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Christians are an important part of Indian culture. Though the population of the Christians in the country is less as compared to that of Hindus and Muslims, the Christian religion has a deep impact on the contemporary Indian Culture. Christian culture is very sober and elegant especially a Christian Wedding despite being simple and sober is a visual delight. Like other Indian marriages, the Indian Christian Wedding is also an elaborative affair spread over pre wedding, wedding and post wedding rituals. Read on if you are keen on the detailed description of tradition and ritual of an Indian Christian Wedding ceremony.
Pre-Wedding Ritual
Bridal Shower
Among the main pre wedding rituals there are functions like bridal shower, which is an informal hen party hosted by the bride's female friends. It is mainly
a female get together to celebrate the occasion. It is a fun filled function where games are played, they sing and dance the whole night. The friends and relatives shower gifts upon the bride. The bride serves a pink cake with a thimble hidden inside. According to tradition, the girl who gets the slice of cake with the thimble in it will be the next to marry.
Stag Party
Just like the bridal shower, which is an all girl's party a bachelor's party is also celebrated by the groom and his male friends. It is called a stag party hosted by the groom on the eve of his wedding or a couple of days earlier. Usually this is a wild party, and the groom is expected to enjoy his last night as a bachelor. It is customary to raise a toast before the drinking begins in earnest. It is mostly celebrated to have fun and enjoyment with his close fiends.
Welcoming the bride
Welcoming the bride is done on the day of the wedding; when the groom sends a car to pick up the bride and waits for her outside the church. When the bride arrives, the Best Man welcomes her with a kiss on either cheek and hands her a bouquet of flowers.
Wedding Ritual
Once the bride reaches the church and is received by the best men, the bride and the groom walk slowly and gracefully with the wedding procession in tow till they reach where the priest stands for the wedding mass. The priest then welcomes them and offers his best wishes. The wedding mass begins with hymns and selected readings from the Bible. The priest then delivers the homily, with an emphasis on the sanctity of marriage. The next ritual is the blessing and the exchange of the wedding rings. The ceremony comes to an end with the final blessing of the priest. The guests, towards the end, shower their blessings on the newly wedded couple. The last formality is the couple then signs the register and walk down aisle, arm in arm.
Post-Wedding Ritual
In the post wedding rituals like weddings the rest of the Indian marriages, Christian weddings are also followed by reception party, which is a grand affair where the newly-weds enter the venue and are welcomed by all with a shower of confetti. They cut the wedding cake and feed each a bite of the first slice. The Toastmaster proposes a toast in honor of the couple. The reception is mostly celebrated with dance and dinner party. In many function a live band performs and everybody dances to the tune of the band.
In India, the wedding rituals and customs in any family are mainly based on the religion or community that the family follows. The community only decides the kind of wedding ceremony that a couple would have. There are many people in India who don't believe in these specific and staunch rituals or grand and elaborate celebrations of the Hindu wedding function. For them, who are not so particular about the rules and regulations of their religion and community or want to keep their marriage a low key affair, Arya Samaj Marriage is a very convenient wedding option for them.
An Arya Samaj wedding is conducted by the Arya Samaj, founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswathi in any of its temple. The marriage in Arya Samaj wedding is performed as per Vedic rites and thus does not require any flamboyance. In fact, simplicity is the main essence of Arya Samaj wedding. Though the Arya Samaj weding is meant only for Hindus, any non-Hindu can also be allowed to undergo the marriage rituals if he undergoes the process of conversion through Shuddhi i.e. Purification.
The Arya Samaj wedding ceremony is performed with the fire and other elements as the witnesses since they don't believe in idol worshipping. In an Arya Samaj wedding, the mantras, which are chanted, are translated into a language that the couple can understand so that the couple can relate themselves to the meaning and significance of the wedding mantras. This wedding is different from the traditional Hindu wedding in the sense that it does not involves elaborate rituals and the ceremony is not extended over a long period of time. The wedding ceremony lasts for an hour and the wedding expense is very low compared to the normal traditional Hindu wedding.
The main rituals of the wedding are as follows:
Madhuparka is a ritual in which the bride and the groom arrive at the venue of the wedding the groom partakes of 'Madhuparka', which is a mixture of honey, curds and cream. The bride gives the groom water three times, which he sprinkles on his feet, over his body and drinks it the third time. Similarly, the groom also follows the ritual. This ritual symbolizes the commencement of their journey into a happy married life.
The ritual of kanyadaan is the one in which the parents of the bride offer their daughter's hand in marriage to the groom.
Havanv is the ritual where the wedding is solemnized in front of the Agni or holy fire, which is considered life. The priest chants the mantras invoking blessing for happy married life.
In the Pani Grahan Sanskar the groom takes the bride's hands in his and chants mantras promising to be beside her in times of need and look after all her needs. Then there are rituals like Shilarohan, Lajahom, Parikrama , and Saptapadi, which are followed.
Lastly the ritual ends with the Aashirwaad ceremony where the newly wedded couple takes the blessing of all the elders in the family.
The Sikh wedding is generally held in Gurudwara, amidst the preacher of the religious place, family, friends and relatives. When it comes to a Sikh Indian wedding, the festive ambiance is set a week before the ceremony. The groom's sister and the bride's father play a prominent role during the wedding ceremony, apart from the family members. The Sikh marriage is a simple, yet elegant occasion wherein various rituals are followed before, during and after it. Given below is detailed information on the pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals followed by Sikhs.
Sikh Wedding Customs
Pre-Wedding Rituals
Shagun or engagement is the ceremony that marks the beginning of the Sikh wedding celebrations. The ceremony is also called Tilak, which is performed by a bhaiji (preacher) of the Gurudwara. He reads hymns and then applies a tilak on the groom's forehead, to mark the engagement ceremony. On the occasion, the families of the prospective bride and the groom exchange gifts in order to confirm the engagement of the couple. The bride's father takes care of the ceremonial activities of the engagement. As a part of the shagun, a thali containing coconut, dry dates, sugar and money are sent to the groom's family by the bride's family.
Choora or the bangle ceremony is another important Sikh pre-wedding ritual. The occasion is organized at the bride's home, wherein the maternal uncle and aunt of the bride adorn her wrist with white and red bangles. Ornaments made of silver and gold, known as kalira, are tied to the bangles. The third pre-wedding custom followed by Sikhs is 'maiya', according to which, the bride and the groom are not allowed to leave their house for few days prior to the wedding. Gana is a pre-wedding ritual wherein an auspicious red thread is tied to the right wrist of the groom and the left wrist of the bride, at their respective homes. It is regarded as a sacred thread that protects the bride and the groom from ill omen.
Vatna is a ritual celebrated a few days before the wedding ceremony. According to the tradition followed by the Sikhs, vatna, a scented powder consisting of barley flour, turmeric and mustard oil, is smeared to the bride and the groom. This is followed by an auspicious bath.Mehndi is another pre-wedding ritual organized on the eve of the marriage.During the ceremony, henna (mehndi) is applied on the hands and the feet of the bride.
Wedding Rituals
Gharoli is observed in the morning of the wedding day, at the groom's home. During the occasion, the groom's sister-in-law, accompanied by other female relatives, go to a nearby well or Gurudwara to fill an earther pitcher (gharoli) with water, which is later used to bathe and the groom. This is followed by the wedding ceremony, which is called 'milni'. The groom's sisters tie a sehera (floral veil) to his forehead. They adorn his neck with a garland of currency notes. The groom's procession then heads towards the bride's house, where the milni ceremony is held.
During the milni ceremony, the bride and the groom's families embrace and wish each other. Shabads are sung and the ardaas recited as the procession enters the Gurudwara breakfast is served to the guests.After the culmination of the milni ceremony, the bride and the groom sit together to attend the Guru Granth Sahib Kirtan. The groom's sister drapes a chunni around his neck. She ties one end of the chunni to the pallu of the lehanga worn by the bride. The chunni could be pink, red or orange in color.Thereafter, the bhaiji of the Gurudwara recites hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, which are then sung and the bride and groom, who encircle the Guru Granth Sahib. While walking around the Guru Granth Sahib, the groom leads the bride, with a sword in his hand. The marriage ceremony culminates here. This is followed by a grand feast.
Post-Wedding Rituals
The post-wedding rituals of a traditional Sikh wedding consist of vidaai or doli ceremony, which marks the end of the celebration. It is a very emotional affair for the bride's family. As the bride departs from her parent's house, she throws back handful of rice over her shoulder, thereby wishing prosperity for her parents and family, which she leaves behind to start a new life with new dreams and aspirations.
India is a land of many cultures and religions. So, it is important to remember the various legalities involved in marriages of different religion and community. India being a cosmopolitan country accepts personal laws of its citizen. As a result each citizen of India is entitled to have his own personal laws in the matter of marriage and divorce. In all the religions of India, marriage is considered to be a sacred ritual that is why this relationship is held in high regard in the Indian culture; however various legal implications are introduced in the marital regulations of the society, in order to overrule any discrepancy. In case you want to understand the basic marital legalities in India, here are few points you can refer to…
Basic Interpretation of Various Marriage Acts in India
It is important for everybody to know that all marriages should be registered to make it legal.
There are different rules and regulations for different religions. Like there are Hindu Marriage Act, Muslim Marriage Act, and Christian Marriage Act and for the Parsee there is Parsee Marriage and Divorce Act.
Hindus are governed by the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, under which the bridegroom should be the age of 21 years and bride of 18 years, they both should be Hindus and should not be within the degree of prohibited relationship.
Divorce under the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 can be obtained on the various grounds.
Hindu Marriage is applicable also to the Buddhist, Jain or Sikh religions and the person who is not a Muslim Christian, Parsi or Jew, and who is not governed by any other law.
Muslims also have their own personal law, which states that Nikah or marriage is a contract and may be permanent or temporary and permits a man four wives if he treats all of them equally.
A Muslim marriage requires proposal (Ijab) from one party and acceptance (Qubul) from the other to legally solemnize a marriage. Marriage without free consent would be void and also, if it is proved that such consent has been obtained by means of coercion, fraud or undue influence.
Similarly for the Parsees there is a Parsee Marriage & Divorce Act, 1936, which governs their provisions of their marriage and divorce.
By the Parsi Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Act, 1988 (5 of 1988), the extent of certain provisions of the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 have been widened so as to bring them in line with the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Bigamy or Polygamy is punishable offence in Parsi Religion.
For Indian Christian there is an Indian Christian Marriage Act 1889. The Christian marriage in India can be solemnized by any person or bishop who is either a clergyman of the Church of Scotland, any licensed minister of the religion or any licensed registrar. A person who has received episcopal ordination can also solemnize a Christian marriage.
Persons of any religion who get married under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 are governed by the said act. Those who get married under a civil marriage or no formal marriage ceremony marry under the Special Marriage Act, 1954; do not need to take any further legal steps because in this case registration is itself the marriage ceremony.
A Hindu Wedding is very elaborate and ritualistic. There are several compulsory rituals in a Hindu wedding that hold immense significance and deep rooted meaning in the Hindu Religion. The rituals of the Hindu wedding ceremony start days before the actual wedding ceremony. Sagaai is the first step towards the formal announcement of a marriage which is followed by various other rituals like Sagan, Haldi, Sangeet and Mehandi. Apart from the religious and ritualistic nature, a Hindu wedding is also quite an emotional affair. The most emotional of all the rituals of the Hindu Marriage is Kanyadaan when the father hands over all his rights and duties towards his daughter to her prospective groom.
On the wedding day, the complete marriage ritual last lasts for hours due to several small and big customs that are considered auspicious as well as vital for solemnizing a marriage. Among all the main day wedding rituals, kanyadaan is the most vital and significant ritual. Kanya Daan literary means gifting away a virgin, the word is actually a combination of two words, Kanya and Daan, where in Kanya means a virgin and Daan means donation.
The ritual of Kanya Daan is performed just before the Mangalphere. Kanyadaan is a ritual in which the bride's father entrust her daughter to the groom, who is at the time of marriage considered to be a form of Lord Vishnu. As a condition for offering his daughter to the groom for marriage, the father of the bride asks a promise from the groom for assisting the bride in achieving three important goals of the life- dharma, artha, and kama. The ritual of Kanya Daan is considered very auspicious in Hindu religion. It is a very pious and dutiful ritual which is said to bring fortune as well as relief from the sins for the bride's parents.
In the ritual of kanyadaan the bride's parents normally her father or in his absence any elderly relative give their daughter to the groom by putting the bride's right hand into the groom's right hand (Hastamelap, which means joining of hands) while reciting sacred verse. The curtain separating the bride and groom is then removed and then the couple exchange flower garlands. When the father of the bride gives away his daughter to the groom, followed by the offering of gifts and presents, then the elders of the family place an auspicious white cotton cord around the couple's shoulder's to protect them from ill omen since cotton signifies unity, the bride and the groom shower each other with rice. This ritual is a symbol of couple's bond and love. The groom holds the bride's hand and they both take vows to love, be loyal, committed and protect each other throughout their life.
Indian wedding is a perfect blend of serious rituals and customs along with other fun filled rituals and frothy moments. Wedding marks the beginning of a new relationship not just between two individuals but also between two families and thus, there are various moments in the wedding ceremonies that help to build new relationships. Every caste and community has its own tradition and culture. India with such diverse cultural background showcases variety of rituals and customs. Here are few very interesting facts about various kinds of Indian Wedding:
Interesting Indian Wedding Facts
In many communities in the Hindu Religion, there is a wedding ritual in which the sisters-in-law hide the shoes of their jija or brother-in-law and return them only in exchange for money. It's a very fun filled and enjoying ritual.
In some communities, there are rituals where the hands of the couple are covered with a sacred cloth to ward off ill omen and evil eye during the pheras.
In Parsee marriage ceremonies, the sisters-in-law take gifts from their brother-in-law during the ritual of Haath Boravanu where the groom puts his hand in water and cannot remove them until he pays money to them, Pag Dhovanu is another such ritual where the groom is threatened with milk on his shoes and chero chorvanu is a ritual in which seven strands of thread tying the couple are removed on payment.
In Gujarati custom the groom's mother-in-law tries to catch his nose on arrival of the baraat, as a reminder of the fact that he is taking away their daughter and is now responsible for her happiness.
Aeki-Beki is also very fun filled rituals among the Gujarati community. A tray or pot of water is mixed with milk and vermillion. A ring and a few coins are thrown into the mixture. The bride and groom are given seven chances to fish out the ring. The winner is considered as having a dominating personality and it is predicted amidst much laughter that he or she will rule the roost!
In Punjabi custom the bride's wear a Chuda, this is a set of red and ivory bangles by her maternal uncle. This custom is considered good omen for the bride as it is said to bring good luck to the bride in her new home.
Punjabi brides wear Kaleeres. These are silver or gold plated ornaments tied to the Chudas. It is said that the bride has as many friends as there are leaves in the Kaleere. One interesting ritual related with the Kaleere is the custom in which a bride shakes her Kaleere over the unmarried girls in her family. It is said that if the Kaleere falls on the head of any of them, she is the next one to be married.
Another ritual which is found in almost every community is when the groom brings home his new bride; the groom's sisters block the entrance to the home and demand money from their brother as a shagun before they let him in. This is a fun filled and amusing ritual.
India is known for its rich cultural heritage and diverse customs. Each religion has its own traditions and ritual. Different existing religions in the country- Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Jewish, Buddhism, Jain and Christianity every religion has their own wedding customs. Though Indian wedding is mainly associated with the Hindu marriage ceremony, actually the Indian Marriage canopies the marriages of all the different existing religions in the country. If you are interested in knowing about the different Indian Marriages, you must go through this article.
Hindu Wedding
The Hindu Marriage is very popular as the majority of Indian population follows Hinduism. Though there is also much variation in the Hindu religious customs in accordance with the regions and communities, the overall customs remain same throughout. The Hindu marriage is held in a big marquee, either in the bride's home yard or in a rented wedding hall. Different rituals are held pre marriage, on the main day and post marriage. Customs like Ganesh puja, Haldi, Sagan, Sangeet and Sagaai are held before the wedding day. On the wedding the most prominent rituals are Jaimala, Kanyadaan, Sindoor, Mangalphere and Saptapadi. Generally, Hindu Marriages are very royal and extravagant, especially the north Indian Hindu marriages held at night.
Muslim Wedding
After Hindus, Muslims form a major chunk of Indian Society. Muslim weddings in India are also celebrated with equal pomp and gaiety. They have various pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. Each ritual has an important significance. In the pre-wedding rituals, Mehndi ceremony is an important function. It is mostly celebrated at the bride's home on the eve of the wedding ceremony or a few days before the wedding. On the wedding day, there are rituals like welcoming the baraat. The main wedding ritual in Muslims is the Nikaah. It is held either at the home of the bride or at any other common venue. The ceremony is conducted by the Maulvi (priest) in the presence of the close friends and relatives. The priest then reads the important verses from the Quran. Thereafter, the ritual of Ijab-e-Qubul (proposal and acceptance) takes place, the Groom sends his proposal to the bride. The marriage is said to be solemnized only if the girl gives her consent.
ChristianWedding
In India like the Hindus and Muslims there are vast majority of Christians too. A Christian Wedding celebration in India is simple yet charming. The wedding ceremony is conducted in the church. On the day of the wedding, the best man greets the bride with a bouquet. The best man is someone very close to the bridegroom. She is than accompanied by her father to the altar. In the presence of two witnesses from both sides the bride and the groom declare themselves to be husband and wife. The groom declares his wedding vows. The couple exchanges their rings and the priest blesses the newly wedded couple and declares them husband and wife. The couple then walks down the aisle together. Everyone then joins the couple for the reception party. Here, the wedding cake is cut, and everyone raises the toast in the name of the bride and the groom.
Sikh Wedding
Like Hindu, Muslim and Christians, Sikhs are also an important part of the Indian Society. Very much similar to the Hindu marriages, the Sikh marriages also involve different rituals and customs. The Reht Maryada, which is the official Sikh code of conduct, specifies certain guidelines that as long as both the boy and girl profess the Sikh faith and no other faith they are joined in wedlock by the Anand Karaj ceremony. The guidelines strictly forbid any sort of dowry system, astrology and any other superstitions associated with wedding date or time. Different rituals are associated with the Sikh marriages, which are performed on different days.
Parsi Wedding
Compared to the other religions in the country, the population of Parsis is very less in the country, yet the Parsi rituals and traditions hold a distinct identity in the Indian society. In a Parsi marriage, the gathering on the marriage day is called Shahjan, the gathering for the queenly bride. The bridegroom comes first to take the seat in the room where the marriage is to be celebrated. The bride comes later. The Parsi lagan or marraige is called ‘Achumichu', which takes place either at a Baug or at an Agiary.
Buddhist Wedding
Buddhist Religion is also a very popular religion in India. Based on the principles of brotherhood and fraternity, the religion preaches simple living and high thinking. The Buddhist marriage in accordance with its principles is very simple and sober. With no religious obligations like horoscopes and astrology and no social obligations like feast and grandeur, the Buddhist marriage is more a family affair than a social or religious one. There is no hard-lined ritual for a Buddhist wedding ceremony; however people generally visit the temple and take blessings from the monks to solemnize the marriage.
Jewish Wedding
The Jewish population in India is very limited, yet they are an important part of our diversified culture. The Jewish traditions are interesting yet simple. In the Jewish religion, marriage is considered to be mandatory as a single person is considered to be incomplete. The Jewish wedding ritual can be divided into two basic phases- the kiddushinor engagement phase and nissu'in or the actual wedding. While kiddushin leads to a change in the conjugal status of the bride and groom, nissu'in or the actual wedding is important to bring a legal change. Kiddushin is a ring ceremony where the groom places a ring on the bride's right index finger and the bride just clenches her fist to show her acceptance. However, one the day on the day of nissu'in, the couple is joined in matrimony, under the chuppah.
Jain Wedding
Jain religion also forms an important part of Indian society. They have a very interesting culture that adds to the diversity of Indian traditions. Marriage is considered to be very pious in Jain religion. As the Jain community does not believe in wasting time and money over the pomp and show of marriage, they Jain marriage is comparatively a less extravagant and more ritualistic affair. The most important rituals of Jain Wedding Ceremony are Phere, Kanyavaran, Havan and Granthi Bandhan. Once these four rituals are completed, the wedding of the couple is said to have been solemnized.
India is land of diverse culture and religions. People of many religions live here with peace and harmony. Though similar constitutional rights and duties are assigned to all the citizens of the country, they are free to abide by their own social and religious belief. The marriage acts of different religions are framed in the Indian constitution in accordance with their social and religious set up, as the Hindu Marriages are framed according to the Hindu cultural beliefs and customs, the Muslim Marriage Act has been framed keeping in mind the social, religious and cultural traditions of the Muslims. Given below are the basic interpretations of the various sections of Muslim Marriage Act, for the understanding of common men…
Basic Interpretations Of Muslim Marriage Act
* Under the law, Nikah or marriage is a civil contract and may be permanent or temporary and no religious ceremony or ritual is necessary. It states that to have a valid Nikah or marriage under the Muslim law, presence of a Qazi or priest is not necessary. Merely a proposal in the presence and hearing of two normal males or one normal Muslim male and two normal Muslim female adults, and acceptance of the said proposals at the same time constitute a legal wedding under the Muslim Personal Law.
* The Muslim Marriage law permits a man four wives if he treats all of them equally.
* It is assumed that on completion of 15 years of age, a person attains puberty. If a person is of sound mind, normal and has attained puberty his or her marriage cannot be performed without his or her consent.
* To have a legal and valid marriage following conditions are to be satisfied like both should be of sound mind or the guardian in marriage should act on behalf of the person of unsound mind in arranging the marriage contract. Either the parties should have attained the age of puberty or the guardian in marriage on behalf of the party concerned should enter into the marriage contract.
* In case of divorce a husband can leave his wife without any reasons merely by pronouncing the word "Talak" thrice. However for a Muslim woman to obtain divorce certain conditions are necessary. The husband and the wife with mutual agreement can also put an end to the marriage.
* There are certain prohibited relationships, whose marriage is considered void. Like mother and son, grandmother and grandson, uncle and niece, brother and sister and nephew and aunt.
* There is a slight variation in the laws that govern the Sunni and Shia Marraiges. However, the basic elements are same in both of the cases.
Like other Indian marriages, thewedding rituals and customs of Parsi community are also spread over a couple of days. In Parsi wedding also, the wedding celebrations are divided into three parts- pre wedding rituals, wedding day rituals and post wedding rituals. As marriage is a religious ritual encouraged in the Parsi religion, Parsi people consider marriage to be an occasion of social as well as religious celebrations. If you are keen about knowing the details of the Parsi wedding ceremony, given below is the detailed description of the Parsi marriage traditions from Pre-Marriage to Post Marriage Traditions.
Pre Wedding Rituals
Among the pre wedding rituals or customs we have Madhavsaro, which is celebrated four days before the lagan(marriage day), the families of the bride and groom each plant a young tree in a pot, amidst recitation of prayers by the family priest, and place this at the entrance of their homes. Generally a mango plant is used for this ceremony as it is treated as a symbol of fertility. The plant is watered every morning till the eighth day after the wedding and then transplanted elsewhere.
Adarni' is the third day before the lagan and it is celebrated as a day for exchange of gifts. On this day the groom's family visits the bride's home and presents her with all kinds of gifts like clothes, jewelry, etc. The relatives, neighbors and friends are invited for a traditional meal of sev and dahi, boiled eggs and bananas. The immediate day before the wedding is called ‘Supra nu Murat' it is more like the mehendi and haldi ceremony of the Hindus. In this ritual four married women are given a supra each, containing paan, supari, haldi, dates and a piece of coconut. While singing traditional songs, these supras are exchanged seven times among the women cross-wise, length-wise and breadth-wise. A fifth lady sits in the middle with a khalbatto and dry turmeric. Then a paste of it is applied by all to the groom and bride along with a showering of blessings.
Wedding Day Rituals
‘Nahan' is the day of the lagan. On the occasion of Nahan, the staircase, doorway and gate is decorated with beautiful decorative designs of rangoli(colorful motifs). According to the Zorastrians the time immediately after sunset or very early in the morning is considered auspicious for marriage. For the marriage ceremony the bride dresses in her ‘Madhavate', the white, ornate wedding saree given by her parents, while the groom wears the traditional ‘Parsi Dagli and Feta', a white kurta like garment and a black cap. The Parsi lagan is called ‘Achumichu', which takes place either at a Baug or at an Agiary (the fire temple). A stage is build up for the couple and before they step on it, the groom first, a ritual called Achumichu is performed. The bride's mother takes a tray with a raw egg, supari, rice, coconut, dates and water and begins the ceremony with her son-in-law to be. In Ara antar ceremony the couple is made to sit facing each other with a cloth held between them, so they cannot see the other. Among the other main day rituals are Chero bandhvanu and Haath borvanu.
Post Wedding Rituals
In the post-wedding rituals the reception is held in a grand manner with varied menu of food, drink and music. The party is a whole night affair where all the guests have a lovely time. The menu mainly comprises of traditional Parsi dishes like Parsi bhonu like sarya (crisps), achaar - rotli (pickle and rotis), patra ni macchi (steamed fish), salli margi (chicken with potato crisps), lagan nu custard, pulao-dal and ice cream. The wedding ceremony ends with the couple being accompanied home by the bride's family and the Achumichu being performed once again by the groom's mother for the well being of the couple.
Unlike West, marriage in India is regarded more as a religious and social affair than a legal affair. Despite a very detailed chapter on the Indian marriages in the Indian constitution, most of the people in the country are unaware of the laws associated with marriages. In a cosmopolitan culture like India where umpteen numbers of cultures and religion prevail under the same canopy, it is very difficult to regulate all the customs by same kind of regulation especially of the matter is related with sensitive issues like marriage and hierarchy. Therefore, different kinds of Marriage Acts have been defined for different religions in the country. The Hindu marriage is governed by, ‘The Hindu Marriage Act', which came into existence on 18 May 1955.
Basic Provisions of Hindu Marriage Act
The provision under the Act is that it applies to any person who is Hindu by religion and it is also applicable to Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhsas well as and the person who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew, and who is not governed by any other law.
It extends to the entire India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and it is applicable to Hindus domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends who are outside the said territories.
Under this law the bridegroom should be of 21 years of age and the bride should be of 18 years of age. They both should be Hindu by origin and should not be within the degree of prohibited relationship. Neither party should have a spouse living nor any party should be subject to recurrent attacks of insanity or epilepsy, either of them should not be suffering from mental disorders or should not be unfit for marriage and procreation of children and both should be of sound mind and capable of giving valuable consent.
Bigamy or Polygamy is now prohibited and as per law it is treated as an offence under the Indian Penal code.
Just like marriages the law also governs divorces. Under the law divorce can be obtained on the grounds of adultery, cruelty, desertion for two years, conversion in religion, unsound mind, etc.
The Hindu Marriage law has also described certain prohibited relationships whose marriage is not legalized. Like father and daughter, son and mother, brother and sister and many more.
The Hindu Marriage act also does not set any prescribe or particular ceremonial for marriage. It states that a Hindu marriage may be formalized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party. Where rituals include the saptapadi (seven steps by the bridegroom and the bride jointly before the sacred fire), the marriage is said to be solemnized once the seventh step is taken.
It has now become mandatory to register a Hindu Marriage.
Punjabis are large hearted people who love splendor and grandeur. They are also keen on festivals and celebrations. This nature of Punjabis also reflects in their marriage celebrations. Like other Indian weddings, a Punjabi marriage ceremony is very ritualistic but also full of fun and frolic. It is in fact one of the most colorful and musical marriage ceremonies in the country. Each ceremony is like an excuse for merriment. A Punjabi Wedding is very vibrant and celebrated like a big carnival, exhibiting splendid grandeur.
A Punjabi wedding ceremony begins with Roka which is very much like an engagement ceremony where both the family for the first time formally announces the prospective marriage. The Roka is then followed by celebrations like ‘Sagan’ and ‘Chunni Chadana’ performed at the groom’s and bride’s family respectively.
The joy of a Punjabi wedding begins with the Sangeet and Mehndi ceremony from where the real fun and frolic starts. Bhangras and Giddas make a Punjabi wedding more colorful. Like other Hindu weddings phere and kanyadaan are important rituals of a Punjabi Wedding. A Punjabi Wedding ceremony solemnizes with Mangal Pheras and the bride is departed to her in laws home that very day.
Punjabi marriage traditions are very elaborate and ritualistic. They begin days before the actual wedding day in the form of pre-wedding ceremonies. Roka is the first pre-wedding ceremony where the two families formally meet to finalize the relationship between the two families. Roka is then followed by a series of colorful and interesting occasions like ‘Sagan and Chunni Chadhana’.
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.
Punjabis love celebrations. Their marriage ceremonies are thus extremely grand and elaborate. Even after few days of marriage, the celebrations at the groom’s and bride’s places are on. The post wedding celebrations start right after the solemnization of marriage at the Mandap. Preparations for Vidaai and Ashwirwad ceremony go hand in hand. Once the couple is blessed by all the elderly people at home, the brother of the bride accompanies the couple for Vidaai to the main exit of their home.
Tamilians have their own rituals followed before, during and after the wedding, which look very vibrant. All the customs are followed with religious observance. All the people, right from the prospective bride and the groom to the family members, friends and relatives have the festive mood, which is set by the ceremony. The ambience is filled with nothing but happiness and celebration. The festive spirits are boosted up among the people, witnessing the ceremony, by the colorful and elaborate rituals that are conducted before, during and after the marriage.
The pre-marriage rituals followed by the Tamil speaking Brahmins include fasting, puja and exchange of gifts. The groom is received by the family of the bride.
The wedding ceremony is also elaborate, which incorporates the rituals that are typical to the Brahmin community, such as oonjal, kashi yatra and kanyaadaan (wherein the bride sits on the lap of her father). Post-marriage, the bride and the groom are given treats and gifts. After swearing in as the wife, the bride enters the groom's home to prosper his life there. This is the way most of the marriages are conducted among the Tamil speaking Brahmins in India and all over the world. In this section, we have given detailed information on the traditional Tamil wedding ceremony.
Tamil Pre-Wedding Rituals Tamil wedding is a vast affair, wherein a number of rituals are followed. Well before the wedding day, people (including the family members of the prospective bride and the groom) are engaged in the preparations of the ceremony, which is considered a very important turning point in the couple's life. This is the reason why, marriage is given supreme importance and a number of ceremonies are conducted before, during and after it.
Tamil 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.
Tamil Post-Wedding Rituals After organizing an enthralling wedding ceremony, the family of the bride and the groom head towards preparing the venue for the post-wedding celebrations. While grihapravesh is the post-marriage custom common in almost every region in India, the Tamil Brahmins have their own way of culminating the auspicious ceremony.
The Indian wedding has always been known for its grandeur and splendor. If a middle class wedding in India looks like a royal affair, you can easily imagine the grandeur of the wedding ceremony of the rich and famous people in the country. Indian families generally regard the Wedding ceremony as an occasion of celebrations and display of riches and wealth. That is why, the trend of grandiose and ostentatious wedding ceremonies have gained extreme popularity in the country. Some of the most famous Indian Weddings are the wedding ceremonies of Indian business tycoons, film stars and cricketers.
One of the most famous Indian weddings in the contemporary times has been the wedding of Vikram Chatwal with Priya Sachdeva. The year 2006 witnessed this global event of the marriage of Chatwal, the manhattan based hotelier with Priya Sachdev, a Delhi based model. On 18th Feb 06, the Manhattan millionaire tied his wedding knot with his beloved. Vikram Chatwal Priya Sachdev wedding was truly an epitome of splendid grandeur.
This grand marriage ceremony was a seven days long affair. The pre-wedding affairs started at the Shri Niwas Palace of Udaipur on 13th February, the couple had classical Pakeezah White Party. The Pakeezah party was then followed by the Fantasia Masquerade Island party at the famous Jagmandir Island. The second party was a colorful masks theme party. The enthusiastic celebrations were followed by a simple and private Mehndi function at Chatwal’s farmhouse.
The marriage party as expected was a larger than life ceremony. Vandana Mohan took over the charge of planning this wonderful wedding. The wedding party was a theme party that got inspiration from the royal colors. Flower decorations consisted of exotic tiger lilies and tulips. In the lounger room, arrangements were made for the baratis to have cognacs and cigars. The stage decoration was inspired by the marriage of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhs. The stage was embellished with beautiful paintings in the background. A major attraction of the wedding was the fabulous dance performance by Shiamak Davar.
Apart from the top class ambience, the wedding was also at its best on the social charts. Its guest list included people from Iran to USA. Clintons, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and his son Aditya, supermodel Naomi Campbell, Prince of Iran, Prince Nicolas of Greece, US Congressman Joe Crowley and UK industrialist SP Hinduja are a few big wigs, who graced this glitzy mega event. The wedding would always be remembered as one of the grandest wedding ceremony of the century.
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Tamilians have their own rituals followed before, during and after the wedding, which look very vibrant. All the customs are followed with religious observance. All the people, right from the prospective bride and the groom to the family members, friends and relatives have the festive mood, which is set by the ceremony. The ambience is filled with nothing but happiness and celebration. The festive spirits are boosted up among the people, witnessing the ceremony, by the colorful and elaborate rituals that are conducted before, during and after the marriage.
The pre-marriage rituals followed by the Tamil speaking Brahmins include fasting, puja and exchange of gifts. The groom is received by the family of the bride.
The wedding ceremony is also elaborate, which incorporates the rituals that are typical to the Brahmin community, such as oonjal, kashi yatra and kanyaadaan (wherein the bride sits on the lap of her father). Post-marriage, the bride and the groom are given treats and gifts. After swearing in as the wife, the bride enters the groom's home to prosper his life there. This is the way most of the marriages are conducted among the Tamil speaking Brahmins in India and all over the world. In this section, we have given detailed information on the traditional Tamil wedding ceremony.
Tamil Pre-Wedding Rituals Tamil wedding is a vast affair, wherein a number of rituals are followed. Well before the wedding day, people (including the family members of the prospective bride and the groom) are engaged in the preparations of the ceremony, which is considered a very important turning point in the couple's life. This is the reason why, marriage is given supreme importance and a number of ceremonies are conducted before, during and after it.
Tamil 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.
Tamil Post-Wedding Rituals After organizing an enthralling wedding ceremony, the family of the bride and the groom head towards preparing the venue for the post-wedding celebrations. While grihapravesh is the post-marriage custom common in almost every region in India, the Tamil Brahmins have their own way of culminating the auspicious ceremony.
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Unlike the West, an Indian Wedding is more a religious ritual than a social ceremony. That is why; an Indian wedding is full of several traditional rituals and cultural customs being followed from centuries. It is an elaborate, expensive and emotional event full of sacred religious rituals and customs. For Indians, wedding is a grand affair that includes participation from each and every family member, relatives and even neighbors. In India, a wedding calls for a grand feast and loud celebrations (by bursting crackers and playing music).
Indian Wedding is not only a nuptial knot between two human beings rather it is a tie between two families. Preparation of Indian Wedding begins from the search of prospective bride and groom. In general, the wedding is arranged by finding a suitable bride or groom by the parents or relatives. However, nowadays the love marriages have also become common, where the bride or groom is selected by a person himself/herself. In some families, the horoscope of the girl and boy is also matched before finalizing the marriage, so as to find out the compatibility between both of them. However, once both the party agrees to the relationship, the wedding preparations begin in a family.
First of all, a pre-wedding announcement is done through a formal engagement ceremony which is called Roka or Sagaai where both the families exchange gifts and good luck charms. An auspicious day is then decided according to the astrological charts and horoscopes of the prospective bride and groom for the marriage day. Shopping of jewelry, wedding attire, household items and gifts start in both the families. Booking of venue, arranging caterers, music bands are also simultaneously done. However to avoid hassle, most of the families now consult professional wedding planners for such requirements.
Along with the shopping and arrangement for the wedding day, several pre-wedding rituals go hand in hand; this includes Haldi, Chunni and Sagan rituals in general. Two or three days before the marriage, the Sangeet and Mehndi Rasam take place at the bride and groom families. In the main day preparation we have the wedding feast, stage or mandap Decor as the important activities. The wedding day is like a grand celebration where both the families involve in merry making. Once the groom arrives at the wedding venue, he and his family are welcomed in a royal manner and religious rituals like Jai Mala, Kanya Daan, Phere and Sindoor Daan is solemnized by a priest at the Mandap.
Choosing Wedding Caterer
An Indian Wedding calls for a grand feast and for a grand feast you need a wonderful menu and scrumptious cuisines. Earlier family members of the bride used to take care of the menu and quality of food to ensure a grand feast, but now due to the increasing work pressure on professional front
Wedding Flower Decor Tips
In every wedding ceremony flowers play an important role. Flower gives a new and fresh dimension to the wedding decor. Even an Indian wedding the ambience of the venue seems incomplete without a proper flower decor. From Mandap to the cars, the bed rooms to the halls and the pooja rooms to the veranda
Pre Wedding Preparation
Any wedding requires a lot of prior planning and especially if you are planning an Indian Wedding, you need to do a lot of arrangements before the Wedding Day. In an Indian Wedding, there are several rituals and customs to be performed before the wedding day, other than this, simultaneous arrangement of all the required items
Shopping guide for Indian Wedding
Shopping for wedding purpose should be done wisely. There are lots of thing to buy before a wedding ceremony. So it is always advisable to shop in advance and within your budget. Whenever you start shopping for wedding purpose you should prepare a budget and a list of items you have to buy.
Theme Weddings in India
Wedding celebration is an event of a lifetime for all Indians. Everybody wants to make his or her wedding ceremony special. They want to celebrate the function in such a manner that it will be remembered for long time. The most recent trend that has come in fashion to make a wedding ceremony special is a ’theme wedding concept’.
Wedding Budget
Indian wedding ceremonies are an elaborate and expensive affair. A budget plan is an important requirement for any wedding so that only that you do not get a sharp dent on your pocket. In case you do have time or you are not good at budgeting, you can always hire a wedding planner to plan everything for you.
Indian Wedding Favors Ideas
Indian wedding is the time to have fun and enjoyment. It is the time when the entire family meets to celebrate the auspicious occasion. Wedding is regarded as the most important social event any family. It is expected that the guests who come to celebrate are treated well and given wonderful wedding favors.
Wedding Invitation Card
Indian weddings have a riot of rituals and customs and according to the tradition, all the guests are invited to the wedding function through invitation card. Invites form an imperative component of a wedding ceremony. They are quintessential and qualify as the first step towards inviting your family and friends for the auspicious occasion.
Indian Wedding Songs
The foot tapping songs, beat of the Dhol and string of the Tumba - it is just the ideal setting of an Indian wedding ceremony. In Hindu custom and ritual, music plays a very important role, be it any festival or wedding ceremony. Music not only adds to the festive mood, but also makes the wedding function more lively and special.
Wedding Size
Planning the wedding size is really a tough job. Right from planning and organizing to coordinating and executing, each phase of the wedding ceremony calls for a lot of attention. Deciding the size of the wedding is an important consideration to make. Along with your partner, it should be one of the primary things that one must sort out.
Deciding Wedding Venue
Deciding the wedding venue is an important factor. It is a dream of every boy and girl that their wedding venue should be a like a fairyland or a royal palace. They fantasize about their dream venue long before the actual wedding day. Nowadays, having a dream venue or destination for marriage is no longer "just" a dream
Main Day Function
Indian wedding is a grand affair and involves adherence to a large number of customs and rituals. These traditions can be subdivided into three groups - pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding. The sheer number of ceremonies, which comprise an Indian wedding, require the family of the bride as well as the groom to make all the preparations in advance.
Post Wedding Preparation
Wedding, in India, is a grand affair and is characterized by hectic preparation, planning and organization. Even the simplest of wedding requires immense arrangement and preparation. Just like wedding rituals are divided into three stages, such as pre wedding, wedding and post wedding, in the same way, wedding preparations are also divided into three stages - pre wedding preparation, wedding preparation and post wedding preparation.
