Reason Behind 'Vidaai' Ceremony In Indian Weddings; Significance, Origin And Much More

When we think of Indian weddings, we cannot expect anything but luxury and grandeur. An Indian wedding begins with a number of ceremonies and rituals, where family and friends come together to wish the couple for their new life, besides making sure they have a blast at the wedding! The wedding is also a day where a number of emotions are intertwined.

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On one hand, there is the joy of new knots being tied; on the other hand, there is a sweet sorrow of a girl leaving her parent’s home. This is symbolised by a separate ceremony, whose moment brims with overwhelming emotions. This is known as the vidaai ceremony in the Indian weddings.

Origin

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Did you know? Primitively, brides were given away to kings, princes as a gift, property or as a compensatory gift, if a kingdom had to surrender or if a treaty had to be made between two kingdoms. Yes, quite unbelievable as it may sound, but this is how the whole concept of ‘vidaai’ started.

What does it symbolise?

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The vidaai ceremony symbolises the final stage of a wedding, where the bride’s parents bid farewell to their daughter with their son-in-law. The special significance of the ceremony lies in the fact that it is marked by mixed emotions of joy and sorrow.

As their little, loving daughter welcomes a new life of bliss; parents are filled with feelings of happiness for her, and they bless her with all their heart and soul. Simultaneously, the pain of being separated from their child makes their eyes well-up with tears. The same emotions are witnessed by the bride as well, as she hugs her parents and touches the feet of the elderly relatives as a gesture of seeking their blessings for her new life.

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Rituals of the Indian vidaai ceremony

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The vidaai ceremony brings alongside with it, heap loads of meanings and significance. Although this is the final ceremony of a wedding (for the bride’s side), yet the vidaai ceremony entails a number of rituals and meaning. Read on the points listed below:

• As the bride steps out of her parent’s house to be a part of her husband’s family, she pauses at the doorstep to throw a handful of coins and rice back over her head thrice. This denotes that as the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi (the Hindu Goddess of prosperity and wealth), and she wishes that her house remains prosperous always. Coins signify wealth, whereas rice is a symbol of health.
• This ritual also symbolises that the bride has repaid her parents for her upbringing and for everything they have bestowed upon her. Just before the vidaai ceremony, according to some wedding traditions, the newly-wedded couple is made to sit wherein relatives come one by one and bestow the new bride and groom with gifts, money and truckload of blessings.
• After this, the bride’s parents give their daughter’s hand to her newbie husband. They request their son-in-law to take care of their daughter and always be there to support and guide her in their marital journey.
• The second last ritual in the vidaai ceremony sees the couple move towards the car to head towards the groom’s house. The bride’s brothers and cousins push their car from behind (or lift the doli)- a ritual which bespeaks them wishing her luck and pushing them towards a joyful life.
• This the final ritual after the vidaai ceremony is over. As the groom's car moves forward, the girl’s family completes the vidaai rituals by throwing some coins on the road. This is their way of warding off all evils from the path towards her new life.

Vidaai is a bittersweet moment for the bride and her family. The joys of the new life are surrounded by the tears of leaving her parent's home. And, after the vidaai ceremony, the bride is welcomed into her new home by the groom's family through griha pravesh custom, and fun games and celebrations. Did this article remind you of your vidaai ceremony? Let us know in the comments section below.

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