Markundi/Sarbaala, the youngster

“Sarbaala” in hindi, “Markundi” in odiya is the younger brother, cousin or nephew, who accompany groom on the marriage date. Presently, this is the most prominent way to involve younger kids as a part of the marriage celebration.

Origin: I spend enormous time on books and internet to know the evolution of this concept. Hardly, there is any mention about role of  “Markundi” in marriage. The following sentences, collected from web, carry the best meaning:

 Original word could have been derived from Sanskrit. Seh-baala...Associate groom. Or Sir-baala...replaceable groom (in case the groom disappears). Many weddings in old days used to happen amidst a feud and fight between two sides with a very good chance of Groom getting his head chopped by someone. Seh-baala will take his place and bring the bride home for tribe's honor no matter what. I am sure originally groom used to be 12 or 14 yr olds while Sarbaala few years younger but oddly grooms have grown older(sometimes 35 yr:-)) with time but sarbala have become even younger with the tradition turning into only a tradition without any practical use with time.

This tradition is practised in many parts of the sub-continent but almost religiously in north and eastern states. Anyone can go through below points, to make it more attractive.

·         Go for the same style of dress for Groom as well as Markundi. The only difference will be visible as size of the wearable.

·         Going one step ahead, choose shoes, turban and other accessories with similar to groom’s collection.

·         Spend some time with the Markundi and tell the youngster what you have in mind ahead of time, and explain what is expected of them on the day. Explain what a wedding is all about and why it’s an honour to get this special role.

·         Give a thought, how messy children can be, especially at the reception. It’s a wise decision, to investing some extra, on alternative wear for when they want to start skidding around the dance floor.

·         You’ll probably also want to invest in a gift to say thanks for their services. Bear in mind that all children want to play with gifts now, if it’s a new toy. So make sure it’s something that can keep them amused during the reception and not intrude on the reception, like a vuvuzela.