Wedding days are filled up with happiness, gathering of relatives, friends and family members, lots of dancing, music, singing, munching delicious food, beautiful attires. Indian wedding ceremonies are always incomplete without its numerous rituals and traditions depending upon one’s religion. Wedding in India is taken very seriously and Indian lays a lot of emphasizing on following regional traditions and customs religiously.Uttarakhand weddings solemnize different rituals and traditions as well naming as Duliargh and Suwal Pithai but Vidaai, an emotional ceremony is similar.
Today we are going to tell you about the most prominent ceremony “Vidaai” known as Vidaai ceremony. Vidaai is a post wedding ceremony which takes place on the D-day after Kanya Daan and saat phere of bride and groom. In India, a Girl is considered as “Paraya Dhan” (belongs to someone special-the man of her dreams), she has taken care by her parent’s whole life till wedding to give away her hand to someone special.
Vidaai is an emotional moment for Bride, family members, relatives, and friends. Bride’s family and relatives bid farewell to her loving daughter with teary eyes. It shows overwhelming emotions; happiness and sorrow at the same time. Happiness for her daughter for entering into a new life with her partner and sorrow for leaving her house where she spends life’s lovely years with them.
In Uttrakhand wedding, Bride’s mother and close female relatives perform a ritual to keep off an evil’s eyes seven times with a Kalash of water. A daughter is the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi and before leaving her house, she throws three handfuls of rice and coins over her head behind her so that house remains prosperous and happy after her. By doing this she also thanked them and repaid to taken care of her and bestow their love over all these years. Rice symbolizes health and coin signifies wealth.
She hugs her parents as she steps out and sits in the vehicle with her other half. Bride’s father requests groom to take care of her daughter, guide her and stand by her through out his life and support her in need. When the decorated car finally starts to move ahead, brothers and cousins of Bride push couple’s car from behind as to help her leave her house with the heavy heart and also giving a push ahead to start a happy married life. As the car moves forward, bride’s father throws a handful of coins over the vehicle to ward off any evil from her path.
Therefore, Ritual of Vidaai (Vidaai) acknowledges mixed emotions where everyone wishing the lovely couple and giving blessings with love, family members, close relatives and Bride herself is going through a turmoil of emotions as she has to leave her parent’s house to welcome a new life ahead with her partner.