Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 265

THE SESHA CEREMONY
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\Fire is then brought on a new earthen brazier, and the
purohita consecrates it with mantrams, surrounds it with
darbha grass, and does homam to it. The fire is surrounded
by lighted lamps, and near it is placed a small stone called
the sandalwood stone, no doubt because it has been smeared
with sandalwood oil. Then the husband, holding his wife's
hand, walks three times round the sacred fire, and each
time he makes the circuit he takes his wife's right foot in
his right hand, and makes her touch the sandalwood stone
with it, touching the stone with his own foot at the same
time.
Whilst performing this action the thoughts of both
husband and wife should be directed to the great mountain
of the North called Sapta-kula parvata or the mountain of
the seven castes, the original home of their ancestors, the
mountain being represented by this sandalwood stone.
These are the various ceremonies which compose the
muhurta. As soon as they are finished, two bamboos are
planted in the centre of the pandal side by side, and at
The
the foot of each of them is placed a bamboo basket.
bride and bridegroom then stand up, each in a basket, and
two other baskets full of rice are brought. They take
handfuls of this rice and shower it over each other in turn.
This they continue to do many times, until they are tired,
or are told to stop \
In some castes the guests perform this ceremony, which
Princes and
is called sesha, for the newly married pair.
very rich people have been known to use for the sesha,
instead of rice, pearls and precious stones mixed together.
After the sesha the couple return to their usual seat.
Akshatas consecrated by mantrams are then distributed to
the guests.
The husband throws over his right shoulder
a piece of new and clean cloth, one end of which he unfo'ds
before the assembled Brahmins, from whom he receives
a blessing, while they also recite a mantram and place a
portion of the akshatas they have just received on the cloth.
He takes these in his hand and puts one portion on his
1
In some countries the Jews of the present day observe a custom of
throwing handfuls of wheat over a newly married couple, but especially
over the wife, saying
Increase and multiply.' Sometimes pieces of
money which are intended for the poor are mingled with the wheat.
Dubois.
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