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Matrimony mosaic
Common customs across religions
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Weddings are sacred the world over, and regardless of faith some common threads run through them all.
As diverse as the world's cultures and customs are the acts of love and marriage across the globe. The joining of hearts and hands in a marital relationship is the most sacred ceremony in any religion, culture and nationality. This apart, there are other strands that connect the wedding traditions / rituals of one culture to another. Here we focus on three cultures and compare three similar aspects that are significant to them.
The significance of fire: Fire has been a considered a sacred element in most of the world's cultures be it an embodiment of God as in the Hindu tradition, the force of goodness in Christianity and Judaism, or the symbol of Zoroaster Himself in Parsi belief. The significance of the element is central to the marital ceremonies of the cultures enumerated below as well;
- The Hindu wedding: In the Hindu wedding the primary ritual, that of the saptpadi or marital vows is centered around the fire lit in the havan, symbolising the illumination of the mind, knowledge and happiness. The vows are taken in front of the sacred element which is believed to symbolise Agni , the Radiant One. This act enunciates that the couple is invoking the sacred fire to witness their union and hence further sanctify their marriage. This also ensures that God's wisdom, truth and justice have presided over the nuptials.
- The Jewish wedding: In the Jewish tradition two candles are carried to escort the bride and groom to the wedding canopy. The lighting of fire within the Jewish tradition is an act to ward off the evil eye. This belief stems from the age-old superstition that spirits and devils are fearful of fire and hence won't come near it. Another traditional explanation holds that the numerical value for the Hebrew word candle (nair) has the same value as the biblical phrase in Genesis (1:28) "Be fruitful and multiply."
- The Roman Catholic wedding: In Roman Catholic weddings the significance of fire is two-fold. After the consecration of the marriage vows the bride and groom proceed to the light the Unity Candle which symbolises the union of the couple in holy matrimony. They extinguish the separate lights of the side candles and light the single large center candle. Following this is the Candlelight Blessing which is done by the priest in confirmation of this symbolism. The significance of this ritual stems from the belief of the Catholic world that the candle is the symbol of Christ, the light of the world.
The significance of seven: Some numbers are symbolically significant within various cultures. One of them is the number seven. Be it the seven days of wedding celebrations in ancient Azerbaijan or the burning of the seven broomsticks by the Maid of Honor as in Sudanese marriages to symbolise the discarding of bad habits before starting a married life, the number holds special significance.
- The Hindu tradition: The Hindu marriage is consecrated with the seven steps around the fire and the seven vows that the couple takes in the presence of the agnidevata . The seven steps in the Hindu tradition symbolise the seven lives or janamas that the scriptures decree exist for a human. By taking the seven steps around the fire the couple vows to be married and faithful for seven lives thereafter. The seven marriage vows or Saptpadi taken follow the same symbolism. The steps represent representing nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life and harmony and understanding, respectively.
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