The bath with coconut milk - Ros

Wilman Cardozo

F.Y.Bcom B   C183206




 For weddings  in Goa generally, a day or two preceding the traditional Goan wedding day it was customary for the families of the bride and groom to separately hold a ceremonial bath function at their respective houses for the Goan bride-to-be and the Goan groom-to-be. Most Goan Catholic families observed this Ros Kaddunk ceremony before the wedding in Goa, and while it is not as common today, this traditional practice does take place even among Goan families who have settled in other parts of India or the world. 


The Ros Kaddunk ceremony before the weddings in Goa first involves the application of a cupful of juice extracted from shredded coconut pulp (coconut milk) kept in a pot, on the head, face or hands of the groom or bride. This application is done by close relatives one by one in proper order of priority, followed by neighbours and friends, to the accompaniment of special verses called zotis sung in Konkani by trained women. 


 This important ritual from the several Goan wedding traditions is done first outside the bathing room, in the hall. This application is symbolic of the state of single blessedness of the bride/groom. 


: For a traditional Goa wedding, the second part of the bathing ceremony consists of a bath with water, possibly warm, in the bathing room (Nanni), again in a ceremonial manner, with songs being sung in a group. After bathing with a tumbler of water this time, a few coins are dropped into the pot of water kept for the purpose, as has been done in the first stage of the bath also. All the money dropped in the
pots is taken by the maids who helped or were called for preparing the bath water and coconut-pulp juice. 


For Hindu weddings in Goa there is a similar bath but not so elaborate a ritual. They have the additional application of turmeric (holod) and oil on the body of the Goan bride. There is a symbolic application of oil and turmeric for the Goan groom also, in each one’s place of residence.


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