Rajbanshi marriage ceromany & death rituals

Rajbanshi Marriage Ceremony

The Rajbanshi community is found to marry according to the Hindu traditions/ rituals. Most People marry within their own community but outside their lineage. Marriage also does not take place within the three generations of the Mit (Mita)/ paul and seven generations of Takhur gharna ( guru gashai ). Arranged marriage is generally/mostly done in the Rajbanshi community and also there is the occasional occurrence of love marriage and intercaste marrige too these days. In the case of arranged marriage, Karuwa (matchmaker) take the marriage proposal and Guru Gasain (Thakur) performs all the cultiral and traditional rituals. If the zodiac/rashi of the prospective partners i.e bride and groom is found to be good (auspicious), the program of meeting the girl proceeds. Five or six people including the groom's father and his relatives on behalf of the groom visit the bride's home. The groom's father puts a pair of betel and nut (pansupari) on the bride's hand. and At the same time, the groom's father sees /examines the bride's nature, skills,behaviour and practical knowledge. Likewise groom visit program by bride’s father takes place at the groom's home. The bride's father puts betel and nut(Paanbsupari) , shirt, dhuti, watch, finger-ring,etc on the groom's hand. Then the marriage date is fixed/ finalized. Marriage is not certain until Dalikhara ritual is done/fulfilled . On this day, the clothes ,jewelrys and other demands are brought and given to bride's father as demanded . On the day of marriage or just before leaving for the marriage , Kasakuta ritual is performed by bride/groom's married sisters, aunts, and sister-in-laws .They prepare a special type of mixture of turmeric, a bhojo (a herb) and mustard oil and put it on the groom's whole body. Kasakuta is, in fact, a ritual for purity of soul mind and body. Before leaving for the marriage procession, Aamu Mohaliwa ritual is performed in which the groom has to round a mango tree for five times . money, betel, nut and holy grass are offered to worship . On the day of marriage procession,Takhur i.e guru gashain ,takes the groom to a temple of family god (gram)and administers mantras in his ears for soul purification. Along with the preparation of the marriage procession, an object called Jivanchhuri (a full nut with a pierced knife) is placed on the hand of the groom. After this, the procession begins with bands(Music and dances) and gunfire by riding Palkies or elephants in the past. Just before reaching the bride's home, children on behalf of the bride block the path to the people in the procession. They discontinue it only after the groom gives them some amount money. When the procession reaches the bride's home, the groom and bride get seated on Maruwa (dais or platform). Then, the bride's father offering his daughter to the groom asking-" Have you got my daughter?" and the groom says-" Yes, I have." These sentences get repeated thrice. Then the father-in-law hands over his daughter to the son-in-law and utters him," Sin if killed and piety if cared for". After this, the groom puts sindur on the forehead of the bride three times. At the time of putting the sindur, the bride's younger sister and the relatives prevent the groom from doing so by blocking the bride's head with a piece of cloth. When the groom gives them some amount money, they stop doing it. Thus, the marriage is done. In the evening time, the procession returns home. Then, with much fanfare, the groom's mother makes the entry of the daughter-in-law including the procession to her home. At the marriage party, relatives, neighbors and villagers are invited for a mealand are offered delicious foods. On this day, the newly wed couple serve Haldibhat (yellow rice) especially to the people present there while eating food. This practice helps to establish the new bride's identity and social acceptance and be socialized in the new social ambience.

Rajbanshi Death Rituals :-

Among the Rajbanshis, dead body is either buried or burned according to the Hindu tradition. A baby with no teeth is buried and there is no observance of mortuary rite for him/her.Three to four day long mortuary rite is observed for other minors with teeth. During the death of other people, it is observed for the 13 days. The eldest/yonger son sets fire to the colapse of father or mother. The eldest or youngest son performs Malaluwa (mortuary rite) and other sons are just considered as ritually impure only. After burial or cremation at the funeral spot, the people in the death procession have a bath in the river and return home. Before a manparticipating in the procession enters his home, the dung or hay fire has to be placed in front of the main gate to his house for ritual purification. Along with it, a pot full of water with Tulasi (a holy plant) leaves is placed. All the men who have taken part in the funeral procession wash their hands and legs and touch fire and enter their homes. All the participants in the procession are served tea and lunch. Most of them reject tje tea and lunch.The person who observes all the mortuary rites has to return home with a piece of white cloth tied to his neck and wear white clothes. He observes ritual for 13 days.During this period different rituals are performed such as tinsinan,mathakamani,bara ghat, garud puran , Dhamali and ao on.
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