The ceremony itself has its roots in olden times when a woman would depend on the local midwife to deliver her child. The Seemantham ceremony is more religious in nature than the Valaikaapu, which is a more informal function. Nowadays Seemantham is often combined with a " Valaikaapu" ritual hosted by the pregnant woman's mother. Following the recital, the function continues with a veena recital of carnatic instrumentals and songs that create a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Udhakasanthi Japam gives confidence to the pregnant women and also increases her mental strength, with supportive gathering members blessing the child and mother for a normal delivery. Lastly the mother will be sent to the house of her own parents to stay for 2 months before delivery of the baby.Įach Vedic mantra is designed for a specific stimulation, so that its phonetic vibration attains its fullest value. A bangle ceremony will also be held to decorate the mother with colorful bangles, mainly by the girl family members. The specific function of japam is to give a strong state of mind in preparation for the child's birth through a positive vibration from the recited mantras that provide sufficient strength to the child in the womb, and create an atmosphere conducive to the earthly possessives on his or her birth. This takes place even late in the evening, whereupon the child in the womb shakes and jerks from the stimulation of the cold water. On completion of this japam (recitals), the pregnant woman is bathed in consecrated cold water, without the addition of any warm or hot water. Vedic tradition calls for the recitals of relics and verses known as Udhagasanthi or Uthakashanthi Japam in a soft but powerful mantra recital that lasts for about an hour and a half. Thereafter, the unborn child can record sounds and vibrations from its surroundings. Accordingly, although brain formation takes place much earlier, memory cells are said to start activating upon the completion of seven months of pregnancy.
This leads to the practice of applying kumkum to the parting in order to propitiate the Goddess Sri Lakshmi such that when a woman delivers a child, she is considered to be an embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi herself.įrom the day of formation in its mother's womb, a child grows in different stages, each with a stipulated time frame. The word "Seemantham/Seemantha" refers to parting the hair just above the eyebrow where the Goddess of Wealth, Sri Mahalakshmi, resides. Although in ancient times Seemantham was performed on the birth of each child, today it may be limited to the first born. Seemantham/Seemantha or Pumsavana Seemantham, also known as Valaikaappu, is an Indian tradition popular in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, carried out during the 6th, 7th or 8th month of a pregnancy.
0 kommentar(er)
