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.

Muslim Weddings in India

The Muslim population in Asia comprises of more than half the population of the world.  The continent is home to about 65% of Muslims living in various countries. The followers of Islam are found in every country, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia can easy be called Islamic nations. Indian and China also have good number of Muslim population. The regions of Gulf or Middle East have a good number, but majority of the Islamic followers reside in the Southeast Asia and South Asia.

Muslim Wedding in India

According to historians, the advent of Islam in Asia was around the 7^th Century. The chief reason for the spread of the religion from the Arabian Peninsula was due to trade. Traders and exporters came to the northeastern part of India, in the state of Manipur arrived through silk route. For the same reason, traders reached China. Religious leaders also came along and preached about the religion. In the southernmost state of India, Kerala, the first mosque was built. The Muslim Matrimony in India follows the wedding customs and traditions of the Arabian people.

The Muslim matrimony functions in India are based on the Islamic principles as followed in the Arab region. The propaganda of these traditions was the medieval Muslim rulers.  The Mogul rulers and sultans helped in spreading the Islamic traditions. The Muslim wedding is called ‘nikaah’ and the wedding rules are the same for the shia and sunni groups of Muslims. In India, the Muslim matrimony function is usually a family affair with close friends and relatives attending the wedding. The wedding in India has numerous rituals and lasts for about three days. Like all Islamic weddings, there is the signing of the Nikaahnama in the Indian Muslim Matrimonial. Like all Indian weddings, there is singing and dancing in a Muslim matrimony. Both at the groom’s house and at the bride’s place, the rituals are conducted following the Islamic rules.

The Vibrant Culture of Bengal

The beautiful state of Bengal lies in the eastern part of the plain of Ganges. The state is a melting pot of diverse cultures and traditions. The rule of Muslim rulers and later the British influence in the state culminated in birth of a unique culture. The culture of Bengal draws visitors from all parts of the globe. Many aspects contribute to the richness and variety of the distinctive culture.

Religion of Bengal plays an important role in defining the culture of state. Majority of the state has followers of Hindu religion. The Hindus here has their own birth, wedding and death rituals. Apart from the Hindus, there are followers of Islam and Christianity. Bengali Matrimony functions for the various religious communities differ. The Hindu Bengali Matrimony has rituals that run for several days.

Another important aspect that has shaped the distinct culture of Bengal is its literature. Bengalis have a love for literature and boasts of rich literary collection. Some of the greatest writers of all time belong from Bengal. Notable among them are Kazi Nazrul Islam, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and the nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. There works are mostly in Bangla, the language of Bengal. Writers and authors are inspired from their work. Many of the modern writers have adapted their work in English language.

Food is another important part of the culture of Bengal. To eat the best of the regional delicacies in Bengal, people can attend any Bengali Matrimony and enjoy the sumptuous feast. Bengal’s staple food is rice and fish. Bengalis love their fish curry and other preparations made from it. Other tasty recipes from Bengal are the Aaloo Posto, Luchi, Kosha Manghso, Maacher Jhal and Sageer Chorchori. Sweets of Bengal are also famous, not just in India but in other countries as well. Most of the sweets are made from milk-based products.

Author: Shipra Sinha