Baá¹ Maá¹Âiam or Baá¹Âà  Maá¹Âiam is an ancient East Syriac chant distinct to the Church of the East and belongs to class of Tesbohta in the Hudra proper to the East Syriac midnight liturgy of the Nativity. In popular use, it is most commonly associated with the wedding traditions of the Knanaya Syro-Malabar community in India.
The chant sings about the Christ's journey in life, death, and resurrection. In total the chant has 49 couplets (however not all are sung during weddings) and is considered para-liturgical. The chant is sung after the wedding Holy Qurbana (East Syriac Liturgy) of Knanaya Christians is concluded and is chanted by priests and all laymen present. After Bar Maryam is sung the priests sprinkle the newly wedded couple with Holy Water and conclude the ceremony.
Bar Mariam is a distinct East Syriac chant of the Church of the East. The Knanaya Catholics use this chant during their wedding ceremonies. The Knanaya are an ethnic-group found within the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala and are said to be the descendants of Judeo-Christians who migrated to India in the 4th century. The chant was written down for the first time in history by the Knanaya scholar P.U Luke in his text âÂÂPuratana Pattukalâ or Ancient Songs in 1910.
In 1944 the Syro Malabar priest and writer Joseph Kurmankan ridiculed the Knanaya community for singing Bar Mariam at the conclusion of their wedding ceremonies. Kurmankan stated that the singing of Bar Mariam as a wedding custom was not a tradition found among the Saint Thomas Christians and claimed it to be an improper tradition among the Knanaya.
Since then, the revered Syro Malabar priest and scholar Placid J. Podipara (1899-1985) gave the following description of the chant: <blockquote> "There is a hymn called âÂÂBar Mariamâ (the Son of Mary) which is sung as âÂÂparaliturgicalâ by priests and people at the end of the wedding ceremonies of the Southist (Knanaya Catholic) community of the Chaldeo-Malabar rite. This community traces its origin traditionally to a foreign colony that settled down in Malabar in the 4th century. The hymn is in the Syro-Chaldean language and is translated into the Malayalam characters for the benefit of those who do not know the Syro-Chaldean characters."</blockquote>
The Knanaya Catholics maintain this chant solely for weddings. It is sung after the conclusion of the wedding Holy Qurbana (East Syriac Liturgy) and is chanted by priests and laymen together. After the chant is over the priests bless the newly weds and sprinkle them with holy water.