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Muh Dikhayi
In Bihar and Jharkhand, there are several post-wedding ceremonies, of which Muh Dikhayi is one of the oldest. This Hindu ceremony has its origins in ancient days when the groom and his Baraat (wedding procession) travelled by horse or on foot to bring back the bride to her new home. As the travel took days, many women members in the village would stay back without participating in the wedding. And so, this Muh Dikhayi or Muh Dikhai ki Rasam, which meant unveiling the bridal veil or showing your face ceremony, was particularly held for those who would see the new bride’s face for the first time. Women would dance and sing till late evening and offer the new bride presents. The bride has to perform many traditional post-wedding rituals in her new home. From Griha Pravesh, Muh Dikhayi, Chauthari, Pag Pher to Bhagwat Saptah, the wedding celebrations go on. Depending on the region and family traditions, sometimes these rituals may differ slightly, but the Muh Dikhayi ritual continues to hold significance even today. It is mostly held right after the Griha Pravesh Ceremony and on the night of the wedding. The ceremony is a formal introduction of the bride to the groom's family, relatives, and friends. It begins with the bride getting dressed in a beautiful saree gifted by her in-laws during the wedding. She is adorned with jewellery and has to cover her face with a Ghoonghat (veil) for the ceremony. The beautifully dressed bride is led into the room or ceremony area by a close female relative, mostly her sister-in-law or a female cousin of the groom. She sits on a decorated chowki (low stool) with her face still covered. The mother-in-law first lifts the bride’s veil gently to unveil her beauty. She blesses her new daughter-in-law and showers her with gifts, which sometimes include family heirloom jewellery. Then, one after the other, female members follow. They apply tilak on the bride's forehead and bless her. They offer some sweets or shagun (cash or gifts) as a welcome gesture. The elder womenfolk may even whisper a few words of advice to the bride or sing traditional songs at the ceremony. Though Muh Dikhayi is largely for the ladies of the house and the neighbourhood, depending on the family and their traditions, sometimes, the groom and other male members may be present. Often, they arrange a few fun-filled games with the bride to help break the ice and ensure it is a fun night for all. Traditional sweets and food are served to everyone.
Cultural Significance
The Muh Dikhayi ceremony, practiced for centuries, has been crucial in Bihari post-wedding rituals and has always held deep cultural significance. When the groom’s family hosts a Muh Dikhayi ceremony, they are essentially honouring a tradition passed down generations.
It is also a symbolic gesture of the bride being formally recognised as part of her new family. Unveiling her face and presenting her with gifts exemplifies the bride's acceptance into the family and community. Likewise, blessings are symbolic of well-being, happiness, and prosperity in marital life.
In some families, as a ritual, the bride may be asked to sit at the table and not eat while the other family members enjoy the meal. This teaches her to prioritise her new family above herself. Similarly, in some families, the bride prepares a sweet dish and serves it to the family members. This symbolises her responsibility to add sweetness to family relations, creating a stronger bond. The father-in-law, mostly as a gesture of appreciation and admiration for her cooking skills, gives his daughter-in-law a cash token at that time. Both these tasks help to elevate her status in the family, fostering familiarity and building trust with the in-laws. It gently eases her into the new role of a daughter-in-law, nurturer, homemaker, and bearer of the family’s legacy. Lastly, bestowing gifts, also, reveals the family’s prosperity, generosity, and social standing within the community. This ritual not only marks the bride's entry into her new family but is the first step to strengthening family, cultural, and social bonds.
Fashioning Tradition
Like all the other Bihar and Jharkhand wedding functions, for the Muh Dikhayi ceremony, too, the dress code is traditional wear. In Bihar and Jharkhand, the brides, grooms, families, and friends wear traditional attire that reflects the cultural heritage of the region. For a long time, a typical Bihari bride only wore a saree for the Muh Dikhayi ceremony as the pallav served as a Ghoongat needed to cover her face. The saree is usually rich Bhagalpuri silk called Tussar silk, Banarasi silk, or a trendy Kanjeevaram silk. The Bhagalpuri silk saree made from eri silk, tussar silk, or mulberry silk is often adorned with Madhubani designs. The saree may be brocade or heavily embellished with zari (gold or silver thread work). However, modern Bihar brides are also opting for designer lehengas to wear for their Muh Dikhayi ritual.
Here, instead of the saree pallav, the richly embellished dupatta serves as a ghoongat or veil draped over the head. Whether saree or lehenga, it is the ghoongat that is central to the Muh Dikhayi ceremony. Lastly, the Muh Dikhayi outfit is always vibrant and in auspicious colours like red, maroon, or pink.
On the other side, the clothing worn by the groom is far simpler than the bride’s, mainly because this ceremony focuses on the bride and not the groom. Also, the groom may or may not partake in the all-female fun. If male family members attend a Muh Dikhayi, they are either dressed in a kurta pajama or traditional dhoti kurta in pastel or bright auspicious colours.
Jewellery & Accessories
For the Muh Dikhayi ceremony in Bihar and Jharkhand, the bride is always bejewelled and beautiful. In the olden days, since it would be the first time the bride would meet with a lot of women in the family and the village, she dressed from head to toe to express her beauty and feminity. Also, wearing gold jewellery reflected her social status and was considered auspicious.Bihari women, on their Muh Dikhayi, especially wear a Maang Tikka (decorative forehead ornament) symbolising the union of two souls, and a Nath (nose ring) as it is considered to have protective powers.
They also wear traditional earrings like Jhumkha, Ghungroo Jhumki, Tikli, Bala, or Dhokaniya, carrying cultural and spiritual significance. Similarly, many brides are gifted by their mother-in-law a traditional necklace on their Muh Dikhayi day. It could be a Chandrahar, Satlada, Rani Haar, Guluband or Hansuli.
Today, with Grooms also attending the Muh Dikhayi, they choose to look equally dressed for the occasion. The groom wears a Kara or Kada, a thick circular bangle, a Mala or necklace made of gold with or without a pendant, and a Bajubandh (armlet) to complete the look. Overall, the jewellery worn during the Muh Dikhayi ceremony in Bihar is more than just an adornment, it is an expression of age-old traditions and deep-rooted culture.
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