What is Godh Bharai?

Godh Bharai is a type of ritual in many Hindu families where it is celebrated to welcome the arrival of the unborn baby safely who still lay in their mother's womb and family member bless the mother for her motherhood and protect her from the evil eyes, ghosts and other evil spirits. Godh Bharai simply means, "Fill the lap" with all the happiness of the world. It is known by different names in different countries and state. People of Bengal call it Shaad, in Tamil Nadu it is known as Valaikappu and in Kerala, it is called Seemandham.

When is Godh Bharai done?

It is mostly celebrated when a women is pregnant. However, it depends mainly on the family. In many families, there is no ritual of celebrating Godh Bharai. However, in Bengali culture two times the Godh Bharai of pregnant women are celebrated. When the women attained the fifth month, their mother-in-law celebrates this ritual and at ninth month, the women mother organized this Godh Bharai function. But in many other culture when the women completes seventh month they celebrate this by organizing a small puja in the house. It totally varies from culture to culture.

How it is performed?

It totally depends upon the culture of the different countries and its people. Still it is mostly the same in every culture where the family members and others gathers together in the house and bless the pregnant women and her baby and gives gifts to the new would be mother. In many families, they celebrate this occasion in a grand way. On this day many pregnant women wear new clothes especially sari and wore ornaments made of flower and the family member organizes a small puja.

Generally, on this occasion only women are allowed to join. This is the happiest ceremony for the pregnant women and for the entire family. On this day would be mother were given jewellery to wear and also wear bangles and fill the lap of the would be mother with different types of sweets, fruits and prepare different varieties of food and put the foods in front of the pregnant women and allow her to eat those food. On this day, the women perform singing, dancing, and play different tricks and funny jokes with the new mother. Different types of games are also organized and many suggest the names for the unborn baby.

Tips for enjoyable Godh Bharai

Godh Bharai is the very special and the happy occasion for the entire family of the pregnant women. Through this occasion, family member meet each other and take out sometime from their busy schedule to join this occasion and enjoy the very special moments. Therefore, here are some tips, which I share with you all to make this occasion more enjoyable and special for the family members as well as the new mother, friends and guests.

1. The women especially the pregnant women must take proper rest before the ceremony because on this day it is impossible to get proper rest. Therefore it is better to take much rest just before the day of the occasion.

2. Often on this occasion pregnant women had to wear heavy dress. Some prefer to wear lehenga, heavy work sari or even heavy embroidered salwar suit, as pregnant women were the main attraction of this occasion. Therefore, to look good they choose to wear this type of dress. Therefore, it is better to wear light clothes, which make women more comfortable and feel easy to move.

3. Different types of food are prepared on this day. Try to avoid the foods, which is not comfortable for the women to eat. Eat as much as light food, which will not harm the women and the unborn baby in the womb.

4. On this day family member organize various programmes. Therefore, to entertain the guest's one can hire some women who are expert in henna and doing mehendi designs on hands and feet. This attracts many women and they love to do this tattoos and designs on their hands and feet.

5. Return gifts can also be arranged for the guests who gather in the house on this occasion. So as a return gift one could give the guests a box of sweets, designer bangles, purse, perfume or arrange for the goody bags which will contain handkerchief, bindi, clip, lipstick, sindur and a packet of dry mehendi etc to their guests.

Conclusion

It is really a very occasion for the full family when they eagerly wait for the baby. Many of them take out time from their rush schedule and wanted to stay with the pregnant women to give her the company until her baby comes to this world. Therefore, it is a very special day for the mum who carries her baby for nine months in her womb. Whose eyes always wait for the baby to be born and makes the mum more proud and feel her some especial.