RAJPUT WEDDING RITUALS

The natives of the North Indian state Rajasthan, Rajputs, believe that they are the direct descendants of the Kshatriya clan, the original Aryans. The word “Rajput” means king’s son or prince and so one can see glimpses of royal touch in their weddings filled with richness and extravagance.

In the pre wedding rite ‘Tilak’ or the engagement ceremony, performed at the groom’s house and attended only by the male members of the bride’s family, the bride’s brother applies a “Tilak”/”Bindi” to the groom’s forehead so that the engagement becomes official. The gifts given to the groom include a sword, clothes, fruits and sweets.

“Ganapath Sthapana” the installation of an idol of Lord Ganesha and “Griha Shanthi”, performed to propitiate the Gods are also very important rituals.


“Pithi Dastoor,” is a ritual for the bride and the groom held in their respective houses. From seven days before the wedding, each day a paste of turmeric and oil applied to their faces, arms and feet till the wedding day. Once this ceremony begins they are banned to leave their houses.

During the Pithi Dastoor and through out the wedding ceremony women singers like ‘dholans’ with ‘dholaks’and ‘mehfils’ and male ‘mehfils’ sing various auspicious pre wedding and wedding songs for men and women separately in the homes of the bride and groom. The musical instruments like ‘Shehnai’ and ‘nagara’ are played in the courtyard or garden.

In the ceremony “Mahira dastoor” the maternal uncle of the bride or the groom gives clothes, jewelry and sweets to the whole family. “Janey” ceremony is important for the groom as he wears the sacred thread on the eve of his wedding, dressed in saffron. The “Padla dastoor”, a custom observed only by the Rajputs, is held a day prior to the wedding or on the wedding day wherein the groom’s relatives bring gifts like clothes, jewelry etc for the bride to wear during the wedding ceremony.

The bridal costume is a resplendent traditional Rajasthani “Poshak” for the wedding ceremony usually red in color, but orange, yellow, gold and pink ‘poshaks’ are also preferred. The bride wears certain traditional jewelry that have their own significance. The “Rakhri”, a circular piece worn on the forehead at the parting of the hair emphasizes that she should always be straight forward. Her ears have danglers that advise her never to listen to gossip. “Timaniyaan”, a choker encrusted with uncut diamonds indicate that she should always show humility by bowing her head. A set of ivory and gold bangles, ‘chudda’ tells her to help the poor and needy. She also wears gold and stone-studded “bajuband”/armlets, gold anklets reminding her to ‘put the right foot forward’, gold toe-rings known as “bichhiya” and a stone-studded “nath”/nose ring tells her to spend within what her husband can afford.

The Rajput ‘baraat’/wedding procession, an all male affair, has the groom dressed in a gold “achkan”, an orange turban decorated with a ‘sirpech’, a ‘churidar’ or jodhpurs and ‘jootis’/shoes that are highlighted with a necklace and a cummerbund. The groom proceeds to the wedding venue mounted on a decorated mare or elephant along with a child and sporting a sword. The male members from his family carrying swords and a band playing the hit songs accompany the groom.

The males in the bride’s family welcome the groom’s party and the groom is taken to the ladies section where bride’s mother receives him with the traditional “Aarti” and directs him to the wedding altar. A “Pujari”(Brahmin priest) officiates the wedding ceremony by lighting the sacred fire and chanting Vedic mantras/hymns. Tying the groom’s shawl to the bride’s ‘duppata’ or veil the couple walks around the fire seven times/seven ‘pheras’ at the end of which the groom adorns the bride’s wrist with green glass bangles. The bride all the while wears a veil over he face.
 

When the bride leaves her house for the “Grihapravesh” ceremony the groom’s family blesses her with showering flowers and coins. The bride enters the “Sasural”/father-in-law’s house with her right foot first followed by certain games between the bride and groom. In “Pagelagani” the veiled bride is introduced to all family members ending with the removal of the veil.

Punjabi Wedding Rituals

 

Punjabi Wedding ceremony is an interesting ceremony full of several rituals and customs. The wedding preparations start day before the actual wedding ceremony. Overall, a Punjabi wedding is very vibrant and colorful. The wedding ceremony starts from the Chuda ceremony and at the groom’s place with Vatna ceremony. Like most of the Hindu wedding ceremonies, Punjabi wedding is also very ritualistic. If you are interested in knowing more about a Punjabi wedding, we have given a systemized list of rituals of Punjabi wedding ceremony in the following paragraphs…

Rituals at the Bride’s home-

Chuda
On the wedding day the rituals at the girl’s home begin with the Chuda ceremony. To commemorate the Chuda ceremony, a havan or puja is conducted by the pandit. Thereafter, the pundit ties a mauli on the to be bride’s wrist. The oldest maternal uncle and aunt play an important role in the performance of the ceremony. They fast till the event is completed. Chuda is basically a set of red and cream ivory bangles that is touched by all present. People touch the chuda and give their heartiest wishes to the girl for her future married life. Also, they sprinkle flower petals on the bride. Prasad is distributed to all. After that, the girl’s uncle, aunt, friends and cousins tie kaliras (silver, gold or gold plated traditional ornaments) to a bangle worn by the girl.

Vatna
Four lamps or diyas are lit and the bride is made to sit facing them. Oil is constantly poured into the lamps, so that the glow from diyas is reflected on her face. Vatna involves applying the paste made from turmeric powder and mustard oil all over the girl’s body by her female friends and relatives. This is done to make the girl look more beautiful on the special day of our life.

Ghara Ghardoli
The Ghara Ghardoli follows the Vatna. In the Ghara Ghardoli ritual, the bride’s sibling or sibling’s spouse visits the nearby temple and fills a pitcher with holy water. The girl is then bathed with this holy water. Thereafter, the bride wears their wedding attire.The ghara ghardoli and the vatna ceremonies take place at the groom’s house too. But over there, the boy’s sister-in-law brings the pitcher of water. As per the tradition, their wedding dress is presented to them by their respective maternal uncles.

Rituals at the Groom’s home

Sehrabandi
Like the bride’s home, the Vatna and Ghara Ghardoli are followed by the dressing up of groom in his wedding attire. After the groom has dressed up in his wedding clothes, a pooja is performed. Thereafter, the groom’s father or any elderly relative ties the "sehra" on the groom’s head. The boy also wears a pink color turban, which is touched by all the people present in the pooja. After the completion of Sehrabandi ceremony, all those who witness the function give gifts and cash to the boy as a token of good luck.

Ghodi Chadna
The Ghori Chadna is the final ceremony at the groom’s place. The groom’s sister-in-law lines the boy’s eyes with surma. Thereafter, the groom’s sisters and cousins feed and adorn his mare. To ward off the evil eye, people use cash and perform the Varna ritual. After that the boy climbs the horse and immediately leaves his home for the wedding venue.

Rituals at the Marriage Venue

Milni Ceremony
When the groom’s barat reaches the wedding venue, Milni ceremony is performed. The bride’s close relatives give a warm welcome to the groom and his relatives with flower garlands. Rose water is sprinkled on them. In the Milni ceremony, the girl's relatives give Shagun (a token of good luck) to the groom's close relatives. It is done in the descending order, beginning from the elder most. Cash and clothes are gifted.

Varmala
Varmala is the actual beginning of marriage rituals on the involves the exchange of garlands between the bride and groom. Friends and relatives of the bride and groom indulge in teasing and fun, to celebrate this happy occasion. An auspicious time or muhurat is chosen for the performance of wedding ceremony. At the time of muhurat, the purohit conducts a puja for the groom, in which the groom is asked to chant the first few mantras. It is during this time, when the bride’s sisters indulge in stealing of shoes. It is a fun tradition, in which the girls charge a fee for agreeing to return the shoes.

Kanyadaan and Phere
The wedding is actually solemnized with four important rituals- the Kanyadaan, in which the bride’s father giving his daughter's hand to the groom, the Mangalpheras in front of the sacred fire, the Sindoor ritual when the groom applies vermilion to the girl’s hair partition and the Mangalsutra Rasam when the groom ties a beaded necklace to the girl’s neck. When all these rituals are over, the couple gets up to touch the feet of all the elder members in the family and seek their blessings for a happily married life.

Hindu Wedding Ceremony and Rituals

 

Hindu marriages signify customs, rituals and elaborate celebrations and are full of fun and frolic. Indian weddings speak volumes of the rich culture, heritage and ethnicity of the country. Every region follows its own traditions customs and rituals for the wedding. A wedding is an important religious ceremony in the Hindu religion and one of the most important of the sixteen Hindu sanskars or sacraments. It is not only establishing the bond between two people, but also the bond between two families. Hindu weddings are usually hosted by the bride's parents and take place at a common place, decided by both the bride and groom's family. Generally, the marriage ceremonies take place at an open space, under a decorated canopy called mandap. 

 

Hindu Marriage Ceremony
Talking about the varied customs and rituals followed, Hindu weddings extend up to four to five days. The ceremonies practiced are essentially divided into three parts - pre wedding customs, wedding day ceremony and post wedding rituals. The rituals and customs performed in each of the three phases have a deep significance and meaning. The pre wedding celebrations mainly includes engagement, sangeet, mehendi, haldi and tilak. Coming to the wedding day ceremonies, it involves different traditional rituals, each having its own meaning and role. One of the most important rituals of Hindu wedding is the seven rounds or sapta padi taken together, around the sacred fire, by the bride and the groom, while the seven vows or promise are read by the priest or purohit.

The bride and the bride groom take the vows before God, symbolized by fire and light. These seven promises taken together by the bride and groom build's the foundation of their relationship and marriage. It speaks of the loyalty, love, and commitment they would eventually share in their married life. Thereafter, post wedding ceremonies are performed, which mostly include vidaai and reception. This is the most emotional moment of the wedding, when the bride takes leave from her parents and other family members and takes her first step towards her new life in her husband's house. On reaching the new home, there are a number of ceremonies that are performed, right from welcoming the new bride to playing games and making merry.

Hindu Marriage Rituals
According to Hindu Sastra there are four stages of life, of which Grahastha Ashram or married life signifies the second stage. It begins, when a man and a woman come together and marry. In India, marriage is treated as an institution, which teaches the actual values of life. Every stage in life has its own charm and a married life is no exception. In India, a marriage is usually arranged by the respective parents of the bride and the groom and follows various steps. Marriage among Hindus is not only considered a union of two souls, but of two families.

Hindu Marriage Rituals & Customs

A Hindu wedding not only involves the bride and groom but the entire community, friends, family and relatives as everybody participates in their coming together of the to-be couple. The first and the foremost step is the selection of the bride and the bridegroom. While in love marriages, a boy and a girl themselves select their life partner, it is crucial when it comes to arranged marriages. Talking about arranged marriages in the Hindu custom, the parents select the prospective bride/groom for their son/daughter.

After the selection procedure is over, the family members of both the girl and boy ask the priest to suggest an auspicious date for the engagement of the two also known as misri or ring ceremony. Since India boasts of diverse cultures and traditions, the engagement ceremony rituals differ from region to region and community to community. However, the basic of all the rituals, mentioned here, form an indispensable part of Hindu wedding. In the betrothal ceremony, the to-be bride and the groom exchange wedding rings among each other. Sweets and garlands are also exchanged among the couple.

After the festive spirit of engagement, the next important ritual is the mehndi party. It is believed that the color of mehndi signifies the essence of love in a marriage, so it is put on bride's hand to strengthen that bond of love. The bride's family and friends mainly celebrate this ceremony. The female friends and family members of the bride rejoice and celebrate this occasion, as henna gets painted on her hands and feet. Apart from the bride, the family members also get their hands painted with henna. Singing traditional songs and dancing to the beat of music forms a major part of this ritual.

Among the other important rituals is the Sangeet party, wherein all the family members and friends of the bride and groom celebrate, by singing and dancing the night away. Along with song and dance there are arrangements for food and drink. A large affair, Sangeet party is most popular among Punjabis, Marwaris and Gujaratis, although most of the regions today also practice this ritual. Ghari puja is also another important religious ceremony, which is performed on the eve of the wedding day at the groom and bride's place separately.

On the morning of the wedding day, Pithi or Haldi, the cleansing ceremony is practiced during which the bride and bridegroom are pasted with turmeric powder in their respective homes, as a part of their beautification process. Talking about the actual marriage ceremonies, the Hindu wedding mostly takes place in a mandap or a tent, which is beautifully decorated with flowers. The main Hindu wedding ceremony is a long and elaborate affair, which lasts for several hours and is attended by a large number of relatives, friends, acquaintances and so on.

One of the most significant rituals the bride and the groom perform is the Saptapadi or saat phere around a scared fire and light, which is symbolic to God. While the bride and the groom take the seven circles, the priest or purohit recites the mantras and speak of the real essence and significance of marriage. It is also during this time that the groom fills vermillion or sindoor in the center parting of the bride and puts mangalsutra around her neck. Both sindoor and mangalsutra have strong religious implications and are sacred symbols of a married woman. These were some of the rituals and customs, which were generally followed in all the Hindu marriages.

Mangalsutra Significance
A Hindu marriage symbolizes not just coming together of two individuals, but also the bonding of understanding, commitment, mutual love, oneness and spiritual growth. Traditionally, Hindu marriage is much more than just celebration and fun. It demands sacrifice, companionship, dedication, and devotion from both the partners.

Solah Shringar
For an Indian bride, the wedding day is the most important day of her life. Most of the girls in our country have lots of dreams for this day, since it marks the beginning of their journey into womanhood. Different kinds of beauty rituals are associated with the wedding day, as her female friends and relatives gather together to prepare her for the most special occasion of her life.

Tamil Wedding Rituals

Tamil marriages are not very showy and extravagant as Tamilians believe in simple living. Tamil people are very particular about their customs and traditions. However, Tamil weddings are attended by distant relatives and friends and hence are held on a large scale. There are many wedding rituals which are observed by them, without which the marriage is deemed incomplete. The important Tamil wedding rituals are given below.

Pre Wedding Rituals
The wedding rituals begin with Panda Kaal Muhurtham, wherein the families of the bride and the groom pray to the Lord for an uninterrupted wedding ceremony. After this, the groom is welcomed with the traditional aarti by the bride's side on the day before marriage. He is offered sweets, sprinkled with rose water and even a coconut is broken to ward off any evil. Next is Vratham, which is a small puja organized before marriage. Following this is Pallikai Thellichal ceremony, as per which grains are sprouted in earthen pots, which are later immersed in a pond to feed the fishes.

The next ritual is Naandi, in which Brahmins are given gifts and sweets to seek their blessings for the wedding alliance. Nicchiyadharatham is the formal engagement ceremony, wherein the bride and the groom exchange rings. After this, the Reading of Lagna Pathirigai takes place, which is formally announcing the wedding and reading out aloud the wedding invitation, to inform everybody about the formalizing of the alliance.

Wedding Rituals

Tamil wedding rituals are very elaborate. They involve a number of ceremonies that are performed to ensure that the bride and the groom, who are going to tie the wedding knot, enter their new phase of life in the most elegant manner. A number of ceremonies revolve around the wedding, which is very charming to look at. Every stage of the rituals is performed with religious observance. The ambience is filled with festivity. You would be highly enthusiastic about what is going to happen next, if you witness a typical Tamil Brahmin wedding. Go through the following lines to know more about the Tamil Brahmin wedding rituals.

Tamil Wedding Customs

Mangala Snaanam & Kashi Yatra
After applying oil, and a tilak of haldi-kimkum, the bride and the groom take the mangala snaanam (holy bath) at the respective homes, on the dawn of the wedding day. After having the mangala snaanam, the bridegroom pretends that he is leaving for Kashi and he is no more interested in performing the role of a householder. He stops only when the girl's father persuades him to take the responsibility of his daughter, by marrying her. Then the groom heads his way for the wedding pandal, where the bride and her family receives him. This beautiful custom is known as kashi yatra.

Exchange Of Garlands & Oonjal
After the groom enters the pandal, he exchanges garlands for three times with the bride. This ceremony is full of fun and frolic. Thereafter, they are seated together on a swing. Married women give the newly weds spoonful of milk and banana pieces to eat.

Kanyadaanam & Muhurtham
As the groom reaches the mandapam, the bride's father welcomes his son-in-law. The groom's mother-in-law puts kajal in his eyes. Thereafter, his father-in-law washes his feet, considering him as God. The bride is then seated in her father's lap with a coconut in her hands. Thereafter, the bride and her father offer coconut to the bridegroom. In the meantime, the bride's mother puts water over the coconut. This gesture symbolizes the kanyaadaan of their daughter. The bridegroom's family presents their daughter-in-law a nine-yard sari that she has to wear, when the mangalsutra will be tied around her neck.

Seeking the help of her sister-in-law and aunts, the bride wears the nine-yard sari and enters the mandapam. A sack of paddy is kept on the floor and the bride's father is made to sit on it. The bride is asked to sit on her father's lap. Paddy represents abundance and good fortune. The yoke of a farmer's plough is taken and touched to the forehead of the bride. It is done with the hope that the couple will always walk together. The priest and the relatives touch the Mangalsutra and thereby, bless the newly wedded couple. Thereafter, a sacred yellow thread is handed over to the bridegroom, which he puts around his wife's neck and ties two knots. The third knot is tied by the groom's sister. The three knots symbolize the union of the mind, spirit and body.

Saptapadi
The bridegroom takes his wife's right hand in his left hand and leads her around the holy fire for seven times. In every round, she touches her feet to the grindstone hoping that their union will be firm forever.

Post Wedding Rituals
After the wedding, both the families exchange gifts with each other. This is called Sammandhi Mariyathai. After all the wedding ceremonies are over, the bride leaves with her husband for her marital home. Here, she is welcomed by her new family with the traditional aarti. This is known as Grihapravesham. In the evening, the Reception party takes place, which is an informal event. The guests meet the newly wed couple and give them blessings. This is followed by sumptuous dinner.

Sindhi Wedding Rituals

Originally hailing from the Sapt Sindhu, the area of the Sindhu River, Sindhis have become one of the major business communities in India. Popularly found in and around metropolitan cities and townships, Sindhi people are basically Sanatani Hindus and do not follow Hindu rites strictly. In fact, Sindhi weddings are mostly based on Vedic rites. Sindhi wedding ceremony reflects the glimpses of Hinduism and Sufism. The marriage is usually a lavish affair, characterized by great pomp and show. In the community, there are special priests known as Mehraj, specializing in matchmaking and a Guryanni, who is mainly concerned with carrying the horoscopes of eligible boys and girls from house to house.

Sindhi weddings usually take place on an auspicious day, like the Satyanarayan Chandsi or the New Moon day. Traditionally, there are a number of rituals and customs that are performed pre, per and post the wedding day. The Sindhi customs mostly begin right from the time the prospective bride and the groom's family agree to the union, after matching the horoscopes of the two. A priest then fixes the date of wedding and both the families engage themselves in preparations and organizations for the marriage. Colorful customs dominate the wedding place, making it an interesting and enjoyable event. In this section, we have provided comprehensive information about the rituals and customs followed in a Sindhi wedding.

Sindhi Pre Wedding Rituals
Sindhi weddings take place amidst a lot of pomp and show. A lavish affair, the weddings are mostly colorful and traditional. Once the horoscopes of the prospective bride and the groom are matched, the date of the wedding day is fixed. Customs and rituals are not just restricted to the D-Day. In a Sindhi wedding, there are a lot of traditions that are performed well ahead of the wedding rituals.

Sindhi Wedding Ritual

Similar to a Hindu marriage, Sindhi weddings are a highly lavish affair and take place with a lot of flamboyance and gaiety. However, the traditions and rituals still dominate a Sindhi wedding. The customs practiced are not just limited to the wedding day and extend before and after the wedding as well. Mostly, the weddings take place on auspicious day such as the Satyanarayan Chandsi or the New Moon day. There are a number of ceremonies that take place as a part of the wedding rituals. In the following lines, we have provided comprehensive information about the Sindhi marriage rituals and customs.

Sindhi Wedding Customs

Thread Ceremony
Without the performance of thread ceremony, Sindhi wedding is considered incomplete. Turmeric powder and oil is applied to the bride and groom in their respective houses. From then onwards, they are not allowed to step out of the house. Haldi makes the bride and groom look beautiful on their special day.

Swagatam Custom
After the bride has dressed up in her wedding attire, her sisters or other female friends and relatives lead the groom to the bride's place. At the house entrance, the bridegroom places his right foot on the top of the bride's foot. This gesture signifies his dominating strength. Thereafter, he enters the bride's house. The bride's brother washes his sister and her to-be husbnad's feet with milk and water, considering him to be a form of Lord Vishnu.

Hathialo Tradition
As a part of Hathialo tradition, the bridegroom's scarf is tied to one end of the bride's sari. Also their right hands are tied together with a sacred thread. The couple prays to the Lord to bless their union.

Wedding Ceremony
Wedding ceremony is conducted by the priest in the presence of family, friends and relatives. The bride and groom are made to sit in front of the sacred fire and the priest recites selected verses from the Holy scriptures. The family members are directed by the priest to give offerings into the holy fire. The couple takes four rounds around the fire taking vows.

The groom takes the bride's hand to his forehead. This gesture indicates that he accepts her as the better half of his life. The heads of the bride and groom are held together. It represents that from now on, they are one in body, mind and spirit.

Kanya Daan
In the Kanyadaan ceremony, the bride's parents hand over their daughter's hand to the groom and request him to take good care of their daughter. This is followed by Vidai ceremony, when the bride leaves for her husband's house.

Sindhi Post Wedding Rituals
Weddings are great time to make merry and reunite with the family members. Colorful and vibrant, Sindhi wedding rituals are extremely lively and just like marriages performed in other regions of India, extend even after the marriage. Mostly revolved around the bride, the rituals performed are great way to break the ice and make the bride comfortable in the new home and with the new family members.

Gujarati Wedding Rituals

Gujarati people are vibrant and lively people. They love to celebrate all their festivals and ceremonies with great pomp and show and Gujarati marriage ceremonies are thus no exception. Known for the colorful clothing, beautiful dance, umpteen scrumptious cuisines and grand ambience, Gujarati Wedding Ceremonies are the most interesting wedding ceremonies in India. Like the other Indian Wedding Ceremonies, the Gujarati Wedding is also a ritualistic concept full of various poojas and interesting traditional customs.

A typical Gujarati Wedding begins with Sagaii or engagement. It is actually the first formal approval of marriage in the Gujarati community. It is a traditional ceremony when would be bride arrives at would be groom’s place for solemnizing the ceremony. The other ceremonies prior to the wedding are Pithi, Mehndi and Mandap Muharat. A Grihshanti Pooja for the peace and prosperity of home is also performed prior to wedding. A night before wedding the exciting Garba dance fills the atmosphere of the marriage venue with vibrancy and enthusiasm.

The wedding rituals of a Gujarati Wedding ceremony are very interesting because of the traditional ritualistic pattern. Like other traditional Indian marriage Jaimala, Varmala, Kanya Daan and Mangal Phera are the rituals that are solemnized in the wedding apart from exclusive Gujarati rituals like Madhuparka, Hastamilaap, Saubhagyavati Bhava and Chero Pakaryo. The post wedding ceremonies are equally interesting. An emotional ‘Vidai’ (biding good bye to bride), ‘Ghar Nu Laxmi’ i.e. welcome ceremony of the bride at groom’s home and ‘Aeki Beki’, an interesting game to find out who will rule the household are some interesting ceremonies of a Guajarati Ceremony.

Gujarati Wedding Attire
Indian wedding is characterized by elaborate rituals and traditions. A grand affair, marriage is an essential step towards oneness, taken by both the bride and the groom. The weddings in India usually are extravagant and splendid events and are distinguished as a large festival that is usually celebrated over a span of a week. Rituals and traditions make an important part of the wedding ceremony.

Pre Wedding Gujarati Rituals
Gujarati Marriage Ceremonies can basically be divided into three parts- the Pre-marriage ceremonies, the Wedding Ceremonies and the Post Wedding Ceremonies. Pre- Wedding Ceremonies form an important part of the entire marriage ceremony as most of them are performed individually at the bride’s and groom’s place giving a festive mood to both the houses.

Gujarati Wedding Rituals

Gujarati Wedding is one of the most interesting wedding ceremonies in India. Like other Indian Wedding Ceremonies, the Gujarati Wedding Ceremony is full of several traditional rituals and customs. These traditional customs hold a deep meaning and regard for the Gujarati families. Performed with a great pomp and show, the Gujarati Wedding Ceremonies are vibrant and amusing. Generally held at night, the typical wedding affairs take almost an entire night to wrap up. The Wedding ceremony is followed by Ashirwaad and Vidai. Here is the systematic list of the traditional rituals in a Gujarati Marriage.

Ponkvu
The arrival of the groom and his family is called Ponkvu. It is actually the official beginning of the Gujarati wedding. The groom is welcomed by his mother-in-law by aarti. She also playfully tries to grab his nose at the entrance. This tradition is basically meant for an amusing welcome. However, the quoted reason behind this ceremony is to remind the groom that he has come rubbing his nose at the girl’s door asking for her hand from her parents.

Jaimala
Jaimala is the formal introduction of bride and groom on a stage. It involves the exchange of garlands between the bride and the groom twice. First time, the groom is on a higher platform than the bride, while, the second time, they are at an equal level.

Madhuparka
After the Jaimala, Madhuparka ceremony is performed. In the Madhuparka ceremony, groom's feet are washed to make feel special, cared and superior. Also, he is given honey and milk to drink as a token of love. While this ceremony is going on, the bride's sisters try to steal the groom's shoes, known as 'Juta Churai'.

Kanya Agamana
Kanya Agamana is the beginning of the marriage on the serious note with the traditional customs and rituals solemnized by a Pundit. The bride is brought to the mandap by her maternal uncle. At the Mandap, there is an antarpaat (curtain) which separates her from her groom. As the Pundit begins chanting the mantras, the antarpaat is lowered and the couple exchanges garlands in front of the sacred fire.

Kanya Daan
One of the most important wedding rituals, Kanya daan is followed right after Knaya Agamana. It is a ceremony, in which the bride's father washes the groom's feet and gives his daughter's hand to him in the hope that he will take good care of her. The bride is considered to be a form of Goddess Laxmi and the bridegroom is considered to be Lord Narayana. Kanya daan is performed in front of the sacred fire, facilitating the pious union of the boy and girl.

Hasta Milap
Hasta Milap ceremony performed after Kanya Daan has a lot of significance. It involves the tying of the groom's scarf or shawl to the bride's sari. The tying of knot and the joined hands of the couple are symbolic of the meeting of two hearts and souls. The acharya or the priest chants mantras and seeks the blessings of Goddess Laxmi and Parvatiji for the couple. The family and relatives witness the conduct of the ceremony and come forward to bless the bride and groom. They sprinkle rose petals and rice grains on them.

Mangalpheras
After Hasta Milap, Mangal Pheras are performed. Mangal Pheras are rounds that the couple takes around the sacred fire, as the priest chants mantras. It also involves the reciting of mantras by the groom that expresses his genuine and heartiest desire to seek his wife's loving support. In Gujarati marriage, there are four mangal pheras, which represent "Dharma", "Artha", "Kama" and "Moksha".

Saptapadi
Saptapadi is an important step of any Hindu marriage. In a typical Gujarati Marriage, the groom helps the bride in touching the seven betel nuts with her right toe, while both of them recite the seven vows for their commitment towards each other. At each step of the Saptapadi, the groom asks for support from his bride throughout his life.

Saubhagyavati Bhava
This is a way to bless the newly wedded couple. In this tradition, seven married women from the bride’s family whisper good wishes and blessings in the right ear of the bride. They bless her to remain a Saubhagyavati i.e. lucky throughout her life.

Chero Pakaryo
The Chero Pakaryo is an exclusive Gujarati custom. It is a kind of amusement after the serious traditional ritual. In this custom, the groom is made to tug the sari of his mother in law as she passes from the Mandap in way that it looks he is asking the bride’s family for gifts.

Shubh Ashirwaad
After all the wedding rituals are over, the couple seeks the blessing of every senior member of the family present at the marriage. They are then blessed with gifts and other auspicious items.

Post Wedding Gujarati Rituals
A celebration of a typical Gujarati marriage does not end with the solemnization of marriage at the bride’s place. In fact these celebrations go ahead for next few days with the celebrations at the groom’s home after the arrival of bride at his place. The Post marriage ceremony begins with the Vidai (biding adieu) ceremony of the bride from her home and last with the reception ceremony of bride at the groom’s place.

Bengali Wedding Rituals

A Bengali wedding is a midnight celebration and reminiscent of all that is poetic and sentimental. The bride dressed in a red sari wears ornaments of gold. The groom wears a silk doti with kurta. The bride is carried on the shoulders by her uncles. The meal after marriage served to the bride is named as bahubhat. After the marriage a wedding feast is served to the friends and relatives.

Bengalis have a rich culture to boast of and a whole set of interesting rituals for their marriages. Each Bengali wedding is made special in its own terms, by the colorful traditions and customs that are followed before, during and after the ceremony. Whether it is a simple or a lavish Bengali wedding, you would witness all the rituals strictly followed by the family of the couple. It is very interesting just to witness a Bengali wedding, because the people engaged in the preparations are fully animated, right from the pre-wedding to the post-wedding ceremonies, while the bride and the groom are pampered and made feel very special about themselves and the ceremony.

A Bengali wedding typically consists of rituals that are divided into three phases- the pre-wedding, wedding and post wedding ceremony. The pre-wedding starts a couple of days before the wedding, wherein puja is conducted by the purohit, who conducts the marriage as well. The families of the bride and the groom honor each other through the exchange of gifts, which usually contains an assortment of sweets, fish, sari etc. After the haldi ritual and snan, the bride and the groom are brought to the mandap, where they tie the wedding knot. This is followed by a series of post-wedding rituals, which are as important as the wedding itself. Overall, a Bengali wedding is truly a delight to the eyes.

Bengali Pre-Wedding Rituals
Bengali pre-wedding rituals are very delightful to look at. The ceremonies conducted before the marriage symbolize that they eagerly look forward to the important day in the life of the couple, who are soon going to tie the nuptial knot. Bengalis have a very charming way of pampering the bride and the groom before the wedding, and for the purpose, they have set aside certain rituals that largely include pujas and exchange of gifts.

Leaving the House - Rituals:

The Groom - well attired with Dhoti and Kurta, alongwith topor (paper and shola conical hat) leavesthe house. Before leaving the groom takes permission from his mother to go and fetch her future assistant. Mother gives the permission and feed the groom with a sweet and a glass of milk. The groom, along-with a relative / friend leave the house to go to the bride's place. The decorated car is sent by the bride's house and a relative of the bride comes to take the groom. The relatives and friends of the groom usually leave after this. As per the custom, the groom's mother stays back.

The groom has to carry a darpan (mirror) during this time.

Along-with the groom, a small boy also goes to the bride's place, with the similar dress. He is known as neet-bar.

Welcoming the groom

The groom and his relatives arrive at the bride's house to the ringing of bells, blowing of conch shells and ululation. The baran dala (Baran dala is a silver plate arranged with rice, turmeric, etc. to welcome the bride and groom ) is held by an elder female relative of the bride's and the plate is first touched to the groom's forehead, then to ground, and back again to his forehead in a gesture of part blessing, part-reverence. The groom is offered sweets and sherbet. Water is sprinkled on the doorstep as the groom steps into the house to mark the auspicious moment. Both, the mother of the bride and of the groom do not attend this ceremony. It is believed that this will protect the couple from the 'evil eye'.

The Wedding Ceremony

The purohit conducts the wedding ceremony. At first the Groom is taken in the mandap. The puja is performed along-with the person who will perform the Sampradaan. After the puja, the groom is given a fresh set of Dhooti and Kurta from the bride's side. The groom has to change his dhoti-kurta and wear the new set and the ring.

After this the bride is brought to the Mandap. The bride is usually carried in a piri and four of her friends carry her in the Mandap. She keeps her eyes hidden with a beetle leaf. She is rotated seven times around the groom. Once this is over, the bride and groom are placed face to face and the the bride removes her beetle leaf. The bride and groom looks at each other for the first time (!). This is known as Shubha-Drishti.

After Shubha drishti, they exchange their garlands for three times. After this the bride and groom both are seated opposite to each other. Their hands are tied together and kept ovet a ghot. The oorna of the bride and the uttariya of the groom are tied together. The bride and groom exchange garlands while the purohit chants mantras. Her paternal or maternal uncle gives the bride away. This particular part of the ceremony is called sampradhan. Alongwith the priest the groom also chants the mantra. (A full text of the matra will be added soon). After this the bride and groom changes the position and they are seated sideby side. The yagna is carried out, i.e. the marriage is done with fire as the witness.

After the marriage ceremony is over, there are some interesting games, which is played alongwith the ladies of the bride's place. There are various local variance of the games like hiding the ring, playing with a vessel full of rice, etc. After all the rituals are over, the bride and groom beak their fast and eat the dinner. By then all the relatives and firends who were invitees have already taken their dinner.

A Bengali marriage is always scheduled during the dusk (Godhuli lagna), Evening (Sandhya Lagna) or night. All the rituals take about three hours.

Bengali Post-Wedding Rituals
Proud of their cultural heritage, the Bengalis in India organize their wedding in a unique way and mark the culmination of the ceremony in their own impressive style. The rituals conducted post-wedding is divided into three broad phases, wherein the bride departs her maternal home and joins her groom, to settle down in the latter's home and start a new life there.