Lada is the goddess of love in Slavic mythology. In ancient times, a cult developed around it, which included a variety of rites and rituals. Dances around the bonfire on Ivan Kupala were the most common ritual. And moreover, one can even say that Kupala is a Lada holiday, at which young couples met and fell in love under the protection of this goddess.
It combined everything that people appreciated in a young girl: tenderness, sincere love, meekness, affectionate character and a humble disposition. Lada, like most pagan gods, has its own symbol - a white swan. He personified true purity, family fidelity and heavenly love.
There are ancient rites that devote to the goddess Lada. Most of them are already adapted to the present, therefore they are performed independently. Such ceremonies are performed to harmonize family relationships, soften the character, improve personal life, or to attract love.
The goddess Lada, like Rod, did not enter the pantheon of the gods. Both of them were an integral part of the worldview of the Slavs. Everyone should get along with each other. People called Ladies-Ladushki their favorite. The wife called her beloved Lado.
The goddess Lada has many hypostases, among them male ones. For example, Lad is a god of harmony and friendship. From here comes the word "palm." We all offer our friends open hands for a handshake. Another hypostasis is Lel. This is the god of fiery, bright love - a small, beautiful boy. Sparks fly from his palms, and they can ignite even the coldest heart. As you know, among the ancient Greeks Eros was such a boy, and among the Romans - Cupid.
Goddess Lada listened to the requests of people. She was also called Shchedrynya, and, accordingly, a holiday in her honor - generosity (January 6/19, the current Baptism). In honor of this goddess, they sang songs that praised peace, harmony and love. Ice holes were made on frozen rivers and lakes (so that “Lada breathed”) and the gifts were thrown there to the goddess (grain, cakes, pancakes), and the ice was watered with decoctions of herbs, which meant the imminent onset of spring. After this, walks and feasts began.
The feast of the arrival of warmth and spring - Ladodenie - was accompanied by special rites. The Slavs sang the awakening of nature. Women climbed on
haystacks, on roofs of houses, on slides and, raising their hands up to the sky, called for spring. Cranes were also made from dough. They were placed in a high place (for example, above the door) and they had to guard the space. The belief that the birds are returning from the Slavic paradise, Iria, is still associated with the Ladodania holiday, and therefore people imitated the dancing of the birds.
Throughout ancient Russia, the goddess Lada was revered. Slavs, according to mythology, she always protected. People called the Lada the whole system of life, i.e. okay, where everything should be fine. To avoid any family problems, the goddess was brought flowers, honey, berries and live birds. With its help, friendliness, homeliness, mutual understanding, love, family life and mutual respect appear in life. The Goddess Lada gives the newlyweds everything that they ask for a happy life together.
Despite the antiquity of the rites, some families still have customs to celebrate in honor of Lada, according to all the rituals.