Godh
Bharna (Indian Baby Shower)
Function
in
the 7th Month of Pregnancy
Tika
|
Entry into the
House
|
Accepting
Coconut
|
Money on every Footstep
|
Tying thread for Raksha
(Security)
|
Entry of the
Expectant
Mother
|
SIGNIFICANCE OF
GODH
BHARNA
Godh bharna is a very
significant
event in the lives of Hindu
married women. This function that is held for
and by women is celebrated with great festivity. It is a ceremony that
celebrates the first pregnancy of the
bride of the house and is held in
the seventh month of pregnancy. In Hindu mythology 'godh' means the lap
of the woman and 'bharna' means to fill. Therefore, the mother and
mother-in-law
of the prospective mother fill her godh, represented by the palav of her
sari with items symbolizing a good omen like a coconut marked with a red
swastika, moong, supari (betel nut) and silver coins in one rupee and
quarter
rupee denominations. (According to Indian tradition, one and a quarter
is considered to be a good omen).
On this day, the
prospective
mother is dressed in almost bridal finery. It is important that her
mother
present all the garments that she wears at the ceremony. The ceremony is
strictly for women only. Consequently, there are only women invitees.
All
the women will be dressed in traditional finery and will sing
traditional
songs appropriate for the occasion.
The women who
participate in
the ceremony from the side of the mother of the expectant mother will bring
five colourfully decorated metal thalis (round plates). Of these five
thalis,
three thalis will contain assorted Indian sweets. The fourth thali will
contain a range of garments and jewellery. The fifth thali will be
filled
with a coconut marked with a red swastika, moong, a cloth piece (red,
green
or yellow) and a few coins of one rupee and quarter rupee
denominations.
The ceremony begins
with the
mother-to-be's entrance, dressed in traditional finery, through the front
door of her in-law's house. The participating ladies sing
traditional songs
further enhancing the festive atmosphere. For each step the expectant
mother
takes as she enters the house, a piece of coloured silk is placed under
her feet along with a little supari, a one rupee coin and a quarter
rupee
coin. These actions are continued till she reaches the place where the
puja (worship) will be performed. An idol of Lord Ganesh or any other
Hindu
God is placed at this place of worship. Traditionally, the puja area is
situated in the main hall of the house and always faces east. All the
items
placed under the expectant mother's feet during her walk from the front
door to the puja area, i.e. the silk cloth, the supari and the coins,
have
to be handed over either to her sister or to her husband's sister in
keeping
with the dictates of tradition.
Besides the idol of
Lord Ganesh,
the puja area also has a baajotth, a low four-legged wooden seat,
traditionally
used for such religious occasions. The mother-to-be is made to sit on
the
baajotth and a small red dot is put on her forehead for good luck. After
this, both her mother and her mother-in-law fill her godh (the paalav of
her saree) with gifts and jewellery. Her sister-in-law then offers her
a cup of sweetened saffron milk before tying a yellow thread around the
wrist of the right hand of the expectant mother. This wristband, known
as a nada chhadi, is very significant as it is supposed to protect both
the expectant mother and the unborn child from evil spirits. The elders
bless the expectant mother and her unborn child accompanied by the sound
of traditional festive tunes being sung by the women in the background.
