Sidhyant

Pune


There was a dialogue in my husband Mr Lallan Prasad Thakur's drama: "he jamana badail gelai ya", that means the time has changed. That is very true. We can see a drastic change in 10 years. I am not saying the change is bad thing, but in my view we should not leave our values. There are many messages which he gave through the dialogues of his drama.


In Maithil's marriage Mool, Gotra and Adhikar is very important. Each of the Gotra is named after a Muni or Rishi and one can't marry in same Gotra. It is said that the marriage in same gotra has genetic disorder in the children. Mool which depicts the origin of the ancestors of a person. Adhikar means right, and in Maithil's marriage a person can have an Adhikar to marry if he or she doesn't have blood relation with the girl or boy. From the girl's side six steps and from boy's side seven steps are counted for that. The genealogical records of Maithil Brahmins are kept with the genealogists. Each family has their genealogist and the genealogical record which is called panji(पंजी) are kept with them in their house in Saurath, these records are invaluable for Maithils because it has their ancestors name and the place their ancestors belonged to. Saurath is a village which is five kilometers from Madhubani. After going through the genealogical record the genealogist confirms the adhikar and then the Sidhyant is done.


Sidhyant is one of the step in Maithil marriage which is performed after the marriage negotiation is final. Actually the marriage is called final or settled after Sidhyant. In Sidhyant the genealogist enters the name of the bride and bridegroom in the genealogical record and is written on a bhojpatra too.When both the sides agree for the marriage they go to Saurath and to their particular genealogist. The genealogist takes out the records of the family and see whether they have blood relation. If a boy or the girl has blood relation then the marriage is not possible. If they don't have the blood relation then the sidhyant is done and is brought to brides house and kept near their pooja place. Now the arrangement for the wedding starts.


Now a days many people are not maintaining the Adhikar. Some even don't maintain the Gotra too and get married to the same gotra. Even the girls after their marriage don't put sindoor which has the significance. I feel, really time has changed or "jamana badail gelai ya".

Maithil Kohbar

A room or a bed room con verted during a Maithil wedding for rituals and customs is called kohbar. (कोहबर)। It is decorated before the wedding and is the most important part or place of Maithil's marriage. It has a great significance during the wedding. For four five days maximum time of bride and bride groom is spent in the kohbar, doing rituals. The rituals of wedding starts from the kohbar and ends in the kohbar.

The walls are decorated by the women. In previous days the kohbar walls were painted by the women and by home made natural colors. A kind of stick and cotton was used as a brush for that painting. Now a days the painting is painted on paper sheets and by the colors available in the market and is put on the walls. It is easy to paint and can be kept and used afterward. The decoration and painted walls of the kohbar was also kept for at least one year.


One side of the wall where most of the rituals and the customs are performed is well decorated and painted. The aripan (rangoli) is made on the floor. An elephant, two pots called ahibat purhar, made up of clay is also kept there. A mat is spread there and the bride and bride groom sits on it while performing the customs and rituals. But the actual wedding with vedic mantras is performed on the vedi, only chaturthi's wedding is performed in the kohbar, which is generally made in the courtyard.


For four or five days(for chhandog it is four days and for vachasnai it is five days) that is till chaturthi the bride and bride groom has to sleep in the kohbar. On the fourth or fifth day early in the morning the whole wedding process, except the pheras, is repeated in the kohbar. After this the wedding is complete. So, the role of the kohbar is obviously very important in Maithil marriage.


The painting which is painted on the walls of a kohbar is also called"Kohbar" and this is one of the style of the famous Madhubani Painting.

Marriage

First Post


This will be my exclusive blog for Maithils, regarding marriages, it's rituals and customs.

हे हर मन द (महेशवाणी आ नचारी)

भोला बाबा के गीत


हे हर मन द करहुँ प्रतिपाल ,
सब बिधि बन्धलहुँ माया जाल ।
हे हर मन ........................... ।

सब दिन रहलहुँ अनके आस ,
अब हम जायब केकरा पास ।
हे हर मन .......................... ।

बीतल बयस तीन पल मोरा ,
धयल शरण शिव मापन तोरा ।
हे हर मन ......................... ।