Washing Groom's feet with milk

An Honored Tradition by Parents of the Bride

The practice of washing groom's feet with milk dates back to ancient times. This sacred ritual is viewed as a way to purify the groom and prepare him for his married life as a member of the bride's family. Milk is a symbol of purity, fertility, and abundance. By performing this ritual, the bride's parents express their love, respect, and acceptance of the groom. It is also seen as a gesture of gratitude for the groom's willingness to take on the responsibilities of marriage and become an integral part of the bride's family. 

See anything wrong with this?

I remember feeling very uncomfortable as my parents performed this ritual. It felt extremely demeaning to see my parents have to physically bend down and carry out this ritual. It's a ritual carried out in Sindhi communities to this day and is an integral part of the marriage ceremony.

While I respect the meaning behind it, my question is why aren't the groom's parents told to wash the bride's feet with milk? Shouldn't we also be welcomed with love, respect and acceptance by the groom's parents? 

Besides sending out the message that the male is superior, it also shows that he is doing this enormous gesture by marrying the bride, for which the parents of the bride should be extremely grateful for this "favor".This reinforces the idea that the bride's parents are indebted to the groom. The idea of a power dynamic between the two families, with the groom's having the upper hand.

Time for a change? 

I think so.

By - Divya Idnani

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