by the 'pujari'. This is done to ensure that no evil spirits enter the venue of the wedding. Griha Shanti (Saantik): This is a very important religious ceremony, which invokes harmony within the planets. Both sets of parents are the primary figures in the invocation. On behalf of the parents, the priest asks the deities to ensure stellar harmony and peace during the period of their son or daughter's wedding. The bride takes a coconut to her parents who are seated on 'patlas' (low stools) in front of the sacred fire and seats herself beside them. While the priest is performing the 'puja', which can take up to two hours - she hands this 'shriphal' (coconut) to her parents, who in turn hand it over to the priest for 'ahuti' (sacrifice). The coconut is consigned to flames, thus propagating peace and harmony between all the nine planets. Similar ceremonies are conducted in the groom's home. Mameru or Mosaalu: The bride receives gifts from her maternal uncle The custom of 'mameru' originated centuries ago when there were no legal rights existing for daughters. It was customary for the parents to start making provisions for their daughter by gifting her with things on occasions like 'rakshabandhan' or 'bhaibheej'. These gifts accumulated as 'streedhan' (daughter's wealth). When the girl grows up and gets married, the 'mama' or maternal uncle comes with the 'mameru' consisting of clothes, jewellery and other gifts items including the traditional 'paanetar' (silk wedding sari - usually white with red