Source: Makeup by Afsha Rangila, Hyderabad, Knotty Affair

Arya Vysya is a Hindu community from the southern parts of India. Also known as Arya Vaishya, Arya Vysya is a trading caste. Most of them are vegetarians and are quite affluent. Arya Vysyas are a subset of the Komati caste. They usually prefer to marry within their community and Arya Vysya weddings are traditional. On that note, let’s get to know all about Arya Vysya's wedding rituals!

Arya Vysya Wedding Ritual Guide

Arya Vysyas are deeply in touch with their culture. So, Arya Vysya weddings are full of beautiful rituals and customs. So, if you are an Arya Vysya bride or are getting married to an Arya Vysya groom, you must acquaint yourself with the vibrant wedding traditions. We, at WeddingBazaar have prepared an informative Arya Vysya wedding ritual guide for your convenience. Enjoy!

1. Pendli Kuthuru

The ritual of Pendli Kuthuru takes place on the day before or two days before the wedding. The bride and groom are coated with oil and turmeric during this auspicious ritual. They take a bath and put on new clothes. The bride-to-be wears a saree and decorates her hair with flowers. She also wears bangles. The groom-to-be wears a traditional dhoti. Betel leaves, candy, flowers, and bangles are distributed to all the married ladies who have gathered for the ritual. This offering is done to seek the blessings of the married woman for the bride-to-be. 

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2. Snathakam 

The Snathakam is a ritual performed by the groom that takes place a few hours before the wedding. A silver thread is tied across the groom's torso in this ceremony. This ritual represents the groom's determination to marry and assume marital duties. 

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3. Kashi Yatra

The Kashi Yatra is a ritual that is a part of most if not all, South Indian Hindu weddings. It is a unique ritual in which the groom-to-be gets up at the end of the Snathakam ceremony and says that he has given up earthly pleasures and is travelling to Kashi to become a monk. This one-of-a-kind ritual is known as "KashiYatra," or the pilgrimage to Kashi. The bride-to-be’s brother then requests him to not make the symbolic journey to Kashi. In exchange, he offers his sister’s hand in marriage to the groom-to-be. 

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4. Mangala Snanam

Mangala Snaanam is made of two words, Mangala and Snanam. Mangala means auspicious and Snanam means bath. So, Mangala Snanam is an auspicious bathing ritual that takes place on the wedding day, at dawn. Married women from the bride's and groom's families apply turmeric, kumkum, and sandalwood on both the bride and groom before bathing them in holy water. This is done to cleanse the body and soul and prepare the bride-to-be and the groom-to-be for their big day. 

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5. Aarti

Aarti is conducted to seek the Gods' blessings before the wedding. First, oil is applied to the bride and the groom. Then an Aarti ceremony is done for the couple, during which the person holding the Aarti walks around them and prays to the Gods to bless them with good fortune for the rest of their lives. The Aarti is also done to ward off any evil spirits. 

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6. Gauri Pooja

Once the bride is ready for the wedding, wearing her wedding outfit and jewellery, she performs Gauri Pooja. She prays to Mother Gauri who is the goddess of energy and fertility. She seeks Goddess Gauri’s blessings for the new journey of life that she is about to embark upon. ‘

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7. Ganesh Pooja

Once the groom is ready for the wedding, wearing his wedding outfit, he performs Ganesh Pooja. He prays to Lord Ganesha who is the god of prosperity and wisdom. He seeks God Ganesha’s blessings for a happy and healthy marriage. 

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8. Kanyadaan

Kanyadaan is a ritual that is common in all Hindu weddings. Kanyadaan is amde of two words, Kanya and Daan. Kanya means girl or daughter and Daan means to give away. So, Kanyadaan means giving away the daughter. In this Arya Vysya wedding ritual, the maternal uncle, or the mama of the bride carries her to the mandap in a bamboo basket. The bride is positioned next to the groom, wearing a beautiful and bright sari and decked in jewellery, but first, a partition is drawn between the bride and the groom.

This partition remains in place throughout the ceremony and prohibits the soon-to-be husband and wife from seeing each other before the wedding is declared consummated. After the Kanyadaan is over, he performs an elaborate ceremony in which he washes the groom's feet. In an Arya Vysya wedding, the husband ties a mangalsutra in a particular three-knot manner around the neck of the bride, who is now his wife.

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9. Kanyadaan Akshata

The wedding ceremonies come to an end when the mangalsutra is tied. The couple exchanged garlands, and the family members gathered around the mandap showering them with yellow rice-colored rice and flower petals.

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10. Griha Pravesh 

When the groom welcomes his wife to his home for the first time, a ceremony known as the Griha Pravesh, which literally translates as "entry into the home," is performed. The bride enters her new house for the first time as family members embrace her in a happy celebration. It is a grand occasion for the bride, who is welcomed into her new family's house with as much joy and happiness as possible. An aarti is performed and the whole family rejoices. 

16 is considered an auspicious number in Hinduism. So, an older family member or the groom will mix and weave the two mangalsutras together using a common thread after the bride has spent 16 days in her new home.  A few black and gold beads are placed between the two mangalsutras' gold plates to prevent them from rubbing or scratching one another. To establish cordial ties between the two families, the two mangalsutras are united. 

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11. Jeelakarra-Bellamu

 A special paste of cumin seeds and jaggery is made. The bride and the groom apply this paste on each other. This symbolises the coming together of the bride and the groom. This Arya Vysya ritual is not as popular nowadays as it used to be but it is still practiced by some Arya Vysya families.

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Final Words

Arya Vysya weddings are a celebration of love and traditions. They are teeming with culture. Everything is vibrant and pretty! At an Arya Vysya wedding, you will feel a love that knows no bounds. If you ever get to be a part of an Arya Vysya wedding, cherish it because it is probably the most wonderfully unique wedding you will ever attend!

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