Devatha Kalayanam- Kalyana Utsavam

In the month of Panguni or chaitra,almost all the Hindu temples in South would be celebrating Kalyana Utsavam in temples.No God or Goddess seems to have insisted on performance of their weddings every year.Then why so much of gala wedding arrangements?


The wedding event of Gods or devatas is a unique religious tradition celebrated by Hindus. It is like different software programs running on different operating systems (OS) in a computer.
operating systems represented by various schools of thought and
the software programs being religious practices. This is the beauty of our Sanathana Dharma.

. When the Gods and Goddesses are personified and invoked in temples, homes, in individuals' psyche, in external objects, idols,paintings, pictures etc. then, it becomes the responsibility of the devotees to treat such devatas as though they are part of our lives, communities and families.

Agama sastras and Dharma Sastras have outlined formats for daily pooja ,( Nitya pooja) and seasonal worship( utsavams), as we do have informal and formal dress for home/office, in addition to vratas and poojas at personal level.

This model of celebrating the kalyana utsavam provides a subtle connectivity to the devotees with the devatas they worship.

By celebrating these festivals,the devotion gets re affirmed and the human-divine bondage is strengthened.

Marriage, as per Hindu Dharma is one of the sixteen sacraments( Samskaras) reckoned in Sanatana Dharama.

Dharmic ideals of gruhasta life style are conveyed to all, as a part of celebration of the wedding event .Hence, many of the rituals associated with a typical Hindu wedding like Kalyana shobha yatra (wedding procession), mangalya dharana (adorning mangalyam) are re enacted
for the divine couple.



It is common to see that now a days ,in Hindu weddings the procedural edicts of wedding samskara are not given due respect. The ritualistic sections are rushed through to give priority to the cultural and social events related to weddings.

In the case of Devata kalyanam, these missteps are avoided. For example, as part of the ceremony, the details are revealed in the step where a narrative is made on how parents have to make an enquiry of qualities of bride and bride groom to make sure that there is some level of compatibility among the couple.The wedding covers the part of how the bride and groom sides of Srlnivasa and padmavathy get familiar with each other’s family lineage and personalities. The puranic texts associated with such episodes are recited in detail during the celebration of this Divine wedding.

The periodic performance of the event has been recommended with the hope that the community members become aware of the values and standards of good married life through binding religious traditions. The emphasis on dharmic norms is likely to promote harmony amongst the couples and would-be couples avoiding emotional disruptions with unwanted consequences in their family lives.. This is also a way to grooming youngsters to recognize standards and values of Hindu marriage. For the participating parents in the community, the event is considered as a symbolic discharge of the Dharmic responsibility of engaging their wards in the gruhasta path.


The format of Kalyana utsavam is grouped into three categories: - Vedic, puranic and agamic and local cultural formats.
The Vedic Marriage format focuses on performing specific samskaras or rituals.
The purana (itihasa, agama and purana) marriage format focuses on Dharma Anushtanas.
The local cultural formats reflects the customs and practices of that region/congregation.

Such versatility in the procedures motivates the devotees to participate in the celebrations and affirm their devotion.

In the backdrop of yoga and tantra, kalyana utsavam is a symbolic unification of the Shiva-Shakti - the Male and Female principles of universe, for the welfare of the community.

In terms of vedanta, the event is a symbolic representation of Supreme Divinity -Brahman- presenting itself and operating in the forms of this universe.

The interconnectivity of spiritual,ritual, social, ceremonial and cultural facets of devotion is evident during the ceremony of a traditional kalyana utsavam as a community event. The significance and benefits of this event at all levels is presented to the community without reservations.

One may argue that Gods and Goddesses never asked for celebration of weddings. Neither did they ask for abhishekam , alankaram and archana.One thousand years back so many temples have been built. So many masons and sculptors were employed. God never asked for such a big Raja Gopuram. He could remain a thatched shed.The milk poured on the icons may well be distributed to poor children.Such are the arguments we listen from time to time even from the elite youth.

In 1975, a group of physics students from a college in Ramanathapuram conducted a research in a famous Murugan temple and they recorded the pressure, pulse and so many other parameters of the devotees present during the Maha abhishekam using certain equipments . I have seen the observations recorded. Some students in the team were non believers.They too were in total agreement with the presence of vibration and the effect of vibration on the physiological parameters of the individuals.

The scholars and sages who have propounded agama Sastras and procedures would have definitely weighed the amount of expenditure etc invoved in celebration of poojas, festivals, Brahmotsavams etc in comparison to the spiritual and psychological ascension that people would derive out of those functions.

We cannot set aside kalyana utsavam as a wasteful expenditure as though the money would be spent on poor feeding, if there were no such utsavams.
It is a social gathering in which many people participate, many labour forces get involved and it is a relaxation technique adopted to boost the spirits of people.Artists are ecouraged to perform, small merchants, eateries, flower vendors thrive.
Even big corporate houses arrange for mega events of Music, Drama & dance programmes to motivate the employees.Why not temples?

If silent Meditation, silent prayer in a lonely place offer a type of experience,participation in Kalyana utsavam and having Darshan during Abhishekam and aarti offer another type of vibration, which is no inferior to the former.People are created differently and level of maturity also differs. Society should take care of all the ethical, moral and sociological needs of all the people into account .

Such utsavams are celebrated for the Loka Kshemam and Loka Kalyanam
(world-wide well-being and welfare).
Loka: Samasta; sukino Bhavanthu.

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Kamla,
You are too generous and liberal in tributes, I am not worthy of.Perhaps this is an encouragement to improve my expressions.
Coming to the topic,Tamil Nadu is a place where all the rituals are branded as superstitions and criticised.During every Pradosham in a Shiva temple .at least 100 litres of milk,two or three litres of honey , coconut water from 20 tender coconuts are used for abhishekam. I have seen the same group of boys helping the archakas in doing abhishekams and distributing Prasadam.The same boys ,are engaged in serious debates as to the relevance of all these things vis-a-vis the distribution of milk etc among the poor.

In many temples , the management conducts wedding only annually during Brahmotsavam, . There would be some ten or 15 weddings as a part of vows.
We as darshakas view the festivals in one angle and the actual participants view it in altogether different angle. For some it is their livelihood.
Thank you for the instantaneous response.

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Srama,
I am honoured by a response from great writers like you.Group psychology is an interesting topic of discussion in sociology. Very often commented as 'mob mentality' the impact in a group can be distinctly felt, whether it is Bhajan, dance, drama or movie. In a group it is very easy for any human being to get related to good as well as bad things. The significance of Sat sang plays a prominent role in this aspect.

Jayasala 42

 

Dear Viswa,
I am delighted to receive a detailed response from a great scholar Viswamitra.
I agree with you. My snippet was aimed at the importance of kalyana Utsavam. I entirely agree with you that the money collected should be utilised for the of the needy and for welfare projects.
It is a sorrowful admission that most of the Hundi collections from the richest of the Hindu temple facilitate fattening of the bellies of a few.We need strict laws and accountability and concentrate on diverting the funds for genuine concerns. Many have concern and anxiety , but dare not take up the issue for fear of political intervention. We have become so much used to corruption that has become a part and parcel of our life.
Thirumalai Devasthanam runs so many orphanages, Blind Relief centres, educational institutions, but the amt is very meagre compared to the huge donations.Had the temple been in Tamil nadu, ( as per the earlier proposal )things would have been horrible.
You are correct, service at various centres is more satisfying than donating money.
Unless strict laws are passed and implemented too reg maintenance of accounts and a methodical planning of how the amount is to be spent by a carefully chartered frame work, such condemnable practice is likely to continue. It is in the hands of modern youth to strive for total transformation in the attitude. Will it be a reality at least in the period of our great grand children?
Thanks again for the informative response.

Jayasala 42