Wedding in India has a very deep meaning and celebrated with a lot of rituals and ceremonies. Hinduism believes that every living being has to be honored with the same respect that is given to humans. It believes that all the living beings are Jeevatmas (living souls) and form a part of the Paramatma (The Supreme Being). That is why animals, insects and even plants are treated like human beings. They have a belief that animals and other living beings also need to have life as human beings and this belief leads to weddings of animals and other living beings. By performing such rites to satiate their craving, peace and prosperity will prevail in the area.
Plant Weddings
It is a common ritual in villages even today to celebrate wedding between trees, especially neem tree (Azadirachta indica or meliaceae) and fig tree (Ficus religiosa or Moraceae). Both the trees are well known for their medical values and they promote and prosperity in the area. Wedding cord will be tied to these two which usually grow in the same place intertwined. A statue of Lord Vinayaga (the elephant faced god) will be under these trees. Childless or infertile women go around these trees as a ritual praying Lord Vinayaga for pregnancy and prosperity in their life.
Donkey Wedding
It is very common to find donkey weddings taking place in India to invoke rains. Rains bring good harvest and prosperity. With beating of drum, the donkeys will be taken in procession and they will be wedded in a temple.
A Recent Cow Wedding
Here is interesting news from Jalawar District in North India. A few days back a grand cow wedding was celebrated in a Rajastan village, called Hemtha, with great pomp and splendor. The bridegroom was a bullock named Gangaia Lal which belonged to Mr. Kailash Chandra and the bride was a cow that belonged to Mr. Babloo which he had named Kowsalya. All the rituals of a marriage were performed with due respect.
Traditional procession of the nuptials was held in which both the bullock and the cow were taken with decorations. A very grand dinner followed in which all the villagers participated. The villagers took part with great interest in decorating the animal couple, preparing the dinner, and conducting a grand procession.
Earlier, the decorated animal couple was led to the local Siva temple where the nuptial knot was tied with the Vedic Mantras of the priest. It took place with all the usual ceremonies of a human marriage. Wedding procession, wedding dinner, musical entertainments and display of fireworks were making the wedding an indelible memory.
Why These Traditions?
People still believe that when we appease nature with such traditional rituals and ceremonies, it helps to invoke heavenly blessings to get good rains and have a prosperous life. Such traditions have been taking place for thousands of years in India!
