Hinduism has always been famous for its old rituals and practices. While most of our practices are backed with scientific reasons, there are some which are not easily explainable.

Such practices include checking a couple's astrological compatibility before a wedding. In some cases, the bride is born with mangalya dosham and is considered a manglik. This means the bride's birth chart -- her fate -- is believed to cause an early death to her husband or cause the couple's separation. So, the couple is deemed incompatible.




Thus, according to Hindu custom, the bride is married off to a peepal or banana tree in order to break the curse. This is because it's believed that mangalya dosham causes problems in the first marriage only.

The tree is then uprooted and destroyed, which symbolizes the death of the bride's first husband. Upon nullifying the mangalya dhosham, the bride is married to her real groom.

But there is no science or rational reasoning behind this custom.


Source: cleverhumanity, britannica, and bollywoodshaadis
Image Credit: NationalGeographic, Dheivegam