Feb 26, 2009

Puberty Tradition In South India

Do you know about the puberty tradition that is followed in India ?? Yes we have a tradition which we even follow now when a girl reaches her puberty!! Here I’m talking about the tradition that has been followed in the South India where I belong to. Let me tell about the tradition followed when a girl reaches puberty. Almost the same custom is followed even now but it slightly vary as per the community

When a girl reaches puberty she is treated like a princess!! When I reached my puberty I was at my grandmother’s place. The first thing done is whatever the time it is the girl is supposed to take a bath. Then she is made to sit in a separate room where only ladies are allowed not even my cousin brothers and my brother are allowed lol :)) Then all the relatives are informed and they visit the girl with sweets and gifts the following days. The girl is kept in a separate room like this for 15 days.The girl is given nutritious food on those days. Everyday the girl is dressed like an angel. My grandmother used to give me raw egg with gingelly oil at 4.00am in the morning on those days (yuks) I feel like throwing away if I think of that. My parents grandparents are all vegetarians but on those 15 days I was forced to have raw egg as it is supposed to be good for health (That is what my grandmother used to say:p).

Then on the 16Th day all friends and relatives are invited and some rituals are performed by the priest . The girl is decorated like a bride on that day with new sari,jewelleries and made to sit in front of relatives and friends and the priest does some pooja(prayers) and then the girl is given a bath with neem leaves and turmeric powder mixed in the water and then she is again made to wear new sari and made to sit in front of relatives and friends and the elders bless the girl and give gifts.Then with a great lunch the function comes to an end .

But these days girls refuse to inform about their puberty to friends and relatives and the rituals are performed on the 7th day itself only with some very close relatives or in some cases no one is informed or invited and the priest does the rituals at home in front of family members only. But some are still following the tradition and a big ceremony is held. I think this custom must have originated long before when child marriages prevailed and by informing relatives and friends and by holding a big ceremony all are informed that the girl is now ready for marriage. That must have continued and now have become a tradition. What is the tradition followed in your country or place my friends? What all do you do when a girl reaches puberty? Let me know in the form of comments :)

20 comments:

  1. whew! you have a very interesting puberty tradition. I wonder why we don't have traditions like that...hehehe

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Tammy, yea it is interesting indeed!!! I really enjoyed every moment of it..who wouldn't like sweets,gifts,new clothes etc at that age:P and more than that you are the star for 16 days..I also wonder why dont you have a tradition like this in your country???:p

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous27.2.09

    wow...that is a very intricate, detailed process and ceremony.
    I bet it makes the girl feel very special at the time!
    where I come from, the only tradition that happens when a girl reaches puberty is that you are given many warnings to stay away from boys!! ;D
    I think my Mom must have said it like 200 times! LOL! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. cheeerss!!! its one of a kind tradition!
    something like you are HOLY in just 15 days ....hehehe.love of all to have those gifts. I dont have that kind of rituals, seems very different story.nice to hear it from you the truth of all stories.I only remember was I'm too young to get married at the age of 31.hehehe.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello Sudha,
    this sounds like a lovely tradition. Especially receiving a new sari. I'm sure yours was beautiful...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Diva,yea it makes the girl feel very special! I was waiting like when will I reach puberty lol:)to get gifts and stuffs. Your mom said to stay away from boys but here even if we look at boys we will get a big kick from our parents LOL :P we are allowed to speak only with our cousin brothers..and can you believe I studied in a 'only for girls' school:( but things have changed a lot now a days..means now a days girls study in Co-Ed schools also:)
    Hi Vhing,LOL :P
    Hi Duni,yea mine was a beautiful pink coloured sari..even now I have it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for this awareness, Sudha. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very interesting.... We have plenty ceremonies in our tradition but we miss this one...

    BTW, thank you for leaving nice comment on my blog - I would love to sketch you and your doughter... If you are interested please visit my blog and send your photo.

    Cheers, Leet

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice to know about this ritual. Very interesting. For sure, it feels good being treated like a princess, except for the raw egg, lolz.

    Thank you for sharing this to us.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have heard many stories about this. You won the pendant on my jewelry blog, please see the entrecard email I sent you. Great article, very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous1.3.09

    Thanks for sharing, I know that the world changes and young generation are changing too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous2.3.09

    Oh Sudha,I don´t know about the girls,I only have sons...lol...but a great post,I enjoyed to read them! Have a wonderful week and thanks for beeing my friend.
    Lot of hugs
    Sabine

    ReplyDelete
  13. wow...16 days! each country has its own tradition but regarding with the puberty stage- we dont have it. It's not really a big deal for us but i dont know with the Muslims. They have their own traditions.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi,I have an award for you..hope u like it..

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous3.3.09

    What a interesting puberty tradition! I can image how beautiful you wear the sari!

    We don't have such ceremony, And I don't know how old a girl reaches her puberty! :(

    ReplyDelete
  16. A very interesting and informative post about puberty tradition in India. We don't have any particular tradition on puberty.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Cuteboo(Sabine),I dont have girls either..I have a 14 year old son..but I always wanted a girl baby and I adore girl babies :)
    Hi Tammy, yea in most of the countries this is not considered as a big deal!but when this is done the girl feels happy and special!
    Hi iwalk,girls reach puberty sometime between 10-14 years of their age but these days bcause of the bad food habits a large number of girls reaches puberty at a very young age of 8-9 years which is so sad..Thank you for the compliments about sari :D
    Hi Birdy, Thank you for dropping by!Glad you enjoyed reading the post! Do visit again :)
    I agree with you way a world :)
    Gee and Grace, Glad you enjoyed the post and Gee yea it sure has a horrible taste..the raw eggs..yuks :P

    ReplyDelete
  18. “I really enjoyed every moment of it..who wouldn't like sweets,gifts,new clothes etc at that age:P and more than that you are the star for 16 days.”

    “it makes the girl feel very special! I was waiting like when will I reach puberty”

    “but when this is done the girl feels happy and special!”

    These are some quotes extracted from your post and comments. As a part of the erstwhile Travancore, Trivandrum District (My native District) in Kerala, followed the same rituals, as you narrated in your post. But the only difference is that I never found a girl, who was comfortable on such occasion. I found them very shy and did not want to face anybody (especially males) on that occasion.

    Sudha, did you really felt like a star for those 16 days?
    binodkamalasanan@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. @Binod I really enjoyed those days! don't know about other girls :) what's there to feel shy about it. I didn't get it :O

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous6.12.11

    yep 7 days rest ... can't see even cousins'/brothers' face dat week ... raw egg with gingely oil and some sweet black urad dhal creamy stew ... den a feats for close relatives and friends .. no saree but silk skirt and jewellery
    hehe but nowadays things are different .. ... good rest for a week ... take them to a nice restaurant .... explain to them why they should stay away from boys lol

    ReplyDelete