That egg was placed to be crushed under the tyre of the groom’s car as he set off for the Wedding Venue (in Wedding 1). I captured the ritual and assumed that it was done as a sign of good luck. I carried the assumption in the second wedding as well, when the same was repeated in Wedding 2.
My assumption came unfounded last night when hubby and I were returning home from somebody’s place. I asked him about why the egg had been so placed.
The reason for the crushing was that at some point of time, animal sacrifice was done before any auspicious occasion to please the Gods. And now, rather than sacrificing animals, eggs are crushed as a symbolic mark of the same exercise.
I was hit by the meaning. Crushing that egg guaranteed that there would be nothing productive or nextgen-ish ever coming through that one egg.
What would you have felt at being a witness to that phenomenon? Had you not known the meaning what would your reaction be? Had you known the meaning, would you have felt any different?
^WiseGuy^
Huh, that's interesting. I'm going to crush a bunch of eggs before my FET in Feb then... :-/
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting tradition...
ReplyDeleteAhhh wiseguy, if the gods still need sacrifices, then I am glad it's just eggs. Perhaps I shall crush a few myself.
ReplyDeleteTrue True Pundelina. I'm not sure how I feel about it now though. Kind of EEEEK DON'T CRUSH THE EGG! But if something's gotta be 'crushed' just to get things happening and apease the gods, then I've got 12 dozen sitting here just waiting for a smashing!
ReplyDeleteWithout knowing the story behind it, I would have just thought, "Oh, that's nice. Must be good luck or something." But associating it with animal sacrifice makes me feel... kinda sad.
ReplyDeleteAnd that is your deep thought for the evening. Good night folks! :)
Honestly? It does not phase me in the least. think about it - the egg they're using was never going to have life created out of it anyway - it was going to be eaten.
ReplyDeletexxx
It doesn't phase me either way you look at it. It's kind of an odd tradition but if it makes them happy, so be it.
ReplyDeleteIn my country, the eggs sold to consumers are unfertilized (or the vast, vast majority, anyway)--so if the egg were not eaten, it would have no "production" anyway.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were going to say the purpose of the ritual was for fertility luck. I was bracing myself and everything. I saw the true meaning as less painful than what I was expecting, so it was kind of a relief (but that's also with the above understanding of eggs in mind).
Hmmm...your blog told me my "comment was published. So, where is it?
ReplyDeleteOh, there it is. Sorry for bombarding you. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't been by in a while -- missed you and as always, I'm amazed by your posts.
ReplyDeleteI can understand eggs transcending to fertility -- that is what we all talk about, right?
I say eggs = fertility!
ReplyDeleteWhat a strange tradition. I like traditions, myself. Even if I don't believe in their power, so much, I like participating in them knowing that generations before me have done the same.
ReplyDelete