In India, the idea of an arranged marriage or families choosing a spouse for a member of their clan is so deeply embedded in our culture that even after death, this continues to be a norm. There is a tradition called Kule Madime that is observed in parts of southern India where even unmarried dead souls have an arranged marriage.
What is Kule Madime?
It is one of the important traditions observed in Tulunadu and it is a marriage between spirits of the dead. The idea behind this tradition is that unmarried departed souls are “incomplete” and devoid of salvation. So by arranging a marriage between two spirits, families want to offer them completion and salvation. It is also done for the well-being of the community.
What happens in this ritual?
It is just like a marriage as it is known today – two families of the departed souls get together for this process. There is consideration for suitable age, caste and astrological match after consulting the community elders. The groom should be at least two years older than the bride. reports sources.
The marriage is conducted at night at the groom’s house during amavasya where the bride’s family arrives with a Mundu, shirt, shawl and turban. If the marriage takes place at the bride’s house, then the groom’s family arrives with pingara (areca) flowers, saree, blouse, kariyamani, a toe ring and bangles.
Male and female figures are made using dried paddy straw or the stem of plantains. In some places, drawings of the bride and groom are made using rice flour. They are placed on chairs covered with white cloth and decorated. After the wedding, dinner is served to all the guests.
Recently, a family from Puttur in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka placed an advertisement in a newspaper seeking a suitable ‘spirit’ groom for their daughter, who passed away 30 years ago, to carry out the Kule Madime ceremony, reported News18.
They were looking for a ‘spirit’ boy from the Kulal caste and Bangera gotra who also passed away 30 years ago.
“Seeking a boy for a girl from Kulal caste and Bangera (gotra). The child died about 30 years ago. In case there is a boy of the same caste and different Bari, who died 30 years ago and the family is willing to perform Pretha Maduve,” the advertisement read.
At least 50 people have reached out expressing interest in the ceremony.
Isn’t this an interesting tradition?