Twin Stars : Arundhati and Vashistha

Twin stars observed during marriage ceremony

Thousands of years ago the ancient rishis could identify two tiny spots in the sky as a twin star system. They named it Arundhati-Vasistha.

Mizar is known as Vashista and Alcor is known as Arundhati in traditional Indian astronomy.

The pair is considered to symbolize marriage. Vashistha and Arundhati were a married couple. Arundhati and Vasistha were considered an ideal couple, symbolic of marital fulfillment and loyalty.

During the marriage ceremonies of Hindus, one of the ritual is the groom shows the bride the double stars of Vasishta and Arundhati.

In some Hindu communities, priests conducting a wedding ceremony allude to or point out the constellation as a symbol of the closeness marriage brings to a couple.

Secret behind watching/pointing the stars

In most twin stars system one star is stationary and other rotates around it, while Arundhati and Vashishtha both rotate in synchrony.

To tell that both husband and wife must do all things in sync and that husband must not rotate round the wife or wife should not dance to the tune of her husband, this ritual was made a part of the marriage ceremony.

Arundhati and Vashistha performing Yagna

This is not explained in marriages although the Pandit takes the couple out and shows the twin star.

The greatness of our ancestors / scholars was that they could know that such a twin star system exists and how they rotate even without the telescope.

A point to be noted

Women in India had a higher stature in society. Its Arundhati-Vashistha and not Vashistha-Arundhati. Women had higher respect than men.