Men-Women difference

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavathas:

 

As Sri Srinivan said " since there has been an active discussion on the

status of women, I thought this was the best time for me to clear my lack

of knowledge, by putting forth this question." Recently a friend of mine

asked me the reasons for keeping Thayyar on rightside of SRimaNNarayana in

the altar and Padmavathi Devi on the rightside of Sri Venkateswara. After

marriage and after walking seven steps around Agnihotram, it is customary

for the bride to sit on left side of bridegroom and during Kalyanotsavam

etc. it is also (I think) it is customary for the wife to sit on left side

of the husband. The reason by friend gave me was that the right hand needs

to be free for doing Achamanam, puja etc. Could one of the learned members

of this group explain and clarify my ignorance.

 

Ramanuja Dasan

 

Ramagopal

[Guest guest]

> Recently a friend of mine

> asked me the reasons for keeping Thayyar on rightside of SRimaNNarayana

in

> the altar and Padmavathi Devi on the rightside of Sri Venkateswara.

After

> marriage and after walking seven steps around Agnihotram, it is customary

> for the bride to sit on left side of bridegroom and during Kalyanotsavam

> etc. it is also (I think) it is customary for the wife to sit on left

side

> of the husband. The reason by friend gave me was that the right hand

needs

> to be free for doing Achamanam, puja etc. Could one of the learned

members

> of this group explain and clarify my ignorance.

>

> Ramanuja Dasan

>

> Ramagopal

>

>From what I have observed at traditional Tamizh SriVaishnava wedding

cermonies, including my own, the situation is actually the reverse. The

bride sits on the right side of her groom throughout the entire ceremony,

including the jAnavAsam.

 

I was told that ThAyAr sits to Perumal's right because she is the

sahadharmachArinee to Perumal, assisting Him in all His Actions.

 

If I understand correctly, the practice of the bride's standing to the left

of the groom came about originally through the kingly communities, who in

history and myth are known to have held their sword in their right hands,

defending the honor of their lady. This practice has been adopted by some

Brahmin communities, but as far as I know, is not the practice among ours.

 

adiyEn,

 

Mohan