Wedding is a grand affair in the Maithil Brahmin caste. It is believed that for a Maithil Brahmin, Kanyadan or the gift of a girl in marriage is equal to a gift to a god. Having their own cultural and social traditions, the marriage ceremonies involve several steps or rituals that start from the pre-wedding period and extend till the post wedding period. Planning, hectic preparations and organizations mark the period before the wedding day. In the Maithil Brahmin caste, there are a number of rites, traditions and rituals that are performed on the wedding day that involve not only the bride and the groom, but also their families. Apart from them, the purohit or the priest also plays a major role in a Maithil Brahmin wedding. In the following lines, we have provided detailed information about the traditional Maithil Brahmin wedding rituals and ceremonies performed on the actual day of marriage.
Maithil Brahmin Wedding Customs
Wedding Ceremony
For the wedding ceremony, the bridegroom and bride are made to sit together in front of the sacred fire. Thereafter, Lord Agni is called upon after worshipping, to witness the marriage by lighting the sacred flame that is essentially made of sandalwood and ghee.
Kanyadaan Tradition
In the Kanyadaan tradition, the bride's father places his daughter's hand in the hand of the bridegroom and requests him to take her responsibility. The bride's father gives away his daughter with the chanting of Vedic mantras. The priest performs all the wedding rites and rituals.
Saptapadi Custom
As a part of Saptapadi custom, the bride and groom are asked to take seven rounds around the holy fire. These are the first few steps that the couple takes together to mark the beginning of their married life.
