A Traditional and Playful Ritual
A fun ritual in the otherwise serious and sentimental ceremony is the Kashi Yatra during marriages. Kashi is considered a holy place for most Hindu communities, and the Lingayats share the same sentiments. The bride’s uncle plays an important role in this ritual where he asks the groom to give up his quest for spiritual life by going to Kashi and instead get married. The groom wants to leave the worldly pleasures and move to Kashi and the uncle stops him.
Significance of Kashi Yatra Ritual in Kannada Lingayat Weddings
This ritual takes place while the other wedding rituals are being held in the Mantap simultaneously. In a playful banter, the groom carries rice, coconut, walking stick, dhoti, fan, and an umbrella to set out for Kashi Yatra. The maternal uncle then pleads with the groom not to go and instead get married to the girl who is chosen. The groom initially rejects but after some persuasion agrees to marry the girl. Nowadays Kashi Yatra sets are available online which are beautifully decorated, we can find beautiful Kasi yatra umbrella designs that can be matched with a decorated walking stick, fan, and a bag.
Kashi Yatra in Marriage is a fun-filled ritual which is conducted by the men-folk on the bride’s side. If the bride has no uncle, the father dons his role in the Kashi Yatra. After this, the groom returns to the Mantap to proceed with the wedding. The groom is also educated on the importance of marriage to convince him to get back to the wedding.