2. Marriages in India are filled with ritual and celebration that continue for
several days. Generally anywhere between 100 to 10,000 people attend. Often,
many of the attendees are unknown to the bride and groom themselves.
Though most Indian marriages are arranged, some couples in urban areas
consummate "love marriages", in which the partners decide to marry each
other without family involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian
wedding is about two families being brought together socially, with as much
emphasis placed on the families coming closer as the married couple.
3. Many wedding customs are common among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs
and Muslims. They combine local, religious and family traditions.
The period of Hindu marriage ceremonies dates from the
application (lagan) of tilak. When the marriage has been agreed
upon, the father of the bridegroom visits the father of the bride.
The day before the expected arrival of the marriage procession,
lavish preparations are done by the family to receive the groom
(shaadi ki tayaari) in beautiful and decorated venues, typically
farmhouses or hotel halls, where a sacrificial fireplace called
marhwa is built.
4. Brides decorate
themselves with gold
and diamond jewellery,
apply [mehndi] to
colour hands and feet,
and undergo various
bridal rituals, including
wearing bridal lehenga
or saree.
5. . Bridegrooms typically
wear a [sherwani] dress
or a designer suit. To
complete the marriage,
the bride and groom
walk in a circle (phera)
around the sacrificial
fire.
6. Vidaai is when the bride is formally sent to the groom’s household. Many
songs have immortalized this moment when the bride leaves her ‘babul
ka ghar’ or father’s house.According to Hindu religious texts, Brahma
created man from the right shoulder and woman from his left shoulder. A
woman is referred to as Vamangi or one who is on the left side.
Throughout the marriage ceremony the bride sits on the right side of the
groom. That is the place for strangers and acquaintances. Only after the
Saptpadi, when the bride and groom have exchanged marital vows, is the
wife seated on the left side of the man. An example of the complexity of
an Indian wedding can be seen from the various phases of a wedding in
North India.
7. The following events take place in a typical
Eastern Uttar Pradesh Hindu marriage:The bride
and groom are told about their duties and
responsibilities in married life by the priest.
These vows direct the couple to a positive path
of action. They help in promoting marital
happiness for a lifetime.
8. Kanyadaan
During kanyadaan, the bride’s parents give their
daughter away in marriage. The groom makes three
promises – to be just (dharma), earn sufficiently to
support his family (artha), and love his wife (kama).
He repeats these vows thrice in the presence of Agni
(the sacred fire) and all who are gathered there.
9. Bariksha
Bariksha is when the bride's parents have informally shown intentions that
they want a particular groom, and the groom and his family have agreed.
Reneging at the end of this stage is frowned upon but is acceptable. Once
the wedding has been accepted by both sides, the bride's family does
Badcheka/Bariksha of the groom. This is when the bride's father and
brothers go to the groom's side with sweets (including a coconut) and some
pooja items like rice and turmeric. This ceremony is a token gesture to
confirm the alliance and signifies that the groom is now "taken" and can no
longer look for other prospective brides.
10. Mehndi or Henna is a paste that is bought in a
cone shaped tube and is made into designs
for men and women. Mehndi in Indian
tradition is typically applied during special
Hindu weddings.
