Different Rituals in an Indian Wedding

As being the world’s most religious and ethically diverse lands, India boasts of culturally rich wedding ceremonies that tell a story of being unique and sophisticated to beautiful and extravagant. Part of the complexity arises from the concept that when an Indian couple gets married, the entire family and communities are involved. 

“Indian Weddings have traditionally  been considered a marriage of two families, rather than just the union of the bride and groom.”

As glamorous, beautiful, sophisticated it seems, the wedding is a gala planned for three days to one week long and typically includes several events. 

ENGAGEMENT

The engagement is the first step towards the onset of a new journey and serves as an agreement between the families of the future bride and groom. This event usually takes place a few months before the wedding. During the ceremony, the fathers of both about to be married individuals make a formal announcement to their guests. The bride and groom then exchange rings to solidify their engagement.

MEHENDI

During a Mehendi ceremony, the bride and her female family members and friends gather for the application of henna. In a traditional ritual, two or three women are hired to do the designs for the bride and her guests. The artists create beautiful designs on their hands and feet using a paste of dried ground henna leaves. The henna is believed to ward off evil and attract positive energy for the soon-to-be wedded couple. 

SANGEET

Seen as a women-centric event, Sangeet is probably the most joyful pre-Hindu wedding ceremony. Usually called Sangeet or Garba, here the family comes together to sing and dance and enjoy the upcoming union. Sangeet if translated means “sung together”. Each side of the family sings a traditional song to welcome the other and family members may give full-blown performances with some memorable and cheeky competition.

HALDI

Another fun event in an Indian wedding ceremony is the Haldi ceremony. Variants of this ritual are found in different parts of the country.  Here a paste of Haldi (turmeric) on the bride and the groom’s body on the morning of their big day. In few states of India, this ritual is held after the Mehendi ritual. Halid is said to beautify the bride and the groom for their big day. The color yellow is considered very auspicious and is believed to ward off evils. 

THE BIG DAY

After all the ceremonies, the big day is here. The bride and groom all decked up in their glorious wedding outfits as the designers run to-and-fro and make-up artists put on their last touch up. After an individual bridal photoshoot. The bride proceeds towards the “MANDAP”, a four-pillar structure representing each of the bride’s and groom’s parents.

The Baraat is the groom’s arrival at the wedding venue. In this ceremony, the groom riding on a white horse makes his grand entrance with all of his family and friends singing and dancing and shouting traditional good wishes. The grand entry is welcomed by the bride’s family. The groom proceeds towards the Mandap.

The groom helps the bride climb the Mandap, garlands are exchanged and the wedding ceremony starts with all the mantras being chanted and havan kund (fire pit) to witness their marriage. After the “Kanyadan” (where the bride’s parents give away their daughter) The bride and groom stand up for the “Mangalpheras”(the walk around the fire), where the promises of togetherness, love, and care for seven lives are made. After the bride and groom come back to their seats the groom applies a red powder (sindoor) to the center of the bride’s forehead and ties a necklace made of gold and black beads known as the “Mangalsutra”. For happiness and prosperity friends and family throw flowers at the couple and the marriage is now complete.

BIDAI

An emotional moment that marks the completion of the wedding. In this ceremony, the bride steps out of the doors and throws back five handfuls of rice over her head which reflects wealth and prosperity. This ritual signifies that the bride has given back whatever her parents have given her all these years. As she leaves in her vehicle, the bride’s brother and cousin push the car, which symbolizes that the brother and cousins are helping her start a new life with her husband.

RECEPTION

The big day comes up. It’s the bride’s introduction to the groom’s family and his community. A grand feast is served in the welcoming of the bride with a typical menu featuring seven to 10 appetizers followed by rice, yogurt, salad, naan. At the end of the meal, a variety of sweets are served. Parents and friends make special toasts. In a typical Indian reception anywhere from 300 to 500 people are usually invited. To them, it’s a celebration with family and friends and the people in their community.