CMYK Thursday, January 10, 2013
FEATURES
3B
Two souls become one
Traditional Vedic wedding ceremony unites June Bachan and Sean Tihal BY KATIE JUSTICE
kjustice@clickthepaper.com
Traditional Hindu weddings may not be all too common in the area of the Bible Belt known as Northeast Georgia, but on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, a little bit of Indian tradition made its way to Braselton with the marriage ceremony of June Bachan and Sean Tihal. On Saturday, guests of the wedding entered the Legends of Chateau Élan to find a Mandap, or wedding shrine, covered in fabrics bright red, orange and purple in color and flowers such as purple orchids. As per a traditional Vedic wedding ceremony, the wedding took place in the home area of the bride, whose family lives in Chateau Élan. The ceremony itself lasted for about
two hours with the officiating Pandit, a Hindu priest, by the name of Dr. Sahadeo Hariprasad guiding both the couple and the audience through the ceremony. Hariprasad would announce each step in English, describing its significance, before performing it in traditional Sanskrit. To start the ceremony, the bride’s family welcomed the groom, known as the dulha. Tihal, dressed in an ornate and traditional costume with a crown, arrived to the site of the ceremony on a decorated and lighted golf cart. The same steps were repeated with the groom’s family when the bride, known as the dulhan, arrived. The bride wore an ornate red dress with gold trim and beading, which was made in India. She was also adorned with traditional henna markings along her hands. Henna is a temporary
reddish-brown dye that is used to mark the bride for blessings and luck. Steps in the marriage ceremony included the bride feeding the groom milk mixed with honey, followed by the bride’s family giving her to the groom and his family.
“In our custom, we turn [the bride over], saying now you join a different family,” said the bride’s mother, Tara Bachan. “Two generations, not just Sean and June, but their parents and grandparents,
See WEDDING, page 4B
Katie Justice The Paper
Top left: June Bachan, the bride or dulhan, is dressed in an ornate red wedding dress that was made in India. Top right: The dulha and dulhan kindle the sacramental fire and make offering of ghee and samagree. At left: The groom arrived in a decorated golf cart to be welcomed by the bride’s family in a ceremony known as Baraat Swaagat. At right: The dulhan offers her groom a taste of milk and honey to represent the relation of sweet nectar and cosmic purpose during Madhurparka Daan.
U.S. adoptive family hopeful in midst of unknowns Two young sons currently remain in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has American families, like the Romanos of recently signed a bill that will prohibit Jefferson, are deeply concerned about the American families from adopting Russian orphan crisis in Russia. The Romanos are orphans. especially concerned about those with speSome say Putin’s signing of the bill is cial needs who cannot survive without the retaliation for a new U.S. human rights help of others. These orphans live drab lives law that punishes Russians who in institutional care and never know are accused of human what it is like to be a part of a rights abuses. For more loving family. information about this isIn the midst of this news, sue, visit http://www.cnn. there are still approximately com/2012/12/28/world/eu50 adoptions pending, one rope/russia-us-adoptions/ of those being that of the index.html Romano family. The agency The Russian Orthodox with which the Romanos Church supports this ban work informed the family because they believe that that the committee in St. Farah Bohannon Russian children will not Petersburg has agreed to Columnist spend eternity in heaven. complete all adoptions in One of the Church’s leaders, process; however, it remains to Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, be seen if they will be allowed to stated, “They will not get a truly Christian do so. There are many unknowns, but this upbringing and that means falling away resilient family continues to persevere. from the church and from the path to eter“I personally do not believe that the Lord nal life in God’s kingdom.” led us this far for our two boys to remain in This is significant news to thousands of institutional care. I believe He will make a American families because Russia has been way, ” said Pam Romano, adoptive mother one of the top countries from which orphans of two boys waiting in Russia are adopted. There were thousands of orSince this occurred in the middle of the phans adopted by Americans in 2011. holiday season, the Romanos must wait until
For The Paper
Pam and Mark Romano with their daughters have visited with their sons, including Bogdan, whose name means “gift from God.” Their visit meant a time for laughter and bonding. The couple is eager to welcome Bogdan and his brother, Yura. everything opens back up in Russia. Everything shuts down until at least Jan. 9, well after New Year’s Day. Luckily, there are several organizations challenging this bill, one with a petition with more than 100,000 signatures asking to review the law and annul it. It is good to see that there are several people who are opposed to all of this. The Romano family’s agency remains hopeful. Spokesmen say they truly believe that with time, Russia will find a way out of this and realize that they have given up on
the thousands of children who otherwise have nothing. Please keep the Romanos and the other families in the process of adopting Russian children in your thoughts and prayers. All children deserve a home and a loving family, no matter where they are from. Farah Bohannon is a freelance writer living in Winder. She loves to utilize her skills to write inspiring stories. Reach her at