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Today there was discussion on devlok on Vivah Mandap. So I thought of discussing this aspect. Why mandap is important. I am not sure about other communities. But in my community there is a pradha called Mandap Pooja by the bride on the day of the wedding.
Since I am a questioner by nature when my bua's marriage was happening I asked the priest why this is done.
I was a high school kid then and the priest knew me since I was quite active in all temple activities and all. So he told that on the day of marriage the birde and groom is treated as Vishnu and Lakshmi. And the mandap is treated as symbolic Vaikunta or the abode of Vishnu- Lakshmi. It is the symbolic representation of the house or home the couple are going to set up.
So the bride in the pooja is invoking all Gods to the mandap. By praying in each direction, she is requesting all the nature's forces in all directions to bless her new home. Also all the auspicious powers are invoked used mantras and the sumanglis from the bride's family bless the girl in the mandap and the eldest lady of the bride's family hands her the marriage saree in the mandap. It is said that by this ritual the bride is taking the blessings of all the elder's from her family for her new life.
So I feel in the show also that may be the reason stress on Mandap was put. Because in our community there are certain specifications for the mandap and it has to be like that. Mandap is the first representation of the girl's new abode. A woman is coming as Lakshmi to the house, bringing the change with her. So the place where it all starts has to be auspicious so that the change she brings is auspicious to her as well as the family.
Today there are destination weddings, weddings where there is no formal mandap just a stage is set. But our ancient ritual had a meaning for having the mandap. To give the couple the best start in their life by its auspicious construction as per the laws of physics and maths.
So understand the importance of mandap for the wedding ceremony and then decide whether you need it for not.
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