Explanations on Five days Wedding and Five days Upanayana
Five Days Wedding
Five days wedding is calculated from the day of the wedding. On the first day, the bride and groom had to take an oil bath. Kasi yatra is conducted on the first day, as per lore the groom after completion of Vedic studies becomes eligible to search for his bride. When he goes on a search with a fan, umbrella, and sandals, the bride’s father comes before him to offer his daughter and invites him in; after this, the swing ceremony takes place followed by a ceremony where fist full of colored boiled rice is waved around (Pidi Sutrudhal) the bride and groom to ward off the evil eye. After this, there is a Vedic ceremony where the bride is offered by her father amidst the chanting of relevant mantras. The groom takes the bride by holding her hand. The groom offers the traditional sari to the bride to be worn during the thirumangalya dhAraNa ceremony. With the bride wearing the sari, the groom ties the sacred knot to the bride followed by the main homam where the bride and groom circumambulate the holy fire seven times. The bride places her feet on the mortar for some more auspicious happenings followed by laaja homam where puffed rice is used. These rituals are performed in the morning.
In the evening the bride and groom have to perform aupasanam followed by sthali bhagam; that is prasadam is cooked in the homam and offered to Perumal for the first time as a couple and the couple should partake it for that day.
Sighting of the Arundati star should be done at night as per the order since the stars can be seen only after sunset; the sighting of Arundati can be done only after sunset. The first-day ritual is completed after viewing the star.
On the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days, both the bride and groom together must perform aupasanam both in the mornings and the evenings.
On the day of the wedding, certain grains (for sprouting) would have been soaked for Paalikaa. Paalikaa aradhanam is an important ritual that must be performed on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days.
Sesha homam is conducted on the 5th day early in the morning before sunrise. After this, the gruhapravesham of the bride is conducted. The groom’s family welcomes the bride ritually and places them both on a swing; during this time, Pidi Sutrudhal, colored boiled rice is waved in front of the newly married couple to ward off the evil eye. This is followed by the dissolution of the Paalikaa – the Paalikaa that has sprouted considerably over the previous four days with the performance of Paalikaa aradhanam is dissolved in a temple pond or river.
The above are important rituals which are part of the 5-day wedding.
Besides these, as part of traditions followed or as per one’s desire, the relatives of the bride and groom conduct Nalangu, Unjal ritual, etc. on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days for their happiness.
Five Days Upanayanam
The five-day upanayanam is calculated from the Udakashanti that is conducted the day before upanayanam. A few conduct Udakashanti on the day of upanayanam itself, which makes it a four-day upanayanam. Some conduct Tadeeyaradhanam, which can also be said to be part of the five-day upanayanam.
If the day on which Udakashanti is conducted is considered as the first day – the important ritual is the consecration of a pot of water with the chanting of udakashanti mantras and a sprinkling of the water on the head of the child for which the upanayanam is conducted. This is followed by soaking of the grains for the Paalikaa for the child to perform Paalikaa aradhanam from that day onwards.
The following day, the day of upanayanam, starts with the tonsuring ceremony (Chaula samskaram), if the child has not undergone tonsure ceremony the previous day. This is followed by snanam; next yagnopavita dharanam is conducted. If tonsuring ceremony was already conducted the previous day, the day starts directly with the yagnopavita dharanam.
As part of upanayanam, a Chaulam is conducted; after the child takes one more snanam and is prepared for Brahmopadesham. Before Brahmopadesham, the child is ritually adorned with new clothes, Maunji (a chord made of Maunja grass), and deerskin accompanied by chanting of mantras. After this Brahmopadesham takes place. The child is given a staff (palasha dandam); further, the child performs samitadhaanam and accepts bikshaa (alms). Married women (Sumangali-s) will offer the alms to the child who accepts them and the proceeds to perform Madhyanikam. With this, important rituals are concluded.
Saayam Sandhyavandanam is performed on the evening of the second day. Starting from that day, the child must perform sandhyavandanam thrice every day without fail.
After the performance of morning and evening sandhyavandanam, Paalikaa aradhanam must be done.
Starting from the day of upanayanam, that is the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th days onwards, morning sandhyavandanam, madhyanikam, and evening sandhyavandanam must be performed without fail.
On the 5th day, that is 4th day if calculated from the upanayanam day, or the 5th day if calculated from udakashanti day, a ritual called Dandu Neer is conducted – on the morning of this day, the child is made to take a mangala snanam. It is a practice to conduct this mangala snanam on the upanayanam day as well. On the 5th day, after the morning sandhyavandanam, the child is made to wear new clothes, Maunji, deerskin, and carry a staff. The child on its own can wear a new yagnopavitam. The first time, the father adorns the yagnopavitam; after that, all the subsequent replacements of yagnopavitam, the child is capable of doing so on its own. On the 5th day, the child wears a new yagnopavitam. An abhishekam is performed for the palasha dandam accepted by the child on the day of upanayanam; the water from this abhishekam is dandu neer. After this, the palasha dandam is discarded at the foot of a Palasha tree. This is followed by the auspicious dispersal of the paalika that was sprouting daily over the last 4 days in a pushkarani or a common pond. This is the ritual called Dandu Neer.
