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臨產婦人的手鐲祈福 Valaikappu Bangles for delivery |
So lucky my friend Jega invited me to his
seven months pregnancy wife Pavithra's Valaikappu ceremony, the ritual ensures
health delivery of the fetus. This evening, relatives of two families and
friends gathered in the parental home of the girl. All sisters of Pavithra help her to dress up
in her orange formal wedding costume, and she looks as gorgeous as a bride
today.
When all offerings be prepared, Pavithra
was allowed to sit on the white cushion. She was facing the main entrance of
her home, and the door decorated with mango leaves that worship and paint with
limestone, sandalwoods and saffron powder. People who joined the ritual were
female adults as me, and they bring biscuit, kuih, fruits and a great deal of
bangles. (also Saree in the documentary mentioned). In traditional Tamil
family, they believed if the expectant mother adorns great amount of bangles on
her both wrists, the sound of bangles will let the fetus feel joyful. Arrange an
odd number of bangles in the left hand and an even number of bangles in the
right. First of all, the host (sister-in-law) puts on Vappa Kappu, bangles made from neem leaves stem for her, and later
was golden and silver ones. Valai means strings, kappu means protection.
In front of Pavitha, a small mound of turmeric
paste and a pinch of durva grass is added symbolizing Genesha. Three kinds of
rice that wrapped in banana leaves and white muslin to predict the gender of
the baby. Pongal porridge means boy, turmeric rice means girl and curd rice
means xxx (not sure). In whole ceremony, Jega, the husband, to
split the young coconut up and do worship. Pavitha’s mother who well dressed up
was also the main character today, she did powders ritual on daughter’s
forehead, cheek and wrists, and splashed flower petals on her head. They
acclaimed the fresh perfume of petals can malign the spirit of evil eye that
closed to pregnant, and the mango leaves hanging on the doorframe have the same
meaning. The mother-in-law feed some biscuit to Pavithra, they declared the
sweet will let the infant delighted.