|
''Seemantham'', also known as ''Pumsavana Seemantham'' and 'Srimantha' in Karnataka is an important traditional ritual in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, carried out during odd pregnancy months of 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th. Although in ancient times ''Seemantham'' was performed on the birth each child, today it may be restricted to the first born. Certain sites list that this ritual is similar to the "baby shower" performed in the west however, it is different in intention. The word "Seemantham" refers to parting the hair just above the eyebrow where the Goddess of Wealth, Sri Mahalakshmi, resides. 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 the embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi herself. From the day of formation in its mother's womb, a child grows in different stages, each with a stipulated time frame. Accordingly, although brain formation takes much earlier, memory cells are said to start activating on the completion of seven months of pregnancy. Thereafter, the unborn child can record sounds and vibrations from its surroundings. 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. On completion of this japam (recitals), the pregnant woman is bathed in cold holy water, without the addition of any warm or hot water. This takes place even late in the evening, whereupon the child in the womb shakes and jerks from the stimulation of the cold water. The specific function of japam is to give a solid 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. Each Vedic mantra is designed for a specific stimulation, so that its phonetic vibration attains its fullest value. 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. Following the recital, the function continues with a veena recital of carnatic instrumentals and songs that create a calm and pleasant atmosphere. ==Meaning== Nowadays Seemantham is often combined with a "Valaikaapu" ritual hosted by the pregnant woman's mother. The Seemantham ceremony is more religious in nature than the Valaikaapu, which is a more informal function. The ceremony itself has its roots in olden times when a woman would depend on the local midwife to deliver her child. In order to ease her passage, this ceremony would be performed to invoke blessings. However, the traditional ceremony is not of relevance today, since some doctors believe that mothers-to-be should avoid crowds towards their ninth month of pregnancy in order to avoid infection risks. Rituals such as pouring cold holy water on the mother may also be harmful to the fetus in some cases. The original ceremony was also meant to invoke the birth of a male heir, as is seen from the words uttered during the rituals, and some couples therefore prefer not to go through with it if their preference is for a girl child. These religious rituals may also be performed in a temple to avoid elaborate ceremonies. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Seemantham」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|