Re: [The Buddhist Circle] About Mangalsutra
kavita nirmalawaman
JaiBhim! JaiBauddharashtra!!
Regards
Adv.Kavita Nirmala Waman
__._,_.___
What Congress and Gandhi have done to the untouchables: A Pleas to the foreigner, Dr Ambedkar( Page 451) while describing the India's intellectual class. Brahmin once decribed themeselves as Budevas (God on earth).
It is interesting to see how these self propogated "supreme god" ruled other kings, business caste, and all other caste.
Similar form of practice "Mangalsutra" is described in following paras.
Sir P. C. Ray once described how in his childhood, rows of children belonging to the servile classes used to stand for hours together in the morning on the roadside in Calcutta with cups of water in their hands waiting for a Brahmin to pass, ready to wash his feet and take the sacred liquid to their parents who would not take their food without having a sip of it first. He was entitled to first fruits. In Malabar, where the Sambandham form of marriage prevails, the servile classes, such as the Nairs, regard it an honour to have their females kept as mistresses by the Brahmins. Even kings invited Brahmins to deflower their queens on prima nortis.(1)
(1)The Traveller Ludovico Di Varthema who came to India in the middle of the 16th century and visited Malabar saya :
" It is proper and at the same time a pleasant thing to know who these Brahmins are. You must know that they are the chief persons of the faith, as priests are among us. And when the king takes a wife he selects the moot worthy and the moat honoured of these Brahmins and makes him sleep the first night with his wife, in order that he may deflower her. Do not imagine that the Brahmin goes willingly to perform this operation. The king is obliged to pay him four hundred to five hundred ducats. The king only and no other person in Calicut adopts this practice."—Voyages of Varthema (Haklayat Society), Vol I, p. 141.
Other Travellers tell that the practice was widespread. Hamilton in his Account of the East Indus saya:
" When the Samorin marries, he must not cohabit with his bride till the Nambourie (Nambudri) or chief priest, has enjoyed her, and if he pleases he may have three nights of her company, because the first fruits of her nuptials muat be a holy oblation to the God she worships and some of the nobles are so complacent as to allow the clergy the same tribute; but the common people cannot have that compliment paid to them, but are forced to supply the priests places themselves."—Vol. I, p. 308.
Buchanan in his Narrative refers to the practice in the following terms : " The ladies of the Tamuri family are generally impregnated by Nambudries ; although if they choose they may employ the higher ranks of Nairs; but the sacred character of the Nambadries always procures them a preference."— Pinkerton's Voyages, Vol. VIII, p. 734.
Mr. C. A. Innea, I.C.S., Editor of the Gazetter of Malabar and Anjengo, issued under the authority of the Government of Madras, says :
" Another institution found amongst all the classes following the marukak-kaitayam system, as well as amongst many of those who observe makkattayam, is that known as "Tali-tying wedding " which has been described as " the moat peculiar, distinctive and unique " among Malayali marriage customs. Its essence is the tying of a tali (a small piece of gold or other metal, like & locket. on a string) on a girl's neck before she attains the ago of puberty. This is done by a man of the same or of a higher caste (the usages of different classes differ). and it is only after it has been done that the girl is at liberty to contracts sambandham. It seems to be generally considered that the ceremony was intended to confer on the tali tier or manavaiiin (bridegroom) a right to cohabit with the girl; and by some the origin of the ceremony is found in the claim of the Bhu-deuas or " Earth-Gods." (that is the Brahmins), and on a lower plane of Kshatriyas or ruling classes, to the first-fruits of lower case womanhood, a night skin to the medixeval droit de seigncies''--Vol. I, p. 101.
From: ymalaiya <ymal...@yahoo.com>
To: Buddhis...@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 17 December, 2008 18:35:53
Subject: [The Buddhist Circle] About Mangalsutra
Then mangalsutra was unknown in north India until a few decades ago. The
custom must have arrived from South India 30-40 years ago.
It is not an old custom and I don't think it is mentioned in old texts.
In Hindu marriage ceremonies, there was an old custom called
kankan-bandhan, (kankana= ornament worn in wrists) that involved tying
threads or kangans around the wrists of both the bride and the groom.
Sometimes it can be hard to say how a custom arose. In USA, the custom
of giving a diamond ring was promoted by diamond merchants perhaps the
in the past century.
Incidentally in Ajanta paintings, and on the wall of many of the
Buddhist caves, as well as on the toranas of stupas of Sanchi and
Bharhut, you can find many couples represented; you can see what kind of
ornaments they are wearing.
Incidentally, in ancient India, both men and women wore similar
jewellery in hands, neck and ears. Heavy earrings caused the earlobes to
extend, that is why you will find stretched earlobes in practically all
Indian statues.
Yashwant
I also take refuge in the words of the Buddha to be your own guide. Take refuge in your own reason. Do not listen to the advice of others. Do not succumb to others. Be truthful and take refuge in the truth. Never surrender to anything. If you keep in mind this message of Lord Buddha at this juncture, I am sure, your decision will not be wrong. (Babasaheb in 1936 at Dadar Mumbai)![Yahoo! Groups]()
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe.![]()
__,_._,___
Rajni Tilak
Thanks
Amol Nirmala Waman
Yes sister Rajni you are correct!
There is a domination in changing bride's name also.
I have done some R&D on our marriage system, while working on http://www.eparinay.com.
And came to this conclusion that our parents, our sisters and brothers are not following Babasaheb and his principles completely.
Even one of our eparinay.com's team member was not agree to put mother's name. I struggled for that and made them agreed to have 'Mother Name' field.
This is only one example which I experienced with my co-worker of eparinay.com.
Apart from this I observed that there are lots of things need to think and change.
I strongly believe that there's nothing without own's identy !
I am still working on the same...
Amol NW
Amol NW
Always on backend!
THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE If there were any religion that would cope wit modern scientific needs it would be BUDDHISM.
BUDDHISM has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future . It avoids dogmas and theology; It covers both on a religions sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual , as a meaningful unity.
~ALBERT EINSTEIN~
Sumedh Kamble
Amit Rangari
lets start from ourselves... once we do this and prove them this works...they will follow us.. we need to be big-brother for them.
i rather see otherway round... the guys from rural area are much staunch Ambedkarite than us (so called urban educated)
to re-iterate, i cudnt still make my family change their idea about mangal-sutra... for themselves... and their daughters/daughters-in-law
-amit
kavita nirmalawaman
Regards
Adv.Kavita Nirmala Waman
