Baby Shower
Shrimant of Jacquelyn Desai
Plant your invitation
The invitation is 100% recycled handmade paper embedded with black-eyed susan, evening primrose, spurred snapdraon, shirley poppey, mexican hat, white yarrow, and sweet alyssum. Full planting instructions here
August 2, 2014
12pm - 4pm
Out Door Country Club
1157 Detwiler Dr, York, PA 17404#babydesai
What is Shrimant?
The ceremony of Shrimant, is also referred to as called “Kholo bharvano” in Gujarati. It literally means "to fill the lap of the expectant mother" with auspicious items. Essentially, the ceremony celebrates the fertility of the mother-to-be and blesses the soul in the womb.
Senior sister-in-law(s) in the family place rice in her lap. Symbolically, this represents the seeds offered to the mother Earth, who returns them to us manifolds. It celebrates the generous, bountiful qualities of nature.
At this crucial, final stage of the pregnancy, a raksha / rakhadi, is tied to the right hand of the mother-to-be to ward off any evil eye and seek divine protection for her and her child.
Junior brother-in-laws – "devar" gently press her cheek, leaving hand imprints in auspicious kumkum. In our culture, the devar is treated as a son. By gently caressing the bhabhi, devar is reminding her not to forget her pseudo son, just because she is going to give birth to her own child soon. Bhabhi, in return gives presents to the devar, confirming her affection for him and telling him that from now on, he will have additional responsibilities, as a kaka (paternal uncle).
© Bhagwat