Roce Ceremony | Reynold DSouza
Mangalorean Konkani Catholic Roce Ceremony
​⁠‪@precitaverse‬
#roce #wedding #mangalore #traditional
Roce (or Ros as it's otherwise spelt) is a traditional Mangalorean Catholic ceremony whereby the bride and groom are annointed with a mixture of coconut milk and oil (the roce), and then blessed.
On the previous evening of the wedding day, an important ceremony is performed which is called 'roce' - a ritual hot water bath taken with anointing of oil and application of pure coconut juice, by the groom/the bride. This signifies the last bath that the bride or the groom will be taking in their bachelorhood/spinsterhood. With the ceremony of 'roce' the wedding celebration really begins. Both bride and bridegroom have to undergo this ceremony in their respective homes. This ceremony also signifies the mother's love towards her son or daughter The guests who come for the roce are warmly welcomed by the hosts “Yezman” and “Yezmani” at the main entrance of the ‘matov’ (Pendal) saying ‘paan-pod udak ailem' ('receive this plate of areca-nut, betel leaves, etc., and pot of water’). The guests acknowledge the welcome and reply : ‘Dev Borem Korum, yezmanya” (May God bless you). Among the guests, those who are in the habit of eating ‘paan-pod’ (betel leaves and areca nut) take the plate in their hands and chew paan-pod.
The wedding ‘roce’ ceremony was performed in the evening for the bride and evening or on the wedding day morning for the groom. If the ‘roce’ is held in the evening, it implies that there will be a ‘rosa jevann’ or meal after the ceremony. As the wedding celebration was now reduced from - say 10 days to three days and now to one day, the main wedding dinner would take place at the groom’s residence. Therefore, the bride’s side avails the opportunity of the evening roce so that they can invite their relatives, neighbours, dear ones for the roce ceremony meals. The invited guests of the bride also would attend the wedding the next day.