How to Arrange a wonderful Godh Bharai for your loved one?

When a family gets the news that a little one is going to grace their home soon, joy knows no bounds. Not only for the new parents, but pregnancy is also a wonderful time for any family. During this time, the mother-to-be deserves all the care and love she can get. It has been proven that taking care of a pregnant mother physically and emotionally, can significantly improve the whole experience of giving birth. For couples, stepping into the shoes of new parents can be an unnerving one. But it can be made easy when they have the support of their family and people they are close to. And small rituals and ceremonies play an important role at this time.

A very western idea of ceremonies during pregnancies is the baby shower. A small get-together of family and friends who come together to bless the new mother and unborn child. It involves a celebration of new life. In India, a baby shower is celebrated as “Godh Bharai”, which can be translated to “filling up the lap”. Keeping the mother as the central figure, a Godh Bharai involves well-wishers coming together to pray for the good health and happiness of the mother and her baby. The mother is given all kinds of delicacies to enjoy and receives gifts for her and the child she is carrying. For most families, a Godh Bharai is an extremely auspicious occasion that calls for a lot of celebration.

What is the relevance of Godh Bharai in a household?

Indian households have various different kinds of rituals, pujas and occasions where they come together with gifts, delicacies and all members of the family to celebrate something. These occasions are all relevant in their own way. They usually consist of certain traditions and rituals that are conducted among the hosts and guests alike. They are usually followed by mouth-watering feasts that are something to look forward to. A similar kind of an occasion is the Godh Bharai ceremony that is conducted for a family member who is expecting.

Traditionally, a Godh Bharai is celebrated in a household when the mother is 7-8 months pregnant. The ceremony rituals may vary from one culture to the other, depending on how the family celebrates it. In fact, in some homes, Godh Bharai is a function where only women participate to celebrate the pregnancy. It is arranged by a female member of the family, usually the mother-in-law. Arrangements can also be done by the new mother’s sister, cousin, mother or aunt. They bring together a special feast for the new mother, bless her with an aarti and all the elders of a family come together to give her gifts. The gifts are also bestowed upon the little one who is almost prepared to grace the home.

How to arrange for a Godh Bharai?

A really wonderful thing about Indian ceremonies is the way they are arranged. People often get creative about the ceremony, taking in suggestions from different members of the family. It is all about protecting the rituals that come with the occasion. So if someone is looking for Godh Bharai decoration ideas at home, they can have a lot of ideas at hand. And if you are arranging for a Godh Bharai for the first time, you need to remember a few things.

• Decoration and attire: In many houses, a Godh Bharai is celebrated with great pomp and show - almost as grand as a wedding. It involves saris, jewellery and special objects for the rituals. When you have to go shopping and need some Godh Bharai dress ideas, it can be a good idea to consult the elders of the family. Most families would want to keep the attire as traditional as possible. Apart from this, there are fragrant oils that the new mother is anointed with and the women sing praises to the gods who protect the baby. These have to be arranged beforehand, to avoid any rush.

• Focus on the mother: Make sure that the mother-to-be is taken care of throughout the day. A Godh Bharai ceremony can be a long and elaborate one. If you are the one arranging for the day, the mother should be your priority. Keep her comfortable and hydrated. Make sure that she gets to eat at the right time and take care of any problem that she is facing.

• Food is important: If there is one thing that can win the hearts of all Indians at the occasion, it is the food. Every Godh Bharai is marked by preparing the most sumptuous meals for the mother and the family. It is a sign of love and affection towards of new mother, that she should be able to have all the foods she likes. In fact, if you are looking for gift ideas for Godh Bharai, it is very common to prepare an elaborate hamper of fruits, nuts and other dry food items that are the mother-to-be’s favourite. It can be prepared like a small care package on behalf of a family member.

• Some entertainment is good for everyone: Most Indian ceremonies are incomplete without a little song and dance. For Godh Bharai, there are traditional games that can be planned among the guests to keep the celebratory mood. A beloved game of Godh Bharai is the planning of the baby’s name through antakshari. Often, the names that come up here actually end up being used by the new parents for their newborns.

So now that you know what kind of party you are going to plan for a Godh Bharai, you have to decide the kind of gifts you need to get. Let us help you out with that.

What gifts to buy for a Godh Bharai?

If you are someone close to the mother-to-be, which you possibly are, you need a lot of Godh Bharai gift ideas before the ceremony. You may be confused about what to get your favourite person and the new member who is coming into your life. But there are a few things that may help you out:

• Clothes for mother and baby: New mothers go through a lot of changes physically. There are new adjustments to be made. In fact, many women have bodily changes where they cannot wear the clothes they wore before the pregnancy. So getting new clothes for a new mother can be a great idea. Here, you can gift the adorable onesies and baby clothes that your new family member can be dressed in when they are born.

• Strollers and cribs: There is a lot of arrangement that has to be done with a new baby coming to a household. New furniture, cribs, baby chairs, strollers, and walkers can all be great gift ideas on a Godh Bharai. It serves as a reminder of the new life that is coming up for the new parents and the little items at home can help them prepare.

• Baby care kits: Babies are a lovely addition to a family, but on a realistic note, they come with a lot of expenses. There are medicines, baby products and clothes that have to be bought timely in order to keep a baby healthy and growing. If you are hosting a Godh Bharai for the mother-to-be, you can help by sharing these expenses. Gifting baby kits or taking responsibility for one part of the newborn’s expenses can be a wonderful and pragmatic gift.

• Care packages for the new parents: If you know a couple who are new parents, you are very well aware of how difficult their lives become. So on the occasion of the Godh Bharai, remind them to take care of themselves along with their new member. Try to find out good Godh Bharai packing ideas, where you can prepare care packages for both parents. These could be clothes, personal items, accessories or anything else. Care packages allow you to get creative with gifts and usually stand out from other, ordinary gifts.

Now that you know how to arrange for an amazing Godh Bharai ceremony, let us see some Godh Bharai decoration ideas that can help you to complete the event.

Decoration Ideas for a good Godh Bharai

A Godh Bharai is usually conducted in the afternoon. Since it involves puja and other rituals, there is a gathering and you have to prepare for things beforehand. So here are a few tips to plan the right kind of Godh Bharai:

• Since it is a celebration of new life and good health, use flower-based decoration.
• The best idea to conduct an afternoon event is to make it simple but elegant.
• Consult with the mother-to-be and ask her what she is comfortable with. It should be your priority to keep her happy and safe throughout the ceremony.

Final notes

A Godh Bharai is about the happiness and joy of a family. So if you have the role of planning such an important ceremony, make sure you are keeping everyone happy. Come together to celebrate the beauty of birth and womanhood. Because a Godh Bharai is one of those rare occasions, where you believe that life itself is wonderful.