Seemantham
Encyclopedia
Seemantham, also known as 'Srimantha' in Karnataka and Pumsavana Seemantham is an important traditional ritual in the South India
n states of Andhra Pradesh
, Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu
, carried out during the eighth month of pregnancy. Although in ancient times Seemantham was performed on the birth each child, today it may be restricted to the first born.
The word Seemantham refers to a parting of the hair just above the eyebrow where the Goddess of Wealth, Sri Mahalakshmi, resides. This leads to the practice of applying kumkum
to the parting in order to propitiate the Goddess Sri Lakshmi
such that when a woman delivers a child, she is considered the embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi herself.
From the day of formation in its mother's womb, a child grows in different stages, each with a stipulated time frame. Accordingly, although brain formation takes much earlier, memory cells are said to start activating on the completion of seven months of pregnancy. Thereafter, the unborn child can record sounds and vibrations from its surroundings.
In order to format the brain in an optimal condition, Vedic
tradition calls for the recitals of relics and verses known as Udhagasanthi or Uthakashanthi Japam in a soft but powerful mantra
recital that lasts for about an hour and a half. On completion of this japam (recitals), the pregnant woman is bathed in cold holy water, without the addition of any warm or hot water. This takes places even as late in the evening whereupon the child in the womb shakes and jerks from the stimulation of the cold water. The specific function of japam is to give a solid state of mind in preparation for the child's birth through a positive vibration from the recited Mantras that provides sufficient strength to the child in the womb, and creates an atmosphere conducive to the earthly possessives on his or her birth.
Each Vedic mantra is designed for a specific stimulation, so that its phonetic vibration attains its fullest value. Udhakasanthi Japam gives confidence to the pregnant women and also increases her mental strength, with supportive gathering members blessing the child and mother for a normal delivery. Following the recital, the function continues with a veena
recital of carnatic
instrumentals and songs that create a calm and pleasant atmosphere.
Nowadays Seemantham is often combined with a "Valaikaapu" ritual hosted by the pregnant woman's mother. The Seemantham ceremony is more religious in nature as opposed to the Valaikaapu, which is meant to be an informal function. The ceremony itself has its roots in olden times when women would depend on the local midwife to deliver her child. In order to ease her passage, this ceremony would be performed to invoke blessings. However, the traditional ceremony is not of relevance today, since some doctors believe that mothers to be should avoid crowds towards their ninth month of pregnancy in order to avoid infection risks. Rituals such as pouring cold (holy) water on the mother to be may also be harmful to the fetus in some cases.
The original ceremony was also meant to invoke the birth of a male heir, as is seen from the words uttered during the rituals, and some couples therefor prefer not to go through with it if their preference is for a girl child.
These religious rituals may also be performed in a temple to avoid elaborate ceremonies.
In Karnataka, Srimantha refers to the occasion conducted in pregnant girls parents home to seek blessings by the lord for safe delivery and happy life. Pregnant girl is presented with various gifts. This celebration in some ways is similar to western practice of baby shower. The ideal goals aside, in these times it has become increasingly display of gold ornaments, lots of foods and extravagant spending ritual. This was not the original intention of the function.
In Tamil Nadu, the Seemantham ceremony marks a woman’s passage into motherhood and celebrates her fertility. Seemantham is a ritual performed widely throughout Tamil Nadu by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians in preparation for a woman’s first delivery, and its primary functions are to satisfy the pregnant woman’s desires, bless her, and ensure a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
Seemantham has become much more elaborate and expensive, according to the women, scholars, and religious figures interviewed by Van Hollen. Food has always been a central feature of the ceremony, but the amount of food has multiplied and sweets have taken on a more important role. Expectant first-time mothers are now more likely to receive cash, gold, and consumer items, like household appliances, and in greater amounts. The husbands’ families often request certain gifts, unlike in the past when guests brought gifts they had chosen. There is an increasing emphasis on displaying food and gifts at the Seemantham, which was not true in the past.
The reinvention of the Seemantham tradition is associated with the rising trend of conspicuous consumption that has occurred along with growing privatization and economic liberalization in Tamil Nadu and throughout Southern Asia. According to Van Hollen (2003:78), Seemantham has come to represent a “convergence of the desires for new consumer technologies and for the display of wealth through ritual,” a trend that parallels the intensification of dowry practices throughout India. She discusses how these changes create a double burden for the families of first-time mothers: “The growing economic burden of Seemantham (and other ritual gifts associated with the reproductive continuum) was compounded by the fact that the pregnant woman’s family in Tamil Nadu was also largely responsible for the medical expenses associated with childbirth. This was particularly true of the first delivery, since the pregnant woman almost always returned home for that delivery but not necessarily for consecutive deliveries” (p. 111).
The Seemantham ceremony is usually conducted by the boy's parents.
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
n states of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, carried out during the eighth month of pregnancy. Although in ancient times Seemantham was performed on the birth each child, today it may be restricted to the first born.
The word Seemantham refers to a parting of the hair just above the eyebrow where the Goddess of Wealth, Sri Mahalakshmi, resides. This leads to the practice of applying kumkum
Kumkum
Kumkum , is a powder used for social and religious markings in Hinduism. It is either made from turmeric or saffron...
to the parting in order to propitiate the Goddess Sri Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
such that when a woman delivers a child, she is considered the embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi herself.
From the day of formation in its mother's womb, a child grows in different stages, each with a stipulated time frame. Accordingly, although brain formation takes much earlier, memory cells are said to start activating on the completion of seven months of pregnancy. Thereafter, the unborn child can record sounds and vibrations from its surroundings.
In order to format the brain in an optimal condition, Vedic
Vedic
Vedic may refer to:* the Vedas, the oldest preserved Indic texts** Vedic Sanskrit, the language of these texts** Vedic period, during which these texts were produced** Vedic pantheon of gods mentioned in Vedas/vedic period...
tradition calls for the recitals of relics and verses known as Udhagasanthi or Uthakashanthi Japam in a soft but powerful mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
recital that lasts for about an hour and a half. On completion of this japam (recitals), the pregnant woman is bathed in cold holy water, without the addition of any warm or hot water. This takes places even as late in the evening whereupon the child in the womb shakes and jerks from the stimulation of the cold water. The specific function of japam is to give a solid state of mind in preparation for the child's birth through a positive vibration from the recited Mantras that provides sufficient strength to the child in the womb, and creates an atmosphere conducive to the earthly possessives on his or her birth.
Each Vedic mantra is designed for a specific stimulation, so that its phonetic vibration attains its fullest value. Udhakasanthi Japam gives confidence to the pregnant women and also increases her mental strength, with supportive gathering members blessing the child and mother for a normal delivery. Following the recital, the function continues with a veena
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
recital of carnatic
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...
instrumentals and songs that create a calm and pleasant atmosphere.
Meaning
Although Seemantham is religious in nature and intended to fulfill the mother's dreams and expectations for her child, most families now consider it a symbol of prestige and status to hold grand ceremonies which generally focus on the grandeur of the occasion rather than on the ritual itself.Nowadays Seemantham is often combined with a "Valaikaapu" ritual hosted by the pregnant woman's mother. The Seemantham ceremony is more religious in nature as opposed to the Valaikaapu, which is meant to be an informal function. The ceremony itself has its roots in olden times when women would depend on the local midwife to deliver her child. In order to ease her passage, this ceremony would be performed to invoke blessings. However, the traditional ceremony is not of relevance today, since some doctors believe that mothers to be should avoid crowds towards their ninth month of pregnancy in order to avoid infection risks. Rituals such as pouring cold (holy) water on the mother to be may also be harmful to the fetus in some cases.
The original ceremony was also meant to invoke the birth of a male heir, as is seen from the words uttered during the rituals, and some couples therefor prefer not to go through with it if their preference is for a girl child.
These religious rituals may also be performed in a temple to avoid elaborate ceremonies.
Relevance today
(From "Growing Up Global: The Changing Transitions to Adulthood in Developing Countries")In Karnataka, Srimantha refers to the occasion conducted in pregnant girls parents home to seek blessings by the lord for safe delivery and happy life. Pregnant girl is presented with various gifts. This celebration in some ways is similar to western practice of baby shower. The ideal goals aside, in these times it has become increasingly display of gold ornaments, lots of foods and extravagant spending ritual. This was not the original intention of the function.
In Tamil Nadu, the Seemantham ceremony marks a woman’s passage into motherhood and celebrates her fertility. Seemantham is a ritual performed widely throughout Tamil Nadu by Hindus, Muslims, and Christians in preparation for a woman’s first delivery, and its primary functions are to satisfy the pregnant woman’s desires, bless her, and ensure a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
Seemantham has become much more elaborate and expensive, according to the women, scholars, and religious figures interviewed by Van Hollen. Food has always been a central feature of the ceremony, but the amount of food has multiplied and sweets have taken on a more important role. Expectant first-time mothers are now more likely to receive cash, gold, and consumer items, like household appliances, and in greater amounts. The husbands’ families often request certain gifts, unlike in the past when guests brought gifts they had chosen. There is an increasing emphasis on displaying food and gifts at the Seemantham, which was not true in the past.
The reinvention of the Seemantham tradition is associated with the rising trend of conspicuous consumption that has occurred along with growing privatization and economic liberalization in Tamil Nadu and throughout Southern Asia. According to Van Hollen (2003:78), Seemantham has come to represent a “convergence of the desires for new consumer technologies and for the display of wealth through ritual,” a trend that parallels the intensification of dowry practices throughout India. She discusses how these changes create a double burden for the families of first-time mothers: “The growing economic burden of Seemantham (and other ritual gifts associated with the reproductive continuum) was compounded by the fact that the pregnant woman’s family in Tamil Nadu was also largely responsible for the medical expenses associated with childbirth. This was particularly true of the first delivery, since the pregnant woman almost always returned home for that delivery but not necessarily for consecutive deliveries” (p. 111).
The Seemantham ceremony is usually conducted by the boy's parents.