Rajasthan Viral News: Weddings in Rajasthan are known for their royal style, colourful traditions, and deep-rooted customs. But there’s one ritual that’s grabbing attention for being completely unexpected, and it involves welcoming the bride with a drink of alcohol. Known as the Pyala or Manwar tradition, this old Rajput custom happens after the bride steps into her new home. As part of the welcome, her in-laws offer her a cup filled with alcohol, usually local liquor or whisky. In some families, she’s asked to take a sip. In others, she only needs to touch the cup or mark it with a tilak as a sign of respect.
Sometimes, the elders of the house take the sip on her behalf. This ritual isn’t followed everywhere in Rajasthan. It’s mostly seen in traditional Rajput families from places like Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaipur. On the other hand, cities like Bikaner and Jaisalmer hardly observe this practice anymore.
But times are changing, and so is the Pyala tradition. In many modern or non-drinking families, alcohol has been swapped with fruit juices, rose water, coconut water, sherbet, or even soft drinks. A family from Jodhpur shared that they now use rose syrup instead of alcohol, so everyone, including kids and elders, can join the ceremony.
“Yes, this culture of drinking alcohol is common in some districts of Rajasthan, especially in western Rajasthan. It may be that it is not acceptable in any family or village, or they may not like it, but it happens; the names may be different,” a second user wrote. “It’s not completely correct, it’s a ritual which is done in some parts of Rajasthan, not all Rajputs follow it. Like eastern Rajasthan doesn’t follow it. Rajasthan has different traditions and rituals of the same caste in different parts of it,” added another user.