

The Tamil Wedding

Marriage in Hindu traditions is a union between a man and a woman with an aim to start a family and for the alliance between two families in Tamil matrimony.

The Religious Ceremony:

For the ceremony, the groom wears a white dhoti and puts an angavastram over his shoulders. The colour which the bride wears depends on her choice. Generally, red and maroon are the chosen as bridal outfit, which are traditional too. The gold jewellery worn by the bride is very ethnic and heavy. There is concept of wearing heavy gold jewellery among the brides in Tamil matrimony. The status of the family is reflected in the gold jewellery that is worn by the brides at the time of wedding.

In North India, there is a concept that the brides put chunni or stole over their forehead at the time of wedding, which is not the case with the south Indian brides. There is no compulsion for the brides to cover their heads. The hair of the bride is beautifully decorated with flowers and gold jewellery.

At the beginning of the religious ceremony, the groom is accompanied by the brother of the bride and the bride is accompanied by the sister of the groom. The bride and groom are offered with gold ring, a sari and a necklace of white flowers.

The groom arrives the venue with a necklace of white flowers. The priest begins the religious rituals when the bride arrives with her family. The groom gifts her with a necklace of flowers.

The priest conducts the wedding rituals and the guests bless the young couple. The groom ties a Thali, a gold necklace, around the bride’s neck and they are then declared as husband and wife in the Tamil matrimonial. The guests bless the couple by showering them with flower petals.

Author: Rashmi Karan

Enjoy the Season of Love and Goodwill

Christmas is the time of spreading love and joy. The Yuletide spirit pervades in every part of the world. In India, where Hindu population is the majority, have many Christians as well. Patna, the capital of Bihar, has a good number of Christian populations residing in harmony with other religious communities. During the Christmas season, all the religious communities in the city celebrate this festival.

All the churches are illuminated and decorated with holly leaves, stars and Christmas trees. Themes from the Bible are created in the churches. The homes of the faithful are decorated with lights, stars and trees. The message of love and brotherhood is spread with families and friends distributing gifts. Spirit of love is in the air during the celebrations. This same spirit is found during christian matrimony functions.

Christians turn up in huge number on the eve of Christmas and attend the midnight mass. This is the time of festivities and carnivals are organized. Children and adults sings Christmas carols and many are dresses as Santa Claus. People, Christians and non-Christian visit the houses to share the joy and fun.

The markets have all the Christmas paraphernalia displayed. Items like Santa caps, fairies, starlight trees, candy sticks and plum cakes attract buyers. Shops near churches and in popular markets in the city stock them in advance.

The churches in the city donated warm clothes to the needy. Christmas spirit is incomplete without less fortunate brethren not receiving gifts. There are also cultural activities organized by the churches and the rich and poor participating. The missionary schools in the city also distributed cakes, sweets and candies.

This is the occasion when one likes to spend time with near and dear ones. These same emotions are reflected during the christian matrimonial functions. The various rituals not only bring the family closer, but the fun-element in the rituals reinvigorates the human bonds.

Author: Shipra Sinha

Choose Kerala for Exotic Beach Wedding

People who describe Kerala as god’s own country are not wrong! The place is so mesmerizing that you won’t wish to return from the place after travelling there. Tourists from different parts of India and world travel to Kerala and add to the revenues of the state.

Many youngsters travel to Kerala to conduct their wedding and have an immemorial experience of Kerala matrimony. There are a number of exotic and sparkling beaches that present the best places for wedding. The big coastal area of length 600 km is hit by clean and beautiful sea waves. The presence of water lagoons, palm trees, awesome sunrise and sunset views, blowing of the breeze and luxurious resorts make Kerala a perfect place for wedding. You can give your body a heavenly treat with the infamous Kerala massages and spa therapy.

The beaches of Kerala which experience presence of tourist of all ages are: Kovalam beach, Varkala beach, Somatheeram beach, Shanghumukham beach, etc. These beaches are lovely destinations for a beach wedding.

 The best deals for an excellent Kerala matrimony include full-service wedding packages, which also include offers for the family of the bride and groom. To have the best beach decorations and music, you can hire a wedding planner, leave the work on them, and enjoy a perfect beach wedding in Kerala. The wedding planners are there to take care of the food and live music, all you need to do is to call your family and friends and cherish every moment.

After the wedding according to Kerala matrimony, there is something more to add to your wedding celebrations, which are houseboats located in the backwaters. The ambience is mind blowing and the food provided is exotic. You can enjoy the sea food along with coconut water, and give a sumptuous treat to your taste buds.

Author: Rashmi Karan

Hindi Matrimony Functions outside India

The Hindu population in Sri Lanka comprises about 20% of the entire population. The Hindu community in the country is mostly from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Apart from the Tamils of Indian origin, there are people from other communities of India such as the Telugu, Malayalee and Kannadiga. The Hindu Sindhi from Pakistan also comprise of the Hindu population of the country. Most of the Hindu population in the country resides in the central part of the country. Colombo, the capita of the country has a good number of people following Hinduism. People from the Hindi speaking states of India also reside in the country, though the number is less comparatively. The Hindi matrimony customs in Sri Lanka is similar to the place of origin.

Another Asian country, Singapore also has considerable population of Hindus. The Hindu communities in this country comprise about 4% of the entire population. The Hindus of Singapore trace their origin from India. Most of them are ethnic Indians. A part of the Hindu population consists of a mix of Chinese and Indian families. Many Chinese women married Indian men and settled with the Hindu Indian families. The Hindus came to work as laborers and brought their culture and traditions in this country. The various Indian communities built temples in the country. The north Indian Hindi speaking population built the Swami Narayan Temple in Singapore. Being away from their homeland, they still follow the Hindu matrimonial rituals and customs.

The Indonesian Archipelago also has Hindu influences. Around 4^th Century, Hinduism arrived in the various islands of the country. Hinduism rules and regulations practiced in the archipelago are different from the Hindu rules followed in India.

Enjoyable Post-Wedding Rituals in Oriya Matrimony

Weddings functions spans over several days. In India, there are many rituals happening before and during the wedding day. Even after the groom and the bride has tied the knot and settled in matrimonial bliss, rituals do follow them. Especially in the Hindu marriage, there are many rituals even after marriage. In the Oriya Matrimony, there are many rituals with the bride’s arrival in the groom house.

Orissa is a beautiful state with distinctive culture and traditions. The state is known for its dance, food and local crafts. Most of the population in Orissa is followers of Hinduism and the people are commonly referred as Oriya. The Hindu communities in Orissa are also divided into various castes and sub-castes. The rituals after wedding are similar for these Hindu communities. One of the common post wedding rituals is the Grihapravesh ceremony of the bride. The bride is welcomed in her new home and is given a warm ceremonial welcome. The newly wedded couple arrives and the mother-in-law welcomes them. One important thing to mention here is that groom’s mother does not attend the wedding of her son. This is a distinct custom of Oriya Matrimony

Another important post wedding ritual is the Astha Mangala Custom. In this ritual, the newly wedded couple visits the bride’s home. This visit is usually done on the 8th day after marriage. The mother-in-law of the groom and various other female members of the family welcome the couple. A feast is organized and mouthwatering Orissa delicacies is prepared and served. Food items of the groom choice is prepared and served. This visit is a short stay, as sometimes the bride and groom returns in the evening. In some cases, the couple stays for about two-three days. In the Astha Mangala custom in Oriya Matrimony, the groom and the bride receives gifts and jewelry from the bride’s parents.