Being one
of the religiously and most ethnically diverse lands, with more than 500
languages and 6000 dialects, India’s extravagant, intricately-planned, vibrant
festivities calls for a zestful celebration. Indian weddings, distinct with
subtle nuances, are regarded as the union between two families, and not just
unite the bride and groom. Traditionally, the Indian wedding rituals last
anywhere from 3 days to 7 days and call for a variety of rituals that vary from
one region to another.
Sangeet
Night
The first
pre-wedding ceremony, called Sangeet Night, is hosted by the bride’s family,
wherein the relatives and friends of both families informally meet and get to
know each other. They sing, dance and play instruments to celebrate the
upcoming union.
Haldi
Ceremony
Sangeet
gives way to Haldi Ceremony, the most fun pre-wedding ceremony, where a dollop
of Haldi paste is applied to the bride and groom, by their relatives. The
ceremony, which is usually hosted separately at the homes of the bride-to-be
and the groom-to-be, is usually intended to ward off evil eyes. On top of that,
it brightens their skin tone and eases the anxiousness that the couple faces,
and brings them good luck and prosperity.
Mehndi
Night
Haldi is
succeeded by the Mehendi night. During Mehendi night, Mehendi artists adorn the
feet and hands of the bride as well as her relatives and friends. It is
believed that henna evokes good energy and ward off buri nazar or evil
eye.
Baraat
Then comes
Baraat, which is a celebration in itself, wherein the groom accompanied by his
family and friends arrive at the wedding altar in a procession. Mounted atop a
horse, the groom grandiosely leads the procession while all his family members
and friends follow dancing with great merriment. The groom who makes a grand
entrance is welcomed by the bride’s family and he is presented with a plate
holding a lit lamp atop and they exchange flower garlands, that symbolises
their acceptance of each other. The groom and his family will be led to the
altar, by the bride’s family.
Wedding
Ceremony
Indian
hindu weddings actualise under a mandap, a canopy with four pillars,
symbolising the parents of the bride and groom. The bride’s uncle escorts her
to the mandap, since her father is already present at the altar. The couples,
their parents and the priest will accommodate in the mandap, facing the sacred
fire lit at the centre of the mandap.
Kanya
Daan
The
ritual, imbued with deep meaning, is the official approval to give away the
bride, to the groom, by the bride’s father. It’s a traditional ritual, followed
by most families- the bride’s father places her hand on the groom’s hand, as a
gesture of giving her away. Amidst the chanting of Sanskrit mantras by the
priests, the groom ties the knot, known as Mangal sutra around the neck of the
bride.
Saptapadi
Saptapadi
translates to seven steps. The bride and groom encircle the sacred fire seven
times. Every step which they take together represents a marital vow, whereby
the couples promise to be committed and bound to one another. The priest
showers blessings on the newlyweds, for an abundance of happiness, prosperity,
harmony, children and peace.
Vidaai
When the
moments of happiness finally come to an end, there come the most heart-rending
moments of a wedding ceremony- the vidaai or the bride’s farewell ceremony,
where the parents of the bride give a final farewell to her. The bride, the
groom and his family depart to his home. This heartwarming and tearful ceremony
marks the end of all wedding festivities.
A wedding
not just unites two couples, but their families as well, attending which no one
ever leaves a big fat Indian wedding without having a great time. Thanks to the
subtleties of Indian cultures and religions- they shape traditional Indian
wedding ceremonies.
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