Earlier this year I had the pleasure of photographing both a Valaikaapu (Bangle Ceremony) and Baby Shower for Sinthusha Dilukshan.
A Valaikaapu, also known as Bangle Ceremony, is basically the South Asian version of a baby shower. It is a ceremony held in parts of India and Sri Lanka for pregnant women, meant to bless her, celebrate her fertility and ensure a safe birth.
The ceremony involves guests blessing the expecting mother by throwing rice and flower petals over her head, smearing turmeric on her cheeks, hands and feet, and putting bangles on her arms, which are meant to be worn until she gives birth.
The parents-to-be wanted to keep the gender of the baby a surprise, and had a pink and blue themed baby shower, a week after the Bangle Ceremony.
Sinthusha gave birth to a beautiful baby boy last week, and I couldn’t be happier for them!!