As a wedding photographer, you get an opportunity to shoot some unique weddings on and off. Recently I had the opportunity to shoot Shashti Abda Poorthi or Sashti Poorthi ( or simply Shastipoorthi ).
This is simply an old Tamil brahmin Hindu ceremony where the family celebrates the completion of 60 years of birth of male members. According to Hindu tradition, a man’s lifetime is supposed to be 120 years. “Shashti” means 60 and “Poorthi” means completion.
A wedding is one of the best ways of family re-unions. Incidentally this time it coincided with the father’s 60th birthday. Although I have shot many Tamil weddings in Chennai, this was the first time I was shooting Shashti Poorthi.
Shashti Poorthi is the completion of 60 years or one complete cycle of life. It is an occasion to celebrate the birthday with family but also time for some poojas and mantras that would lead to happy and good health in old age.
There are quite a few different GODs are worshiped.
- Mrutyunjaya
- Brahma
- Vishnu
- Rudra
- Markandeya
- Navagrahas
- Budha
- Brihaspati
- Saniswara
- Rahu & Kethu
- Sapata Chiranjeevins
- Ayur Devata
- Samvatsara Devatas
- Nakshatra Devatas
- Ashtadikpalas
- Saaptha Rishis to name a few.
Interestingly the old couple/parents take a bath in the sacred water and are wedded again. The husband ties the holy thread or Mangala sutra around the neck of the wife with the blessings of all GODs and Devtas.
Check: A beautiful pre-wedding shoot near Coimbatore.
