Different Wedding Rituals in Hindu Community
Matches may be made in heaven but they are surely executed on Earth.
And being a country of excessive vigour, pomp, show and vibrancy Indians have elaborated wedding rituals that are performed before and after the nuptials to honor various guests, their culture, religion and most importantly-tradition. We Indians are real admirer of the traditions and their significance! Being a south Indian who is raised in the heart of the nation-Delhi, I have seen and known many of such interesting wedding rituals. Allow me to walk you through it!
NORTH INDIAN HINDU WEDDING RITUALS:
Roka:
The Roka ceremony is one the first among the wedding rituals that is known in the North India, it is a formal announcement that the groom, the bride as well as both the families have agreed to the match and are ready to take the matters forward. Roka is performed differently in different families but in almost all of them a priest in invited to do a little puja and gifts in the form of fruits and clothes are exchanged between the families.
Credits – the wedding brigade
Sagaai:
After the Roka ceremony, next comes the engagement or Sagaai. This usually takes place a few months before the actual wedding and only close friends and family is invited to the function. Rings are exchanged by the bride and groom after a small mantra recitation by the priest and the couple confirms and solidifies their commitment to each other.
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Sangeet:
Sangeet , which literally means music, is a musical function which was earlier performed by only ladies. But now both the bride’s and groom’s family participate in the ceremony and there are usually competitions about dance and music between the bride’s and groom’s team. Being a cultural festival it usually starts in the late evening and continues till late night. The night is packed with drinks, dance and DJ.
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Mehendi:
This usually takes place one day prior to the wedding when henna or mehendi is used to paint the groom’s and bride’s palm and feet. There are a lot of stories associated with the color of henna including that the darker the color the more the husband and the mother-in-law loves the new bride. There is also a game associated with the ritual when the husband is asked to find his name which is deliberately hidden in the bride’s mehendi design. Along with the bride and the groom, the guests and family also gets their hands painted with henna in honor of the occasion.
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Haldi:
This ritual takes place on the morning of the wedding itself and starts with the groom applied with the turmeric paste, which is the signifier of an auspicious start is a newly married life and is also said to bring the golden glow on the face. A part of groom’s haldi is then sent to the bride’s place and is applied to the bride by her family and friends the same way it was applied to the groom. The ritual is usually turned into another holi when everyone eventually starts playing with the paste and end up making this emotional ritual into a fun time. But all good when everyone is having fun!
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Kanyadaan:
In Hindus, Kanyadaan or giving a bride away is considered to be one of the most auspicious and divine ritual to perform. During this ritual the bride’s hand is placed on the groom’s hand by her father and flowers and other auspicious ingredients like beetal seeds are placed on them, after chanting of some holy mantras the ingredients are washed away by milk and the is the signifier that the grooms has acquired the bride’s father ‘s permission and blessings for their union.
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Pheraas:
This is the most important wedding ritual in a Hindu wedding, the pheras is the process where the corner end of bride’s and groom’s stole is tied to each other and are asked to walk around the fire pit seven times, each time making a promise to each other as the priest chants holy mantras and promises that have to be made. This signifies the couple’s love and commitment to each other for this live and according the ritual- seven coming lives.
After (in some areas before) the pheras Sindoor or vermilion is applied to the bride’s forehead by the groom and the couple officially becomes husband ad wives and are asked to take the blessings of their relatives.
Credits – Pinterest.com
Vidaai:
Now comes the most emotional ad tiring part of hindu weddings – Vidaai or the goodbye where the bride leaves behind her maternal house and joins her spouse to start a new family and a new home.
While stepping out of the threshold of the house, she throws away rice grains while the mother catches it in her saree’s open veil signifying that there will be no dearth of food even when the daughter of the house will no longer be living there. Daughter is considered as the goodness of wealth and prosperity and by throwing rice to her mother, the leaving bride blesses her family with prosperity.
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SOUTH INDIAN HINDU WEDDING RITUALS :
Nishchayam:
Nishchayam means to decide, this is the ceremony that is performed by the priest after the astrology and horoscope of both the grooms and bride have bee matched and both families have agreed o the union. This is the event attended by only the bride and groom’s family and decided on the wedding date. In some families engagement is also done on the same day itself
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Pre-nuptial; Pudamuri
This happens a day before the wedding where the groom’s mother and the groom visits the bride’s house to give her the Taali or the mangal sutra which a petal shaped gold locket to adore her neck during the wedding. The groom also gifts the bride a new stunning silk saree and blouse as a promise to take care of her with the at most sincerity this saree is worn by the bride during vidaai.
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Bachelor’s Party
Yes! You heard it right, we have a Bachelor’s party too where no parents are allowed ! this party is usually organized by the close friends of the to be couple and is celebrated a day before or rather, a night before the wedding day It’s like sangeet of South India.
Credits – Times of India
Wedding rituals:
Usually the wedding destination is arranged by the bride’s family and is mostly a temple or a banquet hall and is performed during the day time. The groom’s family is welcomed by the bride’s brother and is led to the altar, the groom is followed by the bridesmaids holding flowers and little lamps in little plates.
South Indian weddings both have and don’t have fire-pits. While some of them have fire pits others just have an idol of lord Ganesha. The groom is then followed by the bride and the priest starting to chant mantras of the holy matrimony. The taali is then tied to the bride’s neck on a yellow thread by the groom and they take seven steps of the mandap signifying seven promises they make to each other after which they are asked to receive the blessings of their elders before officially becoming husband and wife.
Credits – FabWeddings.in
Griha-pravesh
During this ceremony the new daughter in law is welcomed in the house by the mother in law. The bride enters the house holding a lamp usually golden colored to signify the light, love and prosperity that she will be bringing with herself. After entering the house, the mother in law gifts the bride with a little present and makes her and the groom drink milk from the same glass.
This is said to solidify the bond between the couple by the blessings of the mother in law.
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Sandhya:
Sandhya is the after wedding reception meal organized by the groom’s family in their house according to the menu given by the bride’s family.
This is also a chance for the bride’s relatives to see the house in which their daughter is going be living from then on. It usually consists of twenty five different meals consisting of main course, snacks and delicacies. A perfect way for both the families to blend with each other.
Credits – WeddingWire.in
Interesting, isn’t it?
That Hindu cultures can differ so much in North and South India the most noted one being the bridal dresses – Red in North and White in South.
But if you ever have the chance to attend one of each the you don’t want to miss it as both of them are equally amazing and vibrant.
While south Indian weddings will be more elegant and quiet. North India weddings are more energetic and colorful. Both are beautiful in their own ways and depicts the diverse culture of our country.
