The Polish mariage… vodka!

Our recent voyages took us along towards the sunny countries. This time, change of course!On the way towards the countries of the east, and more particularly in Poland. Although the Polish wedding is rather close to the traditions of Western Europe, certain habits are very typical…

As everywhere else, the wedding symbolizes the beginning of a new life with two. In Poland, it is also an engagement to hold towards its family and her friends, because when one engages it is for the life. The proof is by the weak rate of divorce which is 1,8% per 5,4% of wedding per annum. For comparison, in Belgium, the rate of marriage is against 4,1% 2,9% of divorce per annum.

Preparation of the mariage

The engaged couples must initially choose if they will link their intended for the town hall and/or the church. Once the decision taken, it is necessary to hold the date without delaying more. If the marriage proceeds in summer, better is worth to be caught there one year in advance, for the remainder of the year, 3 months in advance will be enough.

Note: In Poland, the civil wedding with the same value as the church wedding. For this reason this last is generally celebrated. We will thus develop the church wedding.

When the date is fixed, it is time to hold the room, to choose the behaviours and to invite the family and the friends.

Ceremony day before

The friends and the family meet to decorate the room with reception and the car of the future grooms…It is to some extent an occasion to remind memories and to listen to the judicious councils of old.

The D-day

In general, the wedding is celebrated saturdays afternoon.The groom, accompanied by his parents, his witness and his family, goes to the residence of its promised. Strange members of the continuation, a photographer, charged with immortaliser least moment with the ceremony, and an orchestra where the accordion is the principal instrument. During this time, the young woman quietly awaits the man of her life surrounded by her close family and her witness.

When the young man arrives (finally), the parents give last once their blessing and their recommendations. Then, all this small world goes to the church.

In certain villages, the inhabitants block the roads and do not let pass the procession that if it offers a vodka bottle or candies for the children. This attitude can appear strange, but it is actually an old tradition! In fact, all the inhabitants know each other and for them, it is a way of taking part in the festival.

Once “obstacles” crossed, on the way towards the church. As in the majority of the countries, the grooms seal their union by one “yes” and exchange alliances.

At the exit of the church, the grooms are happiness by the priest, their witnesses and their parents. The other guests launch coins of currency which the grooms must collect. It is an old tradition which aims to return thrives the future life of the husbands. Sometimes, it happens, that before leaving for the room, the grooms release pigeons. This action symbolizes the take-off and the new departure…

The house of the mariage

It is the name which one gives to the room reception…The guests arrive the first and are accomodated by the parents and the witnesses. According to another tradition, before entering the room, the guests must embrace a bread end and drink small vodka glass. Once empties, glass is broken. This gesture is supposed to bring happiness to the new couple. Another habit important to respect, the entry of wedding in the room. The husband must carry his wife to pass the door. The goal of this operation is not to evaluate the force of the groom, but to protect the woman from the demons. For less believing, that symbolizes simply the attention which the husband pays to his wife.

When everyone is finally in the principal room, the orchestra starts to play and the festival can start! There will be speeches, dances, plays and of course a meal…

The meal

It is composed of cold dishes, meats, salads and fish. One also finds there some typical receipts and of the dishes well of on our premises. A little later in the evening, the tables are furnished with biscuit and fruit plates.

To finish this feast in beauty, the grooms offer the sekacz, in other words, the wedding cake.This one consists of eggs and is decorated very simply.

Twelve blows of midnight

It is the moment that the unmarriage girls prefer!The bride takes off her veil and launches it in direction of the group of single people. Then, the husband makes in the same way with his tie. Like says it the habit, the happy elected officials will find the love in the year…

The following day…

In general, it remains often much of food. Nothing to waste, and especially to honour the husbands, most of the guests returns the following day. The festival is thus nicely prolonged…

Technorati Tags: Mariage..., Polish, Vodka

Gujarat holds the pride of being the richest Indian state in terms of culture and heritage. Gujaratis are proud of their religion and cultural values. It is also known as the land of colours due to the large number of festivals celebrated in the state such as ‘navratri’ and specially their ‘garba’ is popular dance form practiced all over the country. They are also very famous for their food like dhokla, khandwi, kachori, khepla, etc. all these food items can be lavishly enjoyed at any Gujarati marriage.

Marriages in Gujarat are full of customs and rituals like any other Indian marriage. Also, there are a lot of fun- filled events and celebrations involved in the marriage process. Gujaratis prefer marrying their daughter in the same community and seek the opinion of both the bride and groom before tying their knots forever with the auspicious marriage ceremony.

The dress for a Gujarati bride is a red saree tied in a different style or lehengas are also becoming a popular bride outfit these days. The Gurjarati groom goes with the traditional dhoti- kurta but with the changing times, people are switching over to designer kurta- pyjamas for the fortunate occasion

A traditional Gujarati marriage begins with the worship of Lord Ganesha to seek his blessings followed by the most popular ‘mehandi’ ceremony, ‘sangeet’ and merrymaking procedures. The most important ritual performed before the final wedding, separately at the homes of both Gujarati Bride and groom’s family is ‘Ghari Pooja’. The ceremony is performed by the priest with the presence of the respective families. The priest enchants the prayers with a number of spices like, turmeric, betel nuts, rice, oil, coconut, wheat grains, etc. for the maintenance of prosperity and growth in the house, married ladies grind wheat in a traditional manner and on the other hand groom donates a handful of wheat and other grains to the priest promising that though his lifestyle will change from now onwards, still he will continue doing the services of donation and charity, thereby, helping the needy and less fortunate.

The blessed day of marriage starts with ‘Ponkvu’, it is the ceremony performed at the door of the Gujarati Bride’s house, in this the Gujarati mother- in- law welcomes the groom, ‘arti’ is performed and the bride’s mother tries to grab the nose of the groom asking him to request her to get married to her daughter. It’s quite a fun- filled ceremony and observes ‘nok- jhok’ between the mother- in – law and the groom. Then ‘jaimala’ is performed after which follows the most awaited ceremony called- ‘Madhuparka’, where the sister- in- law of the groom steals the Gujarati grooms shoes and demands a gift or cash for giving the shoes back to him.

The Gujarati bride is brought by the her maternal uncle to the place of wedding after which both the bride and the groom puts garlands on each other’s neck, then the ‘hasta milap’ is done where the bride’s hand is placed over the groom by her family. ‘Hathialo’ is done by tying the bride’s saree with the groom’s scarf, which is followed by ‘varmala’, after which the bride’s father does ‘kanyadan’ i.e. finally giving away his daughter’s responsibility to the groom. ‘Mangal phera’, the four circles around the sacred fire takes place after this, which signifies the four values of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. These circles complete the marriage and the Gujarati bride and groom are entitled with the responsibilities of being each other’s life partner.

After the wedding the bride, now the wife of the groom leaves her house, a part of the ‘Saubhagyavati Bhava’ or ‘vidai’ ceremony and from there begins a new life journey for both the bride and the groom.

Technorati Tags: customs, Followed, Gujarati, Marriage, Rituals

India is popularly known as the land of cultures, the only place where you find unity in diversity. The country has 28 states with a number of languages and customs practiced in each region. The availability of variety in almost everything from food to clothes, religion to language, has helped in making the lives of the people more lively and interesting.

Among all the states, Rajasthan is a place which is popular for the prevalence of its colors and food. Rajasthani dance is also famous all over the world with the different and

Vibrant lifestyle these people have. Rajasthan is also famous for its forts, havellis, palaces which are the major source to attract a large number of tourists. The colors and the majesty of Rajasthani culture can be witnessed in a Rajasthani marriage.

The marriages of Rajasthan are directly proportional to the colorful, strong and vibrant nature of its natives. The wedding food of Rajasthan constitutes of mouth watering dishes like Gattee ki sabzi, Dall Bati Churma, Papad ki sabzi, missi roti, daal makhani, shahi kadi chawal, shahi paneer, moong ka halwa, motichoor ke ladoo and saunth ke ladoo. The Rajasthani bride and groom are dressed in their traditional manner with the bride wearing dark color mostly in red ghaghra- choli and the groom wearing kurta- pyjama of any color with a dupatta complementing the color of the groom’s dress.

Following is a brief description of the common ceremonies practiced in Rajasthani matrimony:

Pre- marriage rituals:

Engagement: Engagement is the ceremony, which marks the beginning of the courtship period of the couple. In this the Rajasthani bride and groom exchanges rings between each other, accepting the bond formed for a life- time. The ceremony takes place in front of all the relatives and friends to seek their blessing followed by feast and celebrations.

Ganpati Sthapana: Blessing from the god of intelligence, Ganesh ji is taken by bringing his idol home and getting that placed the temple inside the house. The ceremony takes place at the house of both the parties i.e. bride and the groom.

Pithi Dastoor: In this ceremony, turmeric paste is applied on the hands and the feet of the bride and the groom. The ceremonies take place in their respective places, after which the Rajasthani bride and groom are not suppose to move out of their houses, till their matrimony ceremonies are complete.

Mehfils: This basically corresponds to the gathering of the Rajasthani bride and the groom’s families in either of their houses, where they celebrate their bonding with taking part in the famous Ghoomar, Dance of Rajasthan. All the family members dance together, which is followed by a lavishing dinner.

Jnaeva Ceremony: In this ritual, the groom is made to wear a pious thread in the Havan or the pooja in front of the sacred fire, signifying that either the groom will enter the married life or will take renunciation from the materialistic world.

Palla Dastoor: The father of the groom visits the bride’s house with the wedding dress and jewelry for the bride.

Toran or Toranchar: On the day of the Rajasthani matrimony, the entrance of the bride’s house is decorated with colorful flowers and straws, which are hit by the groom to prevent his, would- be bride from the evils eye. This ceremony is called Toranchar.

Wedding Ceremonies:

Granthi Bandhan: The bride’s father gives away the responsibility of her daughter to the groom, called kanyadan, after the application of turmeric paste on the bride’s hand.

Paani Grahan: This is the ceremony, where the groom takes the responsibility of the bride by taking her hand into his, signifying the acceptance of the relation.

Phera Ceremony: The Rajasthani bride and groom take the seven circles around the sacred fire symbolizing their oath for being together for the next seven lives.

Satapadi: This is the ritual where both Rajasthani groom and bride takes seven steps towards the direction of the Sun God, signifying each others support in all walks of life, whether its good or bad, happiness or sorrow. From here onwards, they are declared husband and wives.

Bidai: After the completion of all the marriage ceremonies, bride moves towards the house of her husband leaving her maternal home to lead a new and happy married life.

Technorati Tags: Followed, Marriage, Rajasthani, Rituals

Tamils believe in simple living and high thinking and their marriages are also a simple affair. Tamil weddings are usually attended by near and dear ones. Hence their weddings are not necessarily extravagant affairs. Tamils consider matrimony very auspicious, so, they are very cautious at every step. Tamil marriages involve many rituals and customs like all other Indian marriages and matrimonials. The date for the wedding is usually fixed after consulting the Hindu calendar. According to the Tamil calendar, the months of Aashad (July 15th to August 15th), Bhadrapad (September 15th to October 15th) and Shunya (December 15th to January 15th) are considered inauspicious for weddings and hence, Tamilian weddings are not held in these months.

 

Before the wedding celebrations:

 

Panda Kaal Muhurtham

 

To ensure that the wedding preparations and wedding pass off successfully, it is customary to invoke the blessings of the family deity. The family of the bride and the groom pray to the deity who is personified by a bamboo pole. More often than not, this ritual is performed a day before the wedding.

 

Receiving the Groom

 

When the groom and his family visit the wedding hall a day before the marriage, they are welcomed with a tray containing offerings of flowers, paan supari, fruits and mishri. Rose water is sprinkled on the groom. A senior female member of the Tamil bride’s family performs aarti and welcomes them. To ward off evil spirits, it is customary to break a coconut to the ground.

 

Pallikai Thellichal

 

This ceremony is also performed a day before the wedding. In this, clay pots are filled with grains. Married women from the bride’s and groom’s side sprinkle water on the pots filled with nine different varieties of grain. On the wedding day when the grains sprout, these pots are immersed in a pond so that the fish in the pond may feed on the grains and give their blessings the newly-weds.

 

Naandi

 

During this ceremony, some Brahmins are invited to represent the souls of the ancestors of the bride and the groom. They are presented some sweets and gifts and the families seek their blessings before beginning the marriage proceedings.

 

Jaanavaasam

 

These days, people hardly practise this custom. The groom is escorted to the wedding venue by a large and joyous procession of family and friends. Professional musicians are invited to accompany the procession and to play traditional wedding music. At times there are also fireworks to celebrate the occasion. Then the groom is welcomed in the wedding hall after the girl’s brother garlands and receives him.

 

Nicchiyadharatham

 

In the presence of the officiating priest, the bride’s parents perform Ganesh Pooja. The bride is also present during the ceremony. She is gifted with a new sari by her would be in laws. A garland of flowers is tied around her waist and aarti is also performed for her.

 

Reading of Lagna Pathirigai

 

The priest formally reads out the wedding invitation. Details on three generations of the boy and the girl and other information on the muhurtam is announced. This is followed by an elaborate dinner.

 

Wedding rituals and ceremonies:

 

Mangala Snaanam

 

The mangala snaanam is the auspicious bath that the bride and groom must have in their respective homes on the dawn of their wedding day. Before the bath they are anointed with some oil and a tilak of haldi-kumkum.

 

Kashi Yatra

 

It is a very dramatic ritual and adds humor to the occasion. After the mangala snaanam, the groom pretends to leave for Kashi to devote himself to God and a life of prayer. He enacts as if he is not interested in becoming a householder. Then the girl’s father intervenes and requests him to accept his daughter as his Jeevansathi (life partner).The groom changes his mind and returns to the pandal where he is received by the bride.

 

Exchange of Garlands

 

This ceremony is full of excitement. The bride and the groom exchange garlands thrice and are teased by their relatives. For instance, they pull the girl away when the boy reaches forward to be garlanded by her, and vice versa. The bride and the groom’s uncles have to lift them.

 

Kanyadaanam

 

The groom is welcomed by bride’s father to the mandapam (place where the wedding rituals are carried out). The bride’s mother applies kajal in the groom’s eyes and father washes his feet. Through this gesture the father conveys that that the boy is a personification of Lord Vishnu and believes that he will take care of his daughter. The father and bride offer the coconut to the groom while the bride’s mother pours water over the coconut which symbolises the ‘giving away of their daughter.’ Then the groom’s parents gift the bride a nine-yard sari and a blouse to be worn for next moment, the auspicious occasion of tying the mangasultra

 

Muhurtum

 

The priest and relatives bless the mangalsutra or sacred thread and then the groom ties it around the neck of his bride with two knots. His sister ties the third knot much to the jubilation of everyone accompanied by the drums of the melam. These three knots symbolise the marriage of the mind, spirit and body.

 

Saptapadi

 

The groom takes the right hand of the bride in his left hand and leads her around the sacred fire seven times. Each round is begun by the bride only after touching the grinding stone. This signifies her hope of a steadfast and forever union.

 

 

Technorati Tags: Affair, Beautiful, Marriages, Simple, Tamil

You and your would-be husband are tired of attending the same, old wedding celebration. Every wedding occasion, you are not seeing something different. So, on your wedding day, you plan of making it unique. You wish for a wedding that will reveal something about you and your groom. How then will you be able to make your wedding personalized? Here are the seven ways:

1.    Do both of you love the sea? If you can afford it, hold your wedding in a yacht or a small ferry. Prefer to the wedding ceremony outside, where you are surrounded by the blue and green water. Since the air is expected to ‘join’ you in the celebration, make sure that your hair do and dress will not ruin your look. Or else, you will look like a damsel in distress.

2.    Thinking of wedding outdoor? Hire a butterfly release company. Isn’t it enjoyable to see butterflies flying while you are walking down the aisle? It is as if butterflies are joining you in your momentous occasion. Double up the fun by releasing balloons at the end of the celebration.

3.    If you love history and you wish to hold your wedding in a very old church, why not have a grand entrance by riding in a horse-drawn carriage? To make it more appealing to your eyes, as well as the eyes of your visitors, why not rent a historical-looking place for a reception?

4.    Instead of you, your groom and the rest of your entourage wearing the traditional gowns and suits, why not think of something new? If you are planning of a luau wedding, why not ask everyone, including your visitors, wear the traditional Hawaiian dress? Of course, to make you stand out as a bride, wear something that will set you apart from them. To make the celebration more realistic, hold the wedding near the sea.

5.    For your wedding cake, ask the cake company to make one with your and your groom’s initials on top. For your wedding giveaways, distribute edible photo cakes (you and your groom’s photograph, of course!)

6.    It is common to see numbers displayed in the tables at the wedding reception area. Instead of having numbers in seating arrangements, name the tables after your interests or favorites. This way, people will see something new.

7.    At the entrance of the wedding reception area, instead of asking people to sign the guest book, it is more enjoyable to have their thumb prints in a clear paper with only your and your groom’s names and the date of the wedding. Have it framed later on.

Really, the number is endless when it comes to ideas to make your wedding personalized. The only key here, though, is to make the occasion according to your likes or interests. Read the suggestions above and it is more likely that you will choose from this list or you will come up with your own ideas. In the end, you will surely have an enjoyable and unforgettable wedding.

Technorati Tags: Personalize, ways, wedding

 In the past, “toy” dogs have often been bred to make a dog owner’s life easier, mainly for the richer sectors in society. They were owned by the affluent and were seen as status symbols and a luxury item despite their apparent lack of purpose. However, nowadays they have become a fashion statement for all social classes rich and poor, celebrities far and wide. Indeed, entire sites are now being created devoted to the canine preferences of our favourite celebs, and these can have a real impact – for good or bad being a point of debate – on the trends of dog ownership around the globe. Toy dogs are generally easier to care for, but they are usually not fond of children and large families. They also tend to be a bit “yappy”, however they are loyal and intelligent and great entertainers. Here are just five favourite pocket pooches:

Yorkshire Terrier

Definitely a favourite in the UK, naturally due to its origin. First bred to catch rats in the coalmines, this rugged and slightly scruffy looking toy dog is very popular because it does have all of the loveable characteristics of a larger dog, only in miniature. They are about 7-9 inches tall and weigh 5-7 pounds. The Yorkie is easily recognisable due to its long shiny straight coat which is coloured reds, tans and greys that can reach to the floor. Naturally this beautiful coat needs daily grooming.

The Yorkie has boundless energy and an even temperament. They can be hard to train, but with persistence it is manageable as they are usually intelligent and quick to learn. Yorkies are quite sociable dogs and often get along with other pets, but do tend to be very possessive of their food and toys. They are best suited to families with older and calmer children, rather than toddlers. They don’t need excessive walks and often will not walk on a lead, so obedience training may be necessary. They will be wary of strangers, and will bark in defence, so are excellent guard dogs, but it is advisable to socialise early so that they don’t become too shrill and yappy. Their lifespan is approximately 12-14 years. Contemporary celebrity Yorkie-lovers include teen pop princess Miley Cyrus, who has a Yorkshire Terrier named Roadie.

Shih Tzu

It is sometimes thought that the origin of the Shih Tzu goes way back to them being shown in paintings and art of the Tang dynasty in 618 to 907AD. Other thoughts are that the Tibet’s Dalai Lama in the 16th or 17th century gave a gift to the Chinese Emperor of the sacred Tibetan Lhasa Apso dogs. In the Tibetan religion, there are stories of a small dog that can transform itself into a lion. These Tibetan Lhasa Apsos, when introduced in Peking, were crossed with the Pekingese to produce the Shih Tzu, which means “Lion Dog” in Chinese. Unfortunately, they almost became extinct when the Chinese Communist government imposed a huge dog tax in 1947. Luckily there were other breeding pairs in Europe and the breed also became extremely popular in the US after WW2, and more recently haveing been “endorsed” by celebrities such as Nicole Ritchie, who has one named Honeychild

Despite their delicately exotic looks, they are one of the most robust of the toy dogs. They are 8-10 inches tall and 9-16 pounds in weight. They are intelligent, playful, affectionate, friendly, and outgoing dogs and require some training, especially house training. They are also extremely loyal to their owners and families, showing only rare bouts of aggression. Therefore, great with other pets and older children, but not great watchdogs.

This dog is a true lap dog and will love being pampered all day long. This for a Shih Tzu is important because they require a lot of grooming. Their double coat needs to be brushed and combed thoroughly every day to prevent tangles. The long hair can scratch the dog’s eyes and therefore should be tied up away from the face. It is best have their coats trimmed and clipped regularly. While this may change their overall appearance, it is better to have a clipped Shih Tzu than one full of tangles. They do also enjoy daily walks and are more than happy to trot along with you. Their lifespan is approximately 10-14 years.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is the smallest of the toy dogs. Their recent popularity may be due in part to the likes of Paris Hilton, but they were probably first bred in Chihuahua, Mexico during the time of the Aztecs. The longer coated Chihuahua was thought to have been bred later in the U.S. Chihuahuas weigh 2-6 pounds and are a mere 5-9 inches in height. The two varieties are Smooth-coat and Long-coat, which are extremely similar bar their coat. Smooth-coated Chihuahuas tend to be the more popular, as they have glossy, smooth, soft coats. Long-Coated Chihuahuas have longer, soft coats that feather on the tail, ears, neck and feet. They are the ultimate apartment dog and are extremely popular with older people.

Chihuahuas are intelligent, loyal and loving dogs, devoted totally to their owners and family. They thrive on close interaction and contact with the family, hence why they make such great companions. However, despite this, they are prone to being a bit “snooty” and aloof, as well as fiercly jealous and possessive. They most certainly have delusions of grandeur, are very confident and will undoubtedly challenge any larger dogs. Chihuahuas are great with older children if they have been raised with them.

These little dogs can actually be trained quite easily. Chihuahuas are known to be somewhat insecure and this is what can cause their excessive barking, so ideally socialisation and training whilst still a puppy is advised. Chihuahuas tend to get the exercise that they need indoors – be careful with them jumping from furniture as they can easily hurt themselves – so they don’t appear to need much regular outdoor exercise. If you do venture out with them during the winter months, it’s best to keep them warm in a little coat. The Smooth-coated variety will only need the infrequent brush. The Long-coated Chihuahuas need regular grooming and trims. They are either single coated, which sheds little, or double coated that can shed quite a bit. Because they don’t get outdoors a lot, they will need to have their claws trimmed on a regular basis. Their lifespan is approximately 12-14 years.

Maltese

Definitely one of the most intelligent, gentle and loving of the toy dogs. As their name suggest, they originated from Malta. However there have been statues of similar looking dogs in Ancient Egyptian tombs as well as being a favourite breed of noble ladies in ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages in Europe. Hollywood beauty and Academy Award winner Hale Berry owns two Maltese named Polly and Willy.

These dogs are full of energy and just adore playing. They have huge characters and are full of surprises. They are often insecure when a puppy, so early socialisation to people and other animals is advisable. This should then give them the confidence they need as they mature, hopefully lowering their inherent lack of trust in strangers and their tendency to bark. They enjoy training, so there is little issue there. They tend to be suited to older children.

The Maltese dogs are about 8 to 9 inches in height and weigh 4 to 7 pounds. They are easily recognisable by their long-haired coat, which is white, straight and silky. Naturally, because of their beautiful coat, they need daily grooming, including regular bathing. Their coat is normally centre parted with the coat almost reaching to the ground. They don’t shed their hair, so any dead hair should be brushed out. As their hair grows long over their eyes, tie it up so they can see. They love to go for walks as well as getting plenty of exercise indoors playing their games, but always keep them on the lead to avoid confrontations with larger dogs. Their lifespan is 14-15 years.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

The Cavalier Spaniel was first bred in the 16th century in England and quickly became a favourite of European socialites. King Charles II also kept a large group of these dogs. They are often seen in portraits of European aristocracy. They were used to warm laps in chilly castles and on carriage rides. They are graceful, gentle, playful and mild mannered. They are superb family dogs, enjoying play and close contact with their families. They are sociable dogs and mingle well with children and adults of all ages, though, as with all breeds of dog your should always supervise play with younger children. They love cuddles on laps and anywhere warm and snuggly. Outdoors they are lively and do tend to chase small animals as is their hunting dog ancestry. Luckily they are easy to train and love long walks. They have long silky coats that feather around the neck and chest. They are usually, tan, red, white and black, either with two or three colours throughout their different varieties. With this coat they will need regular grooming, at least twice per week. They are about eleven to fourteen inches in height, making them one of the taller of the toy dogs, and weigh eleven to eighteen pounds. Their lifespan is ten to fourteen years. The list of celebrity King Charles Spaniel owners past and present is lengthy, and includes Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra and Liv Tyler.

Whatever breed of toy dog you choose as your companion, remember that you will need to consider how you will provide the necessary funds for veterinary treatment should you dog have an accident or become ill. There are so many pet insurance providers now that it can be difficult to decide what it the right choice for you and your faithful friend. Animal Friends Insurance is an ethical pet insurance company which donates all of its profits to helping animals all around the world. You could pay them a visit now, and let the information found there help you through the pet insurance maze.

Technorati Tags: Pocket, Pooches

Matrimony is an important step towards uniting two individuals for an entire life who then promise to always love and care for each other. It marks the bonding of two souls, two families, their culture and their communities. This beautiful beginning of the lives of the bride and the groom has to be wrapped with blessings from Almighty as well as from other well-wishers. Indian weddings are generally elaborate and are celebrated with extravagance and splendor. They are mostly celebrated over a span of a week with around a month or two spent in preparation.

Due to the diversity and vastness of India’s culture, Indian marriage customs are also diverse. Every region of the country, east, west, north and south have their own unique way of celebrating marriages and their own wedding customs and rituals.

The perfect example of a typical Indian wedding celebrated with pomp and grandeur is North Indian Weddings. They are the most popular kind of Indian weddings that elaborately glorify the marriage of two people. The North Indian Weddings mainly include pre-wedding ceremonies like Sagan, Engagement, Mehndi, Sangeet, etc and wedding day ceremonies like Baraat, Varmala, Phere and Vidaai.

North Indian Weddings have become a favorite with many foreigners who now wish to get married in India in Indian style. Wedding tourism in India has, in fact, gained huge popularity due to the same. Besides the magnificence, another exceptional feature of these weddings is their complete loyalty to traditional customs and rituals.

South Indian wedding is another kind of Indian wedding that follows a number of customs and rituals, each symbolic of beautiful sentiments that form a marriage. The ceremonies of a typical South Indian wedding are unique yet interestingly embedded with spiritual meanings; they are popular for flowers and fragrance. The custom of Nadaswaram is followed by Kolam and Sowbhayam to welcome the guests at the wedding. Other ceremonies are Ganesh/ Gauri Puja, Navagraha, Vratham, Kasi yatra, Vaara puja, Jaya mala, Kanya danam, Sapta padhi, Graha pravesh, Nalangu, etc. All these add fun and solemnity to the whole wedding affair.

The culture of Western states of India like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc can be distinctly seen in West Indian weddings. The marriage is arranged by parents and other relatives of bride and groom by matching horoscopes later followed by selection of the Shubh Muhurat. After the wedding, Laxmi Narayan puja and Kanya Daan is conducted in which the father gives his daughter’s hand to the groom seeking a promise that he will always take good care of her. A reception party is generally organized in the evening to congratulate the bride and groom.

The East Indian states strictly follow the Vedic rules and regulations instructed in their weddings. The states like West Bengal, Bihar Orissa, Assam, etc exhibit the predominant rituals of an Indian marriage. According to Hindu

Dharma, marriage is the communion of two souls; it is a commitment of lifetime by a man and woman to each other. In East Indian weddings, traditions are believed to be the core component of a marriage. For east Indians, matrimony is meant for overall spiritual and emotional growth of an individual and not to defy any human weakness. Man and woman are considered soul mates who direct the energy and zeal connected with their entity into the development of their souls through the foundation of marriage.

Indian Weddings are known worldwide for their extravagance and are synonymous with fun and celebration. They have occupied a place no less than that of a festival in India. As the day of the wedding holds maximum value in a person’s life, all the events, traditions, customs, dance, music and food are aimed at making it memorable and exotic.

Technorati Tags: Ceremonies, India, Kinds, wedding

Rajasthan is a place known for its cultures, rituals and most of all; it is famous for its colorful people. The people of Rajasthan are very colorful and in every manner, very religious and spiritual. The sand dunes, safaris, dance, lush forests, wildlife are few of the traits, which make Rajasthan a special and a different place in the country. Blue pottery, metal craft, woodcraft, leather wear, stone carving, metal lamps, are the famous handicrafts offered by Rajasthani culture.

The reflection of all these colors and cultures can be seen in a Marwari marriage. Marwari’s are the people resident of the Marwar region of Rajasthan. These people are termed Marwari’s irrespective of their caste, there can be Marwari Baniya, Marwari Brahmin, or Marwari Rajput, can be hindu, muslim or jain., the identity they carry is according to their geographical area.

As all other marriages in Rajasthan, Marwari marriages are very traditional and usually an extravagant affair. The marriage rituals start from days before the marriage and extend to loads of days after the marriage. The pre- marriage, during marriage and post marriage rituals are described as below:

Pre- Marriage Rituals:

Engagement Ceremony:

‘Sagai’ or the engagement ceremony is the step towards the beginning of the marriage ceremonies. In this, the bride’s brother puts tilak on the forehead of the groom and then he is presented with sweets, sword and many other gifts. A puja for Ganpati Sthapana and Greh Shanti is also performed at the respective houses of bride and groom to initiate the marriage ceremonies with the blessings of god.

Pithi Dastoor:

This ceremony involves the application of turmeric paste on the hands, feet and face of the Marwari bride and groom in their respective houses. The Marwari bride wears an orange ghaghra choli, while the Marwari groom wears dhoti and kurta. After this ceremony, both the Marwari bride and groom are not supposed to go out of their houses before the actual marriage ceremony takes place.

Mehfils:

Mehfils forms an important part of the marriage ceremonies in a Marwari marriage. These are basically an occasion to celebrate and dance in the traditional manner. Separate mehfils for men and women are organized in which ghoomars and other cultural dances are performed by the professional and participations are also seen by the family members.

Janev Ceremony:

It’s a ritual, where a sacred thread is tied on the hand of the Marwari groom as a part of the Havan or the puja. The Janev or the sacred thread is to keep the evil eye away from the married life of the couple.

Palla Dastoor:

The presentation of wedding dress, Jewelry and gifts to the Marwari bride on the day or one day before the day of the marriage is called Palla Dastoor.

Baraat:

Baraat is the denotion of the procession which moves from the house of the Marwari groom till the house of the bride for the actual wedding ceremony. The marwari bride is dressed in his traditional dress of achkan and chooridar along with Rajasthani turban on the head, conventional jootis in the feet, and a sword in hand.

Wedding Ceremonies:

Aarti:

The baraat constituting the groom and his relatives are welcomed by the mother of the marwari bride along with other female members of the family. The groom is then taken to the mandap, where the jaimala, ceremony takes place, from wherein the bride is taken to another mandap for the phera ceremony.

Granthi Bandhan:

Granthi- bandhan is tying the knot of the bride’s dupatta along with a dupatta rolled over the groom to signify their beginning of being one entity from two. The knot is either tied by the priest or by the groom’s sister.

Phera:

After the paani grehan ritual, i.e. the groom taking the hand of the bride in his hand, signifying him taking her responsibility from now onwards, both of them take four pheras or circles around the scared fire. Rest of the three is taken at the entrance.

Ashwahrohan:

It’s the ceremony, where the Marwari bride is made to put her foot on the grinding stone taking the pledge to face every difficulty with courage and being loyal towards her husband always. After which, the bride’s brothers put ‘kheel’ in the hands of the bride, and joining the hands of the bride and the groom and then offering the puffed rice or kheel to the sacred fire. This is to bless the sister with her brothers’ wishes.

Vamang Sthapana and Sindurdaan:

Here, the bride is asked to sit on the left side of the groom, signifying the acceptance of the bride’s presence in the heart of the groom as the heart is on the left side of the body. Then the Marwari groom applies sindur on the forehead of the bride.

Satapadi:

Satapadi is the custom, where the Marwari bride and the groom walk seven steps together establishing their togetherness in all walks of life.

Post wedding ceremonies:

Bidai:

After few more ceremonies, like Anjhala Bharaai, Paharavani, the bidai ceremony takes place as a part of which, the bride leaves her maternal house and moves towards her new house, the house of her husband where she has to live for the rest of her life.

The bride after entering the Marwari groom’s house is welcomed by the family groom with great celebration and joy, as a part if the grehpravesh ceremony, and after which all the family members and friends bless the newly wed couple for their happy and blissful married life.

Technorati Tags: Followed, Marriage, Marwari, Rituals

Punjabis believe in doing everything larger than life and a special occasion like marriage is celebrated like a big carnival, exhibiting splendid glamour. Like, all other communities in India, Punjabis have their own series of rituals and ceremonies to perform.

 

Punjabi matrimony involves the usual girl made to meet the boy or vice versa. Like all other Indian matrimonial services, they prefer getting their children married in the same religion or caste.

 

The girl and the boy are made to meet each other in the usual arrange marriage kind of manner. After their mutual consent, the first ceremony is ‘Roka’ or ‘Thaka’, where the girl’s father accompanied with some relatives and friends visit the young man’s house along with some sweets and presents. Then a formal engagement ceremony ‘mangani’ is organized when the boy’s family returns the visit and in the presence of friends and relatives the intended marriage is announced. Basically, the origin of this ceremony lies in the arranged marriage norm where the parents would let out the world that they are looking for a suitable match for their son or daughter.

Though traditionally, this ceremony is performed with ‘Ardas’, a prayer, these days it is celebrated with songs, dance and merriment.

 

After getting engaged, both the girl and the boy enjoy their courtship, the period when they get to know more about each other. And then, the preparations for the grand Punjabi wedding begin.

 

Wedding begins with ‘Akhand Path’, which ends with a ceremony called ‘Sagan’. It is performed a day before the wedding, when the girl’s family along with their relatives and friends visits the would- be son-in law’s house with wedding gifts, sweets and sagan.

 

Then in the evening, the most awaited ‘Mehndi ki raat’ is celebrated. Popularly know as ‘Ladies Sangeet’, it is one of the most exciting rituals in Punjabi marriages. The soon-to-be bride and groom apply mehndi or henna on their hands. All other family members and relatives sing and dance to folk Punjabi songs. These days, the focus has shifted to DJ system, which has become a rage in all Indian marriages.

 

Similarly the groom’s relatives also apply batna, more as a jest than a serious ceremony.

 

Then the grand wedding day arrives, which begins with Chuda & Ghara Ghardoli:

During the Chuda ceremony, the oldest maternal uncle and aunt have the most active role to perform. People touch the chuda and give their wishes to the girl for her married life. Then they sprinkle flower petals on the to-be bride. After that, the girl’s uncle, aunt, friends and cousins tie kaliras (silver, gold or gold plated traditional ornaments) to a bangle worn by the girl.

Thereafter, the bride and groom wear their wedding attire. As per the tradition, their wedding dress is presented to them by their respective maternal uncles.

The bride’s family waits at the entrance to greet the baarat (the groom and his family), who reach singing and dancing. The father, brother, uncles and grandfathers of the groom embrace the corresponding members of the bride’s family.

In the Hindu - Punjabi marriage, bride and bridegroom along with their parents will sit around the sacred fire while pandits chant the marriage mantras. They are deemed to be married after they have walked around the sacred fire ‘lawan phere’. The scenario is different in Sikh marriages. The Sikh couple will sit before the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, while prayers are said and they will walk around the Guru Granth Sahib, while grnathi chants the extracts from the ‘granth sahib’. After that, finally when they are announced as the man and wife, prasad, a buttery, a scrumptious wheat-flour based sweet, is distributed to all present and signals the completion of the ceremony.

 

As Punjabis love eating, both Sikh and Hindu weddings are marked by more feasting. The concluding item is doli, literally “palanquin”, when the bride is given an emotional farewell by her family and friends. Then comes the exciting part as more ceremonies await the bride at her husband’s home but the main extravaganza is over. Interestingly, even now some brides sit in a doli, which takes her to the getaway car, where the groom and a few members of his family are waiting to escort her home. She gets in, and zooms off to her new home – and new life. 

 

But in the end, both Hindu and Sikhs believe that marriage is the most beautiful union and should be celebrated with all the zest and enthusiasm.

Technorati Tags: Extravagant, Marriages, Punjabi

A wedding may be appropriately defined as a ceremony in which the beginning of marriage is celebrated but in the Nigerian English and culture recognizes this otherwise. Nigerians therefore colloquially refer to the customary aspect of the ceremony as “traditional marriage” while the church Christian aspect has come to be known as “wedding”. The implication is that when people in Nigeria hear that a wedding is taking place their minds become fixated on the European aspect of it.

In Nigeria church wedding commonly takes place in the church expectedly. There could be slight differences in the arrangements but generally weddings in Nigeria take similar patterns. The man getting married is called groom while the woman getting married is referred to as bride. The dress code for couple is usually suit and wedding gown; though a situation now exists in parents wishing to concretize their marital vows or receive blessings particularly among the Catholics now appear in attires other than suit and wedding gowns. 

This ceremony begins in a church usually at 900 am and may end at about 12pm, but the Deeper Life Church is known to celebrate the shortest wedding in Nigeria because this organization does not follow most of the conventional methods such as presentation of rings, cutting of cake and so on, thus a wedding at the Deeper Life Church may expectedly end no sooner than you expect it to commence.

In most Nigerian churches, the father of the bride is expected to hand the bride over to the groom supervised by the priest. It is noteworthy here that in the absence of the father the eldest man in the family takes up the position. And generally plays the role accordingly in such a manner that guests may become unaware of true position of events.

Generally the program of events for the reception may appear thus:

(i)                 Arrival of Guests

(ii)               Introduction of the MC

(iii)             Introduction of the members of the High table

(iv)              Arrival of the couple

(v)                Opening prayer/breaking of kola nuts

(vi)              Chairman’s opening remarks

(vii)            Cutting of the cake

(viii)          Feeding of the bride and groom

(ix)              Proposal of toast

(x)                Couple’s dance

(xi)              Who’s next

(xii)            Presentation of gifts

(xiii)          Vote of thanks

(xiv)          Losing prayer

Reception ceremony in honour of the couple follows immediately sometimes at a different hall if the church where the wedding was celebrated is lacking of one or if the couple so choose to celebrate it at a different environment. A wedding reception may be incomplete without the presence of a live band to supply music and most people will prefer a Christian band because of the belief that weddings require sacredness.

When the guests are seated, the MC is expected to introduce himself after which he calls to the high table certain important dignitaries and personalities sometimes beginning with the chairman of the occasion. When all the members of the high table have been called to take their place on the rostrum, the bride and groom are invited, the MC wastes no time in reminding the guests to stand up as a mark of respect to the couple while singing and dancing to their honour. Members of the couple, bridal train and parents of the couple may also join in the precession to usher in the couple.

This is quickly followed with opening prayer. The MC expectedly calls on any one member of the high table to lead the prayer assuming if there is no presence of priest on the high table. Breaking of kola nuts may simultaneously follow. Interestingly the oldest man is often requested to come forward and do the breaking of the kola nuts. This oldest man may says his prayer which tradition may demand never to be expressed in English language because kola nuts never understands the English language. After the breaking of kola nut, a small boy passes it round to all present but all acclaimed titled holders i.e. chiefs of different sorts will be expected to pick the kola nut followed by elders in other of seniority. Please take note that women may not be involved in this arrangement until all the men have fully had theirs.

The Chairman of the occasion usually a married man full of marital experiences is better fit for this position because his speech will reflect his marital background. He takes to floor, lecturing the couple as well as the guests married and married on what to expect. A lot of these chairpersons have began centered their speeches on why they should not reveal their marriage most prized happenings or information to the outside world not even their parents and close friends. They may also advocate for tolerance among the couple stressing the need to live together. A very good chairperson of the occasion may attract a standing ovation if oration convinces the guests.

It is conventional for the MC to invite introduce the cake designer and invite him or her to introduce the cake she has prepared but this time an experienced MC will have invited some four or six witnesses to witness the cutting of the cake and briefly relate their experiences on this to the guests. With the invitation of the bride and groom, the cake designer introduces the different colours she has utilized in designing the cake pointing out the relevance of all these to the marital life of the newly weds. Finally, the MC spells J E S U S (Jesus) and the couple cut the cake. The witnesses relate their experiences on who was the first between the couple to cut the cake or generally how it all went. Moments later the couple feed themselves beginning with the bride as the owner of the kitchen.

Someone comes out to propose a toast; a man well familiar with all it all began is best situated to carry out this assignment as he relates to the guests the best of all he knew about the relation, ably presenting it in a funny way and attracting ovation from the guests. He leaves everyone in a happy mood falling about.

Couple will at this juncture take to the floor and convince the guests on who dances better, while the guests in turn are expected to appreciate this spraying money lavishly on them. Dance may last for as long as the MC considers fit as he tries to take a clue from the couple on whether they are tired or not.

The next item on the agenda becomes the tossing of the bouquet by the bride over her shoulder. Most wedding in Nigeria in recent time ignore this very item for perhaps reason having to do with time factor but where it is recognized the bride stand backing the guests and upon the sell of L O V E by the MC throws it to the single ladies who will scramble for it with the superstitious assumption that whoever picks it marries next.

The guests present gifts to the couple; it has become a convention in the Nigerian society for the Best man to receive the gifts while the Chief Bride’s maid in return reciprocate by giving out gifts to the presenters of gifts to the couple. Vote of thanks comes next and presented by the groom while anyone from the high table leads the closing prayer. I9t is then time for the couple to further their honeymoon though they may not leave the venue until the guests have entirely departed as a mark of respect. He wife is however escorted to her husband’s house by her friends and maids who may assist her in carrying some of dowries at night.  

Technorati Tags: Africa, Ceremony, Church, Exactly, Expect, Nigeria, wedding