Birthday: Leena Chandavarkar's Journey from Father’s to Husband’s Home

Leena Chandavarkar got married. She left her father's house and went to her husband's house.

Just a few days ago, when she celebrated her engagement anniversary, people asked, "When will you get married now?" Leena smiled and said, "When the time comes."

Perhaps they were waiting for the auspicious moment. That auspicious moment came on Monday, 8 December at quarter to six.

Amidst the melodious sound of the Shehnai, Leena Chandavarkar and Siddharth put garlands around each other's necks with the auspicious recitation of the 'Ashwalayan Grihahaya Sutras' by Rigvedi Pandit Dinkar Bhatt. They became life partners forever.

This marriage took place in Tejpal Hall as per Vedic rituals. Many rituals were performed which started at 9 am itself.

I reached the hall decorated with banana leaves and flowers at exactly 9 o'clock with Mayapuri's photographer Suresh Jethwa. Shehnai was playing. The hall was fragrant with the smell of incense. All preparations were made to bring Leena's groom Siddharth. There was coconut, betel leaves, rice, kumkum, saffron, etc. on a plate. There was gram flour, cashew, and mung laddu on a big plate. There were decorated fringes on another plate. Leena's maternal uncle, maternal aunt, her brother Anil, her sister-in-law, and producer Gulu Kochar got down with those plates and sat in a big luxurious car decorated with flowers. There were many other photographers with us.

Siddharth and his family stayed at Akbar on Narayana Dabholkar Road, a short distance from the wedding hall. First of all, Leena's sister-in-law did Tilak on the groom and performed Shukun by giving a coconut in his hand. Uncle gave him sweets, sister-in-law applied perfume and then gave garlands to the women. Brother applied perfume to the groom and hugged him.

As soon as this 'Shakun Sanskar' was completed, everyone came down and sat in the cars decorated with flowers and moved towards the hall. There was a police jeep behind the cars. The convoy of cars moved forward slowly and majestically, spreading the fragrance of flowers. Many people had gathered around the roads to see it.

As soon as they reached the hall, the baraatis were welcomed with love. Leena's father sprinkled water from betel leaves on the groom. He did tilak, made him wear a Gandhi cap, and hugged him. Bhabhi washed the groom's feet and gave him a coconut in his hand. Leena's mother did the groom's power of love puja. After the puja was over, Leena's Bhabhi did the groom's aarti. After this auspicious puja, everyone moved towards the hall.

As soon as Leena's groom entered the hall along with his elder sister (Chief Minister of Goa) Shashikala Bandodkar and his other two sisters Usha Bandodkar and Jyoti Bandodkar, the sound of Shehnai started.

The wedding pavilion was decorated with green leaves near the entrance of the hall. The pavilion adorned with Vanshri was smelling of incense. It seemed as if the material for the worship of a sage was decorated and Pandit ji was sitting there chanting mantras.

After some time...!

Siddharth was the first to sit in the mandap. Leena's parents worshipped the groom with the chanting of Pandit ji, sprinkled water on him, applied Tilak on him and after the worship Leena's father made him wear a sparkling diamond ring.

After the groom's worship, the bride's worship was completed. When Leena's uncle brought her to the mandap holding her hand, it seemed as if a divine girl was being brought to the mandap. Dressed in glittering jewellery, shy, drowned in emotions, lost in dreams, Leena's beauty today was such a beauty that has not been seen on screen till now. In Goan and Maharashtrian attire, that Leena looked like a different Leena. Around the neck was a necklace shining like lightning, a necklace of dangling pearls, a garland on the forehead, bracelets in the hands, earrings...and then a coconut in the hands. Today, in Leena's beauty, the beauty of many divine girls was shining together. As soon as she sat in the mandap, the sound of the shehnai became even sweeter.

And then - Siddharth's elder sister Shashikala Bandodkar, dressed in full Maharashtrian attire and wearing a nose ring, came to the mandap with a thaali for Puja. With a rosy smile, she applied Tilak on the bride Leena, put a gajra on her forehead, put green glass bangles on her forehead, applied a dot of kajal, gave her a red saree - and presented some jewelry. Similarly, Siddharth's other two sisters also performed the Viradhavat Puja of Leena.

After the puja was over, the bride and groom took some rest. Breakfast was served to the guests.

Then a new scene:

Leena came to the wedding hall with her sahbala. First of all, she was welcomed by the groom's family. Later, Siddharth's sisters worshipped Leena as per the rituals described in 'Grihastha Sutra'. They put rice grains on her forehead, then applied tilak and made her grind black gram on a household grinder. They sprinkled water from betel leaves repeatedly. They performed aarti. They gifted her a sari and a comb. They put curd in her mouth.

After the bride's initial rituals were over, Siddhartha came to the mandap wearing a dhoti-kurta and a turban with his companion. First, he touched his mother's feet, then touched his sisters' feet and bowed before his late father and sat in the mandap. The shehnai played once again. This time the bride's family duly worshipped the groom. They sprinkled water from mango leaves. They put curd in his mouth and performed his aarti. In this aarti, Leena's parents, brothers, maternal uncles, maternal aunts, and relatives were all present.

In this way the ritual of mutual relations between the bride and groom was completed-

And later, the bride and groom were brought to the mandap. In one corner, Leena was sitting with her family, and in the other direction, Siddharth was sitting with his family. As soon as they entered the mandap, the bride and groom looked at each other from the corner of their eyes – looked to their hearts’ content – ​​and then both of them became self-absorbed. From the expressions of both, it seemed as if they were flooded with the fragrant aspirations of union. It seemed as if a sea of ​​redness of Suhaag had flowed in Leena’s eyes. This time, both the Pandit of the groom’s side and the Pandit of the bride’s side were chanting mantras loudly. Proper resolutions were made from both sides – and at the same time, the bride and groom resolved to tie the knot of life together. This was the first chapter of marriage according to the Shastras.

After that there was lunch – and after lunch there was rest.

But at exactly 5 p.m., the police band along with the shehnai resounded and the hall felt a little refreshed. Meanwhile, the look of the mandap had changed. The mandap which was earlier decorated with green leaves was now fragrant with flowers. The colorful flowers and fruits and the small red and yellow electric lights twinkling between the garlands created a new atmosphere. Ganeshji made of flowers was installed in the background which had a different beauty altogether. The bride and groom were brought to the mandap once again. This time their attire had also changed. The pandits of both sides chanted mantras and amidst the chanting of mantras, threads of cotton were wrapped around both of them. This was a symbol of the sacred bond between the two.

After this holy bond, both of them stood up. On one side Siddharth was standing with garlands of flowers, and on the other side, Leena Chandavarkar was standing with a big hall of flowers, fragrant with her love, for the swayamvar. There was a thin white curtain between the two. Everyone was standing. Shehnai was playing, the sound of the band had become louder. The chanting of the mantras by the pandits had also gained momentum. All the guests in the hall were standing with rice grains in their hands, meanwhile the pandit looked at the clock. It was quarter to six - just then - the pandit removed the curtain with the recitation of the last shloka - and in the blink of an eye, the bride and groom put garlands around each other's neck. The hall echoed with applause, people showered rice grains - and amidst the atmosphere of happiness, Leena and Siddharth got married - forever...

But Leena's father, mother, brother, and all the relatives were very emotional. Leena's eyes were filled with tears of her father's love. Leena's father could not control himself and ran to hug Leena.

Leena leaves Babul's house...

And after this wedding, the bride and groom were welcomed at the Oberoi Hotel the next day in the evening, which continued till midnight. Many film personalities came to congratulate the bride and groom, notable among them were Dilip Kumar, Saira, Hema, Atma Ram, Ravi Tandon, Sunil Dutt, Nargis, Sultan Ahmed, Mushir-Riaz, Mukri, Farida Jalal, Bindu, etc. Before them, many artists had gone to Leena's house to congratulate her. This week, the bride and groom went to Goa to celebrate Madhuratri. Leena has not yet decided whether she will work in films after marriage or not.

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