The pregnancy party....Athawansa

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Posted by Catherine Cartwright JOnes on September 11, 1999 at 18:21:44:

Since people seem curious about the floor patterns,(Mandana and
Rangoli) as they go hand in hand with the henna patterns...here's a
snip from "Art of Rajasthan" by Jogendra Saksena again....

"The child birth ceremony in Rajasthan starts long before the child is
actually born. On the first day of the 8th month called Athavansa, a
pregnant woman is annointed and then bathed in perfumed water, her
hands and feet are decorated with lovely Mehndi designs and then she
is bedecked with gorgeous clothes and ornaments. After this is over,
she is seated on a cauki (wooden seat) and blessed by placing in her
lap sweets, dry and green fruits and a coconut. This ceremony is
called "god bharna" i.e. filling of the lap. On this day a particular
Mandana called Athvansa-do-cowk is drawn on the beautifully finished
ground. It is not necessary that this particular design alone should
be drawn in all the compartments of the house, which are cleansed with
cowdung on this ceremonial day.

"After child birth, the third and the sixth day's ceremonies, called
"carua" and "chathi" respectively, are not so important as is the
"Suraj" ceremony, celebrated on the 10th day. On this day the mother
"jacca" comes out of her apartment for the first time with the
newlyborn babe in her lap, to glance at the sun in the sky. This
ceremony, known as the "Namakarana Sanskar Divas" or the name-giving
day, takes place after the "havan' is over and the child is baptised.

"Whole house is cleansed and floors are besmeared with cowdung on the
Suraj ceremony day, earth is mixed in the dung for producing the
seasonal efect. Then the floors of various rooms, apartments and
courtuqrd in the house are decorated with Mandanas, herein
"Suraj-ko-cowk", a particular design for this day, figures
priminently. "Suraj-ko-cowk" is circular in form and similar to a
"Kunda" scribed on the "Makar Sankranti" day. As a symbol of the sun,
a circle of a "Kunda" is quite relevant, and significant on this
occasion."

I have these and other designs ready as pattern sheets for henna
artists.....just email and ask, and I'll send them to you free as
gifs. What you use to besmear and cleanse your house on ceremonial
occasions is your own decision.



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