In my first pregnancy I went in seventh month after the baby shower to my moms place where i stayed till 3 months after baby was born .
The Seventh month baby shower of Maharashtrian s is amazing . It is WORTH watching in INDIA. They do a rasam called WAADI BHARNA and OTI BHARNA.
WAADI BHARNA is decorating the pregnant lady according to her choice .She can pick or choose the style or WAADI [ the way she wants to be decorated ] .There r many types of WAADIS , styles . For instance if she picks up APSARA WAADI [ damsel style] She is dressed up as an Apsara . Meaning she is dressed up with a sari , a flower waist band on that protuding tummy , she wears a flower crown and open hair , flower arm bands on both hands , holds a basket of flowers in one hand as she sits on a pcially decorated seat [ like a throne]
A Shakuntala Waadi is dressing up like the ancient rishi kanya shakuntala .It means wearing no jewels . The ornaments r made trictly of flowers , like in ashrams of rishis.....and preferably WHITE flowers . Like The woman is dressed in white silk sari , her hair is tied in a bun up at the right side on the top of the head , a white gajra around it , blouse is sleeveless and white flower bands around both arms , white mogra or jui flowers waist band , sari is till below knees only ad flower anklets around ankles [ Gosh the woman looks bEAUTIFUL in this Waadi] . This WAADI , this baby shower is held in evening , at night , usually outdoors on a lawn , not in a booked hall . The dinner items r preferably WHITE ........like Kheer or basundi for sweet , White pulao , ice cream with rosgullas floating in it , white rice flur papads ..........u know.......selecting white items for fun . Preferably Full moon night is selected .
There is BHATNICHI WAADI in which a woman is dressed like a brahmin lady in ancient days .........her hair is tied up in a KHOPA just like Varsha had hers on her wedding day , with coulourful veni [ flower strings] matching her sari neatly on the side , NATH in her NOSE [ the pearly nose ring] Pearl and gold ornaments ., waist band , armbands all made of jewels , A nINE YARD MAHARSHTRIAN SARI .........[ I had this waadi in my pregnancy although i wanted the Shakuntala one] .
So u see there r many Waadis . Orders for these waadis are given to flower specialists way in advance and all the decorations arrive.......like the matching waist bands , arm bands garlands stc .
Once the woman is decorated OTI BHARAN takes place . Haldi KUNKU is applied in between her eyesbrows and Coconut and rice along with the gift one wants to give her r given to her but this time since she is pregnant the coconut rice is NOT put in her lap .It is merely touched to her and kept at the side . The gifts from the mother and iNlaws can range from A silk fertile green sari , bangles to a set of jewels [ if inlaws or mom is rich , depending on status] but the main gift is the sari [ preferably silk and fertile green to denote fertility .........although ladies now sometimes insist on other colorus of their choice] .
Games r played .It is strictly womans function...men r told to go take a bachelors day or nite off or to take a walk . Two sweets r prepared ........Karanji and LAADOO and steel or silver bowls rplaced upside down on it and the woman is asked to choose .If she chooses Laadoo it is guessed that she is carrying a BOY .A karanji denotes a gal . There is much laughter when she is choosing , all stand behind her and rib her and all .
Elderly women who r not widows do FUGDI , so do young gals wearing parkar polka . So do young married ladies . The pregnant woman only watches , NO GAMES for her .
It is fun . A LOT of fUn . Men arrive later to be pulled in by the jouyous ladies by then [ the party is in full swing] and Some sports actually join in one or two FUgdis [ My husband and his best friend betted us ladies that he cud do a better fugdi than us women aNYDAY and my cousin sisters teased him and his friends for boasting .So the two got on in the middle of the floor and did a super speed one ........we watched them and felt dizzy , and fatafat close up snaps were taken of that unique moment ............I still have thise snaps . I was heavy by then but I had come and stood in the circle around them only to watch him .Needless to say They won the bet and my cousin sisters had to stand and serve them food singing all the time...hahaha] .Aged men bet on how many sweets they can still eat and digest ........like puran polis or jilbis or gulab jams...........
Oh how i miss India . Love u India .
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