The Jains are very simple and
down to earth people who celebrate their weddings in very elaborate and
religious manner. The marriages are very simple and traditional, which includes
participation of almost every family member. Generally, the weddings are not as
grand as celebrated in Punjabi or other north Indian communities. Wedding in
the Jains are not complete without the grand proclamation by the bride and
groom and the public acceptance of the institution of marriage.
There are certain rituals in Jain matrimony, which are bound to be
followed:
1. Kanyavaran: With this
ritual, the wedding ceremonies start. During the Kanyavaran ceremony, the
elders of the family give a one rupee and a 25 paisa coin along with some rice,
in the hands of the bride. The bride’s father puts his daughter’s hands over
the hands of the groom and gives away his daughter to the groom, while the
chanting of holy verses by the priest.
2. Granthi Bandhan: During
this ritual, the married ladies of the family tie the end of the bride’s shawl
with the stole of that of the groom to form a knot.
3. Pheras: It is all about
taking four circles around the sacred fire, and is believed to be the most
important ritual which is conducted at the predefined time, which is set by the
family priest who is conducting the wedding. During the 1st round of
the phere, the bride walks ahead of the groom and for the next rounds, the
groom walks ahead of the bride. After here, the bride and groom make seven vows
to each other. The bride then sits to the left of the groom, which marks her
into the groom’s life.
4. Mangal Geet: The elderly
females of the family sing traditional wedding songs during the wedding rituals.
At the end, the couple exchange garlands and the Jain matrimony concludes with a sacred Havan.
Author: Rashmi Karan
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