babyshower - the Bunt way

I just love it when there is a celebration at home,with news of a new member coming to a family comes great celebrations always look forward to relatives coming down from different corners of India,kids running around,all the ladies coming together in the kitchen and cooking,decorating the house,flowers,amazing food,rituals.......just love it all

Baike(babyshower) is one such celebration,I share with you my sister in laws babyshower.

Baike (babyshower) is a ceremony that celebrates the first pregnancy of the daughter in law of the house.The baike is held during the 5th,7th or 9 th month of pregnancy (odd months-its considered good luck) .

My sister law draped in a green sari,jewels gifted by in laws,and jasmine flowers around her hair looked beautiful.

Relatives and friends were invted to bless the Mother to be

The mother to be has cravings(thodoo,baike in tulu) ,on this day the mother in law serves varieties of sweets to the Banjinal(mother to be) and all her cravings and desires are fulfilled by serving huge portions of sweets.

Egg and drumstick leaves palya is also served,the Banjinal has to feed the egg to a one girl and one boy kid.Its said that If she desires a girl baby,then she should feed the girl child  first.

After serving the sweets ,Banjinal is served food on banana leaf and then sent to her mothers house after she takes blessings from all the elders of the house.All the sweets served to the banjinal is then packed and sent to her mothers house,where it can be distributed among all the relatives and friends. 

 flower decorations around the house

Stage set for the mother to be

Jasmine flower around her hair

Sweets ready to be served

Tray with banana leaf to serve the sweets on.
Eggs and drumctick leaf palya

Ari podi
Made by dry roasting brown rice till it pops,grinding it and mixing with some coconut and jaggery.

1st layer ari podi (sweet rice powder)

2nd layer homemade ghee 9 tsps

3rd layer 9 podal unde (puffed rice ladoo)

4th layer 9 sukun unde

5th layer 9 mysore pak.

6th layer 9 boondi ladoo

7th layer 9 eliappas

8th layer 9 saats

9th layer 9 karanji's

10th layer 9 jalebis

11th layer 9 Kajjaya's

12th layer 9 malpuris

13th layer 9 chakuli's

14th layer 9 halwa's

15th layer Bela (jaggery)