Parikshit inquired as to the rationale behind the current state of affairs.
Radha states that cumin seeds, as opposed to jaggery, possess a faintly acrid residue. Similar to how the combination of these two ingredients produces a paste, the bride and groom ought to remain united and unbreakable amidst the various positive and negative circumstances that arise in life. The intention is for the marriage to be represented symbolically as eternal and indestructible throughout the ceremony. Above the brahmarandhra (A suture or incision in the crown of the head), which is done in an official manner to declare them to be husband and wife.
"May Lord Varuna, Jupiter, grant you a seat of immortality!" implored the officiant. "Abhratrighneem Varuna apatighneem brihaspathe thachusyai savitussah" Behold the fire deities' blessings upon you. May the stability of all five planets endure. I wish you success at this time.
It requires a collective commitment to reciprocate affection, the integration of individuals who possess unique qualities, and the cultivation of a shared vitality. To foster a renewed vitality alongside that of our forebears, cumin and jaggery collaborate.
The bride and groom would fixate on one another continuously after smooch the brahmarandhra, according to the elders. People that value science have also recognized this. When they both acknowledge one other's affection and good fortune, it is said that their emotional link will become even deeper."
"You too, Radha aunt, understand the scientific basis for them," Ram continued.
" Actually, Ram, I knew a few of them, "but Radha felt humiliated to confess it.
The bride and groom smeared a combination of cumin stick-jaggery paste on each other's cranium (on the brahma orifice) at the allotted time, while the mangala instruments played, the priest performed mantras, and the pair concentrated on Goddess Gowri.
The drapes are closed.
During the auspicious time of the wedding, the bridegroom casts a fleeting gaze towards the direction of the center of the bride's brows before diverting his attention to his favored deity.
Rajeev and Gowthami make intriguing eye contact when the curtain separating them is drawn back. As the elders anoint them with axes, younger ones congratulate the nuptials.
The bride and groom were subsequently given a new set of clothing and told to change by the clergymen.
A white sari with a crimson border covered the bride's body. A white dhoti with a crimson border Is the groom's apparel. When Parikshit caught site of Rajeev and Gowthami's attire
He questioned "why they were wearing such vividly colored clothing?"
According to Sashi, this is referred to as the Madhuparaka ceremony. It is a tradition that we observe during nuptials. The newlywed is clad in a white sari with crimson trim. A white dhoti with a crimson border is the groom's apparel. White represents purity, while crimson signifies authority.
To take part in the next series of ceremonies, the bride and betrothed went back to the mandap.
Currently, they are seated next to one another, the fiancée on the groom's right.
Parikshit inquired his grandfather, who was situated closer to the stage, "why Gowthami aunty was seated to Rajeev uncle's left."
"You must be aware that wives are also referred to in ancient Hindu texts as a man's "better-half," or "vamangi," where vama refers to the left side of the body and angi to the body. Therefore, the concept of a better-half is obsolete. Parvati may be seen at Shiva's left in any representation of him and her.
Additionally, since women are created from the left wing of Brahma while males are created from the right wing, women are referred to as the left portion of the Vamangi, or husband.
After that, Gowthami aunty sat to Rajeev uncle's left."
Eventually, clerics gave Rajeev an auspicious thread. Rajeev tied it in a coil and secured it around the bride's neck. It has black beads that are threaded on yellow thread colored with turmeric to imitate a necklace. Following that, Rajeev placed sindoor on Gowthami's forehead.
Parikshit swung around to face his grandfather.
Gurdeep's grandson finally comprehended what he was saying when he said, "It is called a mangalsutra," and he then began to elucidate it.
To signify their marital status, women wear it as a necklace. The friendship and affection that Hindu married women in India wear is a fortunate thread. As a consequence, Hindus venerate the groom's practice of binding the Managalsutra around the bride's neck as a sacred rite.
The term "mangalsutram" is derived from the Sanskrit words "mangala," which signifies prosperity and "sutram," which means chord. The perfect managalsutra is composed of 108 (an auspicious number) tiny cotton filaments that have been braided together and then colored yellow with saffron or turmeric. A gold thali is located at the thread's center.
During the wedding ceremony, the betrothed drapes the mangalsutram around the bride's neck and fastens it with three knots as the cleric sings mantras (chants). The process of binding a mangalsutram symbolizes the unity of the bridal and betrothed and their desire to protect one another.
Both the bridal and the mangalsutram are regarded as fortunate symbols (sumangala), particularly the bride. By adorning the mangalsutram, the bridal is allegedly shielded from the evil eye.
She thus instantaneously delivers good fortune to everyone who sees her. Mars, also known as Mangala, is crimson, the color of Hindu brides' auspicious attire. This connection leads to the frequent utilization of the coral crystal (manga), which is sacrosanct to Mars. The kala pota, or black glass crystals, that make up the mangalsutram chain. It is intended to fend against negative karma.
A bride's Surya Nadi and innate energies are activated when she wears the Mangala Sutra. According to others, it signals the brain to produce these hormones, draws positive energy from the earth, and circulates it through the bride's body, making her energized. The Anahat Chakra, or Heart Chakra, of the bridal is situated in the center of the vertebrae, near to the heart. The bride's neck being enveloped in the Thali, which represents the marital bond, is the most significant aspect of a Hindu ceremony.
The bride's neck is surrounded by the thread Managalsutra, which the husband secures in three ties with two gilded disks Sutram (one from her family and the other spouse's). In Thinking (Manasa), Words (Vacha), and Deeds (Karmana), the three ties stand for the groom's acceptance of the bride. Two receptacles are present, one of which is hollow and the other is raised. The vacant sides are directed toward the body.
Goddess Shakti is alleged to reside there, whereupon divine force is thought to congregate. The marriage of Lord Shiva and Lady Shakti, as well as their principles, are symbolized by the mangalsutram in Hinduism. To live efficiently, the concepts of Shiva and Shakti must be merged. In this circumstance, Shiva acts on his own behalf, while Shakti grants his actions potency.
The mangalsutra's gold pearls are considered to signify Goddess Parvati, while the black beads are said to represent Lord Shiva. Nine crystals, which represent the nine distinct manifestations of energy, are often seen In mangalsutra's. These energies serve to protect the spouse and wife from any detrimental energy. The vitality of the four elements—air, water, earth, and fire—is also believed to reside in these crystals. These four elements encourage a strong bond between a man and a woman.
"What is that red hue Rajeev painted on Gowthami Auntie's forehead?" Parikshit questioned
Sindoor is a term that alludes to a hue other than red. at addition, upon docking at Sindoor According to legend, the bride's body is supposed to be cooled and relieved when the mercury in Sindoor is applied to her hair partition.
As Rajeev tenderly applied the sindoor to Gowthami's temple, time seemed to stand still. The moment was sacred, intimate, and filled with the weight of tradition. Sashi, standing beside her dear friend, gently slid the covering from Gowthami's head, revealing her to the gathering crowd. The soft light in the room caught her delicate features, casting a glow that made the moment seem almost ethereal.
Just as the veil was lifted, a man who had been treating Rajeev for his earlier wound quietly exited the dining area. He appeared indifferent at first, scanning the surroundings as if to reacquaint himself with the gathering. His eyes, however, were drawn to the bride. Something about her presence demanded his attention, like a distant memory resurfacing, tugging at the edges of his mind.
He stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes widened with disbelief, struggling to focus on the figure before him. "She's the same... right?" he muttered to himself, a mixture of shock and confusion swirling in his thoughts.
But before he could get a clear view of her face, Sashi, with graceful precision, draped the veil back over Gowthami, shielding her from the prying eyes of the crowd—and the stranger.
The man's mind raced. He couldn't shake the familiarity of her. His pulse quickened as memories from the past flickered like fragments of a dream. "Could it be?" he whispered, barely audible to himself. His heart thudded in his chest, torn between disbelief and certainty.
But the moment passed, and as the crowd celebrated the union, the man stood rooted in place, haunted by the image of the bride whose face he swore he had seen before.