Hindu weddings : a saga of love & traditions

In India, we have so many festival-related rituals one of them is the Wedding.  A wedding is a ceremony where two unknown people meet, and share their feelings with each other as a couple and are united by a ritual called marriage. 

In India not only couple are united, but their families were also involved in it.

At the wedding, we have a lot of traditions and customs that have to vary greatly between cultures 

Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by the couple, a presentation of a gift, and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or celebrant. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception Music, poetry, prayers, or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony.

WEDDING PROCESS

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In Hindu weddings, the wedding is known as Vivaha Sanskar.

Weddings are a celebration of love and commitment, and can also be a celebration of the couple's religion and culture. One such ceremony that you might not be so familiar with? A Hindu wedding. Whether you're invited as a guest, attending as a member of the wedding party, or are simply curious, there are a few key components you'll see time and again. Here, our experts break down a Hindu wedding ceremony for you.

Traditional Hindu weddings fall, generally, along two lines: North Indian Hindu weddings and South Indian Hindu weddings. While both ceremonies are incredibly colorful — and might require taking a few days off of work to attend the full range of festivities — the rituals themselves vary. Here are a few rituals you may see if you're celebrating a Hindu union.

The Engagement Ceremony 

The engagement ceremony is an important pre-wedding ritual in Indian cultures where the would-be-bride and the bridegroom-to-be come face to face and are formally betrothed to each other by their families. The Hindu tradition of ‘Vagdanam’ dates back to the Vedic ages, and it involves the groom’s family giving their words to the bride’s family that they will accept their daughter and will be responsible for her future wellbeing. It is sort of an exchange of pledges between the families and a chance of getting to know each other’s customs or rituals. In historic times, this ritual involved elaborate announcements in the case of Royalties. In Rajput traditions, this betrothal generally takes place soon after the birth of a girl to ward off other suitors.

 

Engagement ceremonies are uniform across most religions and ethnicities across India, differing in nuances and details of the rituals. In some cases, the engagement ceremony marks the formal announcement of the betrothal, while in others it marks the ceremony where the official date of the wedding is determined. In some cultures, the engagement precedes the actual wedding by as much as a year whereas in others they are held a day or two before the actual wedding. Exchanging rings is not mandatory in all cultures across the country, but it almost always involves the ritual being the formal announcement of the impending nuptials.

Mehndi

During the mehndi ceremony, henna is used to apply intricate designs to the bride's hands and feet. The mehndi ceremony usually takes place one day before the marriage will be held, as the application can take hours!

Sangeet Ceremony

Seen as a women-centric event, Sangeet is probably the most fun Hindu pre-wedding ceremony. Traditionally, the Sangeet Ceremonies should be a part of the formal engagement event, however, in recent times, it is conducted individually. Thus the fun of wedding extends one more day with this celebration. Earlier sangeet ceremonies were only part of North Indian Hindu weddings, now this fun event has made its presence felt even in South India. It is worth noting that not only this event is fun but also wedding planners swear by it stating it truly helps the two sides forget about the wedding jitters for some time. Therefore, one can see that special themes are chosen for this occasion and dance performances are prepared.

Tilak/Sagan Ceremony

Tilak Ceremony is reckoned as the first step to the bond between the two families. This auspicious event takes place mostly in the groom's residence, where the male members of the bride's family visit to put Kumkum or vermilion on his forehead. Though there are many versions of the Tilak ceremony in different parts of the state, the one mentioned one is commonly witnessed. Apart from this, music and dance are also a major part of this ceremony in many states of the country.

Haldi Ceremony

Amongst the most fun events during an Indian wedding is the Haldi Ceremony. One can find variants of this auspicious event in different parts of the country. In this ceremony, a paste of Haldi is applied to the bride and the groom's body before or on the morning of their wedding day. In few states of India, this ceremony is held after the mehndi ritual. The mixture used in the ceremony is known by different names in different regions, like ubtan, Amanda, tel baan, etc. Haldi ceremony is directly connected with beautifying the bride and the groom for their big day. The color yellow is also considered auspicious and thus is said to ward off evil.

Roka Ceremony

Roka ceremony is considered to be the first step towards marriage. It is like an official announcement of the consent of both the bride and the groom to get married to each other. In this ceremony, the families of two sides gather for the first time and exchange sweets, gifts, and dry fruits with each other. In some traditions, a puja is performed by the priest

Many Hindu weddings start with the Milne (meeting) and Swagatam   (welcome) ceremony. This ritual is where the Baraat (groom's procession party) arrives at the bride's home or the location where the bride is and marriage will be celebrated. The Baraat typically includes dancing and joyous members of the groom's family, relatives, and friends. On their arrival, there is a ritual where key persons from the groom's side and bride's side are introduced to each other. The introduction is typically followed by Jai mala (garland exchange between bride and groom) and a reception that serves food and drinks.

The Wedding Mandap

The wedding mandap is a temporary structure constructed for the purpose of the marriage ceremony. It may appear on an elevated platform and is decorated with anything from flowers and greenery to fabric and crystals.

Jai Mala

This is the part of the ceremony during which the bride and groom exchange floral garlands. The exchange of floral garlands is particularly important in South Indian Hindu weddings.

Kanyadaan

Otherwise known as the moment when the bride's father gives her away, the father of the bride symbolically places his daughter's hand into the hand of her fiancé. He may also pour water into the bride's hand, which will flow through her fingers and into the hand of her groom.

Saptapadi

An important ritual in North Indian Hindu weddings, at this point in the ceremony, the bride and groom have their garments tied together, then take seven steps together (or make seven circles around a ceremonial fire) as they make vows to one another regarding the happiness and success of their marriage.

Sindoor

This is the red-orange powder applied to the part of a woman's hair, symbolizing that she is married. It is applied to her part for the first time during the marriage ceremony.

Vidaai

Vidaai is an emotional event that marks the completion of the wedding. It is an integral part of the wedding, where the bride with teary eyes steps out of the doors and throws back five handfuls of rice over her head reflecting wealth and prosperity. In a way, this ritual signifies that the bride has paid back whatever her parents have given her all these years. As she leaves in a car/vehicle, the bride's brothers and cousins push the car, which symbolizes that the brothers are helping her start a new life with her husband. After the car starts, money is thrown on the road to discard or ward off the evil spirits. This post-wedding event has different names in different parts of the state but everywhere it is an important ceremony.

Reception

This post-wedding ceremony is basically a way of introducing the bride to the groom's community. This event has no mandatory rituals to be followed; in fact, the ceremony comes packed with dancing, music, and a grand feast.

Blessing Ceremony

Mostly referred to as an Aashirvaad Ceremony, this very soulful event is celebrated to seek the blessings of the elderly members of the family and other well-wishers. For this ceremony, the bride's family along with relatives and friends visit the groom's residence and present the newlywed couple sweets or fruits along with gold/silver/diamond jewelry, the couples then touch their feet. In some parts of the country, like Bengal, the Aashirvaad ceremony is held two or three before the wedding event. It signifies the confirmation of the bride and groom's new relationship. The door of the bride's residence is decorated with a string of mango leaves that are to stay for one year after the wedding event. The groom's family present to the bride some sarees, and in return, the bride's parents gift various grooms a ring or a watch.

Dwar Rookie Ceremony

This fun ceremony can mostly be seen in North Indian weddings. Dwar Rookie ceremony is held when the newlywed couple arrives at the groom's residence and his sister/s confronts the couple by not allowing them to enter the house. The brother is asked to present her with cash or a precious gift to get the entry inside the house. Often this is a fun ceremony to witness with a very light-hearted argument between the brother and sister.

Griha Pravesh Ceremony

Dwar Rookie Ceremony is followed by the Griha Pravesh Ceremony. In this significant ceremony, a traditional Indian welcome is given to the new bride. She is asked to first push a jar/Kalash filled with rice with her right toe to make her entry into the house. This ceremony signifies that the family of the groom has not only welcomed the bride into their house but has also accepted her as one of the integral members of their family. In some places in India, the bride is asked to tell the name of her husband at the entrance and then enters the home.

Mooh Dikhai Ceremony

Mooh Dikhai is an important Hindu post-wedding ceremony. It is basically held to introduce the new bride to the groom's family. The ladies unveil the face of the bride and also shower her with gifts. The mother-in-law, in particular, offers presents to the bride as a gesture of welcome.

Pag Phera Ceremony

Pag Phera is also observed as an important Hindu post-wedding ceremony. In this ceremony, the bride is taken back to her home from the in-laws' house by her brothers, where she stays for almost three days. When the ceremony ends, the groom comes to her house and seeks blessings from her parents and then takes his bride back to his house. The family of the bride offers gifts to their daughter and son-in-law. It is believed that girls are the form of Goddess Lakshmi, and thus the bride comes back to her home to ensure the prosperity of her parents. In modern Hindu families, the couple proceeds to honeymoon after Grihapravesa.

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