Mandap

Today, Hindu weddings are celebrated on a large canvas. People are mostly influenced by the lavish portrayal of wedding ceremonies in Hindi movies. The Indian wedding normally is a four to five days affair and each day has a special significance and role. Just like the pre wedding functions such as sangeet, mehendi and engagement are celebrated in a grand manner, so is the main day wedding. These are also celebrated on a grand scale with lots of glitz and opulence.

Indian Wedding Mandap

In a traditional Indian wedding, the main day function is usually held at the bride's place. However, these days, garden areas, parks and farm houses are mostly preferred, as wedding venues. These open spaces are not only big but also pose to be the ideal location. The place where most of the wedding ceremony is held is a colorful and beautifully decorated mandap. Mandap can be explained as a canopy that is supported by four pillars. It is the stage for the wedding function. The mandap is mostly decorated in a traditional way and reflects the theme of the marriage. It is in the mandap that all the marriage rituals are performed.

As a sign of prosperity, the mandap is mostly adored in red and golden color. The four pillars of the mandap symbolize the parents of both the bride and groom. The pillars portray the vital role that both the parents have played, in bringing up their children and guiding them in time of need and despair. The wedding ceremony takes place in front of the sacred fire in the mandap, which is a witness to the wedding ceremony. According to Hindu tradition and custom all Hindu weddings should take place in mandap or canopy.

Mandap Decor Ideas

• Mandap is one of the most decorative places in the wedding area. It is the place, where all main day rituals and customs are performed. Right from the saat phere to the kanyadaan, everything is performed in the mandap.
• Flowers form the main decorative element on the canopy or the mandap. All the four pillars of the mandap are aesthetically decorated with a combination of flowers. Mostly, roses, marigold and daisies make the ideal combination of floral Decor. You can also go for seasonal flowers that are available during that time.
• Decorative kalash are the next best bet for the mandap Decor. Intricately designed, kalash give ethnic and traditional look to the place. You can go for painted ones, ones that are embellished with mirrors or even those that have beautiful stone designs.
• Drapes are a good option to explore. Adhere to your wedding theme or color code while choosing the drapes. There are umpteen options, however, in case you are looking for something traditional, bandhani would make a perfect choice. Use the drapes strategically to accentuate the look of the mandap.
• Lights would suit the best when it comes to mandap Decor. Apart from enhancing the look of the Decor, these would also be extremely useful in adding more light to the area. Lights become quintessential, if the mahurat is at night fall, in an open space.
• Adoring the mandap with bells definitely augments the beauty of the place and adds creativity and excitement to it. The best place to put the bells would be at the four pillars. Hang them from the roof of the canopy at the four ends is also a good option to explore.

Indian Wedding Day Functions

In Indian society, marriage is not just a social custom. It is an institution, which teaches us lots of things about life. Wedding function is considered as the biggest event in one's lifetime, and to make this occasion a memorable one, people generally celebrate it in a grand manner. For a girl and a boy it is a transition from boyhood to manhood and girlhood to womanhood respectively. Marriage marks the beginning of a new life of the couple. Remember, in India, wedlock is not just about coming together of two individuals into oneness, but of two souls as one.

Hindu Wedding Day Rituals

In a Hindu marriage ceremony, the main day or the wedding day is characterized by performing a lot of rituals and customs. Though the ceremonies practiced in different regions are somewhat different, the basics of the ritual remain the same. The functions of the main day start with the reception of the baraat. Generally, in the Hindu custom, the groom, along with his parents, relatives and friends comes to the bride's place with a lot of fanfare and gusto. The parents of the bride receive the groom and the baraat at the entrance and perform a welcoming aarti.

After the welcoming aarti, the groom is made to stand at an elevated level while the bride enters the wedding place, along with her sisters and cousins. The two then stand facing each other, holding a wedding garland made of flowers. After the two exchange the garlands, the bride and the groom are taken to the mandap where the other rituals and rites are performed. Mandap is usually in the form of a canopy and is beautifully decorated with flowers, colorful personal adornment, and other items.

In the mandap, the bride, the groom the parents of the bride and the priest sit, while the rest of the family members sit around the canopy.  All the rituals and customs of the wedding are performed in the mandap. One of the most significant rituals is the saptapadi or seven steps taken by the bride and the bridegroom together. A sacred fire is lit and the two circle around the fire, while the priest recites mantras and speaks of the real essence or spirit of marriage. Generally, it is here that the couple promises the seven vows by taking seven steps before God, symbolized by fire and light.

Another important ceremony performed in the mandap is the ritual of putting vermillion or sindoor onto the bride's head. In this, the groom fills the bride's center parting of the hair with sindoor, one of the sacred symbols of marriage. Then, the ritual of tying mangalsutra is performed. It is here that the groom ties the mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, while the priest recites Vedic hymns and prays. This black beaded sacred thread signifies the union of the bride and the groom. These are some of the important rituals and customs that are performed as a part of the main day function throughout India, irrespective of region differences.

Mandap
Today, Hindu weddings are celebrated on a large canvas. People are mostly influenced by the lavish portrayal of wedding ceremonies in Hindi movies. The Indian wedding normally is a four to five days affair and each day has a special significance and role. Just like the pre wedding functions such as sangeet, mehendi and engagement are celebrated in a grand manner, so is the main day wedding.

Var Mala
Indian wedding ceremonies today are a lavish affair, characterized with great pomp and gaiety, thanks to the infliction of commercialization. Right from lavish and stupendous Decor to sumptuous feasts and extravagant outfits and jewelry, weddings have become resplendent celebrations. However, the main essence of the festival, that is, the rituals and customs performed have managed to remain intact.

Solah Shringar for Indian Bride

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. Almost all the girls wish to look their best and epitomize beauty on their wedding day. In India, the beautification of the bride consists of sixteen parts and covers almost every part of the body, right from the head to the toe. To get detailed information about the solah shringar of an Indian bride, explore the following lines.

Solah Shringar

Bindi

The first shringar of the bride, bindi has a strong religious implication and is a sacred symbol of a married woman. To make the bindi look utmost attractive, you can even decorate it with red and white dots around it and along the eyebrows.

Sindoor

A sacred symbol of suhaag, sindoor or vermillion is applied on the center parting of the hair and is a part of the shringar of a married woman.

 

Maangteeka
A hair accessory, Maangtika is worn on the central parting of the hair of the bride. It is mostly made out of gold.

Anjana
Kajal or kohl is one of the most popular solah shringar. It is basically applied on the edges of the upper and lower eyelids, enhancing the bride's eyes and making it attractive and appealing.

Nath
Nath or the nose ring completes the look of the bride, making her look traditional and ethnic. Made of gold, it is generally worn on the left nostril and is supported by a gold chain, which extends just behind left ear.

Haar
After the face, next comes the neck of the bride. It is adored with beautiful haar or necklace, which is usually made of gold and embellished with diamonds, pearls or stones.

Karn Phool
Ear rings or karn phool adorn the ear of the bride. Mostly, the ear ring flaunted by the bride is made out of gold and is extremely beautiful and heavy.

Mehendi
Mehndi signifies the essence of love in wedlock and is essentially applied on the hands and feet of the bride, to strengthen that bond of love. It is one of the most special pre-wedding rituals in India.

Choodiyan
Bangles or choodiyan adore the wrist of the bride and are usally made of glass, laakh or gold. Conventionally, brides adore their wrist with red bangles.

Baajuband
Baajuband or more popularly known as armlets are worn on the upper arms of the bride and are similar to bangles in their appearance. Mughal, Rajasthani or Jaipuri are the most popular designs of baajuband.

Aarsi
The fingers of the bride are adored with exotic rings. Aarsi is the thumb ring which the bride wears. It mostly has mirror embedded on it and enable the bride to have a glimpse of herself as well as her life-partner

Keshapasharachana
Apart from the make-up, hair style plays an imperative role in determining the look of the bride. Mostly, the hair is tied in the braid style, with hair accessories and flowers accentuating the look.

Kamarband
Kamarband is a waist band that is tied on the waist line of the bride. Made up of gold, it is embellished with stones, diamonds and precious gems and is beautifully designed.

Payal & Bichuas
Made up of silver, it is a thick chain that is tied on the ankle and is adored with tiny bells that make enticing sound. Bichuas or toe rings are similar to rings worn in the fingers of the hand, but are worn in the fingers of each foot.

Itar
Itar is a special fragrance that is applied on to the bride. It emits a special aroma and that helps the bride stay fresh despite the long elaborate rituals performed.

Bridal Dress
Made in bright bridal colors, such as red, maroon, gold or green, bridal dress comprises of saree, lehenga and salwar kurta. It truly brings out the eternal beauty of the bride.

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. Each and every rituals and customs associated with marriage portrays the real essence of wedding. Traditionally, there are five signs of marital status of women, according to Hindu culture- mangalsutra, toe rings, kumkum, bangles and a nose ring. Talking about Mangalsutra, the word denotes a significant meaning. While mangal means aupiscious, sutra can be deciphered as a thread.

Significance Of Mangalsutra In Hindu Marriage

Mangalsutra, as such, is not just a jewelry item, but a sacred thread of love and goodwill worn by married women, as a symbol of their successful marriage. An inevitable part of Hindu marriage ceremony, Mangalsutra refers to a revered symbol of wedlock. India being a land of diversity, different regions in the country have assigned different names for this scared symbol. While it is known as the thaaly or maangalyam in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil in Southern India, people in the northern part of India calls it Mangalsutra.

It is believed that the concept of this sacred thread had its roots laid down in South India. Having immense significance and importance, it traveled to North India as well and today, forms an imperative part of the wedding ceremony.

Mangalsutra is the token of dignity and love given to a bride by her groom. On the wedding day, the groom ties the Mangalsutra around the neck of the bride, while the priest recites Vedic hymns and prays. It signifies the union of the bride and the groom, amidst the presence of deities, who are believed to be attending the marriage. In some regions, the groom ties first and his sisters tie the rest. Talking about its appearance, this sacred thread is made of two strings of small black beads with a locket or pendant. Sometimes, it is also made of small beads of gold and black beads, with gold and diamond pendant.

Considered auspicious for married women, mangalsutra is believed to have divine powers. Each of the black beads in the Mangalsutra, signify protection from evil power and are believed to protect the marriage of a couple, essentially the life of the husband. Hindu women feel superstitious, when this scared thread breaks or gets lost. In the present times, mangalsutra are boasts of various designs and patterns. While the Gujaratis and Marwaris often go for a diamond pendant, Maharashtrians have a pendant that consists of one or two vatis and Bengalis in the meanwhile, have coral incorporated in the designing of the Mangalsutra.

Present Scenario
Today, the concept of wearing a mangalsutra has changed considerably. It is more of a fashion statement than a symbol of marriage, thanks to modernization. With the progressive times, the wearing of mangalsutra in working women has considerably reduced. There is also a marked change in the style and making of mangalsutra over the years. Previously, women used to wear simple design mangalsutra, with small pendants, but now, the trend is to wear short length ones, that too with a single string. Instead of gold pendants, they prefer diamond ones. However, the black beads have still managed to remain constant. Whatever may be the reason to adore it, mangalsutra surely symbolizes the real essence and concept of a Hindu marriage.

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 and 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.

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.

Hindu Marriages

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.

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.
 

Wedding Decoration Tips

Traditional Hindu weddings are grand affair. It normally takes place over several days with elaborate ceremonies, which lasts up to one week. Indian wedding function is divided in to three sections pre wedding functions, main day functions and post wedding functions. These functions include the entire family, friends and relatives in the celebration and involve many costume changes. The bride and groom are treated royally for the days preceding the wedding and are showered with gifts and attention. The main day ceremony is nothing less than a fairytale. On the day of the wedding the groom mounts a grandly decorated horse and rides to the wedding ceremony accompanied by his family and friends. Nowadays the grooms mostly travel by decorated car. The bride on the other hand is dressed in traditionally attire, which is normally a pink or a red sari with heavy zari work and embroidery on her wedding day and sparkling jewelry given to her by family and close friends.

arlier main wedding function use to take place on a mandap, which is normally decorated with flowers. Today modern Indian wedding decoration is a mixture of Indian ethnicity, richness and Western culture and custom. Mostly today's Indian wedding decorations are theme based, as people mainly don't have the time or resources. The mandap is decorated with red color cloth because red is considered auspicious for the wedding occasion. Hire a henna artist a day or two before wedding to entertain out of town guests and get them in the mood of the wedding. Flowers have always been a part of Indian wedding decorations. So there is an extensive use of flowers of different kinds like roses, jasmine, and many more.

Decorative tents or "shamianas" are often rented for Indian weddings celebrations. Different pattern of tents are available like bandhani print, Gujarati work and ethnic mirror work and satin cloth depending on the budget and theme of the wedding. And if your wedding is an outdoor one than shamianas are a wonderful idea. The full wedding place is decorated with elaborate carpets to line the tent. Gold and red are the colors associated with Indian wedding decoration so most of the Decor is of these two colors. The tents are lighted with Indian inspired lanterns and candles. Exotic incense stick is burn in the room to create a refreshing and pure atmosphere. In true sense the Indian wedding decoration is an amalgamation of Indian culture, tradition and custom and encompasses all the senses, which makes it an occasion to remember for lifetime.

Engagement Decor Tips
Engagement is an important ceremony, as it marks the beginning of the relationship not only between two individuals, but also between also two families. Different kinds of decorations can be seen in different parties, depending on the budget and the chosen theme. However, flowers and artifacts find a special place among the decorations used for the engagement parties, irrespective of the theme.

Mandap Decor Tips
Traditionally, Hindu weddings are solemnized at a well decorated mandap - a four-pole canopy erected at the center of the stage. Although the Decor of the mandap varies from region to region across India, the basic concept remains the same - to bless the bride and the groom, who tie the wedding knot. Mandap is erected at the wedding venue, primarily to conduct rituals like tying the mangalsutra, pheras and exchange of garlands (jaimala).

Mehendi Decor Tips
Mehendi is one of the important pre-wedding rituals followed in many parts of India. It holds significance, primarily in the northern parts of the country, where henna is considered auspicious for festive occasions. While mehendi is an indispensable part of the pre-marriage celebrations of Hindu and Muslim weddings, people following other religions have also adopted it, with the changing times.

Sangeet Decor Tips
Predominantly a ladies-only affair, sangeet is an important pre-wedding ceremony observed in different parts of north India. It is a fun occasion, wherein the close female relatives of the bride and the groom gather at their respective places, to celebrate it. The conventional way of celebrating lady sangeet is to sing traditional songs related to the auspicious occasion of marriage.

Wedding Kalash And Thali Decor Tips
The ceremonies and rituals performed in Indian weddings have certain social significance. The rituals that are performed before, during and after the wedding symbolize the physical, spiritual and mental unison of the couple, who has tied the wedding knot, as well as the special bond between the families of the two. To indicate the union, certain things are used as 'symbols' of shagun for the ceremony.

Tilak Decor Tips
Centered on the groom, tilak is a pre wedding ceremony and signifies that the prospective groom is affirmed by the father of the to-be bride, for his daughter. Mainly held at the groom's residence, the members from the bride's side bring gifts for the groom and his family in the form of fruits, sweets and clothing. Traditionally, the bride and her mother do not attend this ceremony. Mostly, it's the male family members and relatives of the bride, who attend the function.

Wedding Photography

Wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, which requires an intuitive sensitivity to each and every aspect of the ceremony. Choosing a professional wedding photographer is one of the prerequisites to make the ceremony a memorable one. When it comes to marriage photography, the decisions are very often made on the basis of price. In fact, what you should be looking for in a marriage photographer is his/her ability to capture the precious moments of the ceremony, so that you will enjoy viewing the photos time and again, and cherish them for the rest of your life. Here in this article, we provide you tips that will help you know how to choose a wedding photographer.

How To Choose A Wedding Photographer

• The best professional photographers usually do their bookings a year in advance. In case you want to have outstanding photographs for your wedding, then start searching for a professional wedding photographer few months prior to the ceremony.
• You may consult your relatives and friends, who have held weddings prior to your ceremony. Ask if they liked the photography of their own wedding. Browse through their wedding albums.
• If you have a list of photographers to choose from, then peruse their websites or portfolios, to scrutinize their photographic capabilities. Look at their wedding photo samples. Consider how they perform at different given environments and settings of wedding venue.
• Peruse the works of the photographer. For the purpose, request him to bring two or three wedding photo albums, which are he has done recently.
• Make sure that you see at least one album of an entire wedding, right from the start to the finish. This will enable you to figure out how the photographer has handled the entire ceremony.
• Be sure to examine the color, clarity, exposure, composition and graininess of the photographs clicked by the photographer. This will help you determine the style of photography adapted by him.
• Budget is an important aspect for the marriage photography. Clearly specify your affordability, to the photographer. Mention whether you want to capture the images of all the ceremony (pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals) or just want to frame the wedding photos. This decision will affect the budget.
• Find out whether he has shot at your wedding venue before. If yes, then he may know the places to get good shots or the best ways to capture the special moments.
• It is very important to discuss the wedding photography equipments as well. You should know the type of camera and equipment generally used by the photographer during wedding ceremonies.
• In case your photographer uses a digital camera, make sure that the gadget is capable of taking images of at least 8 mega pixels. In case he uses an optical camera, ensure that he uses professional grade quality film instead of consumer quality film.
• Every professional needs a backup equipment, in case his original equipment fails to work properly, during the ceremony. Check whether your photographer carries a backup with him or not.

Indian Baraat

The traditional Indian wedding establishes a bond between two families and their cultures, apart from creating a very special relationship between the couple, who tie the nuptial knot. The marriage ceremony is a series of colorful events, spread over two to three days. One of the important and fun ceremonies is the arrival of the groom on the day of the wedding, at the venue. The groom's family members, relatives and friends accompany him to the wedding venue, in a marriage procession called 'baraat'. Groom's friends and relatives are called the 'baraati'. The wedding baraat is held with high esteem and the baratis are pampered by the bride's family, when they arrive at the wedding venue. The baraat is received in different ways in different parts of the country. In the following lines, we have given description about the baraat in Indian marriage.

Indian Wedding Barat

• Traditionally in north India, the groom, dressed in his wedding attire, is seated on a white decorated mare, when he heads towards the wedding venue along with the baraati.
• Before sitting on the mare, the groom is adorned with a saafa (turban, preferably pink or saffron colored) along with a sehara (floral veil), which is tied around his forehead, by his mother. Saafa is mandatory, but tying sehara is not a compulsion. In some regions of north India, a sword is also provided to the groom.
• In the mare, the groom is accompanied by his younger brother, cousin or nephew who acts as his caregiver, who is called 'sarbaala'.
• The baraatis are often accompanied by music band, which provides them with entertainment, while on their way to the venue. The baraatis dance to the tune played by the band.
• A vivid display of fireworks contributes to the festive spirit of the marriage procession.
• A contemporary approach to the ritual is to make use of a car, instead of mare. For the purpose, people rent a car, in which the groom is seated. However, to maintain the tradition, the groom travels a certain distance via car and then rides on the mare.
• After reaching the wedding venue, the groom and the marriage procession are welcomed by the bride's parents and the elder members of her family.The bride's mother performs the aarti, when the groom enters the venue. In the mean time, the other members of the bride's family welcome others in the marriage procession.
• The groom's acquaintance is introduced to the bride's family, friends and relatives. This ritual is known as milni.
• Earlier, married women were not allowed to join the marriage procession. However, with the changing time, they have also become a part of the baraat. Nonetheless, married women are still not allowed at the interiors of rural India, to accompany the groom in the marriage procession.
• The barati who comes in the procession are garlanded and seated. Cold drinks, snacks and sweets are served to them. They are also invited for dinner as the guests of bride's parents.
• In most of the cases, all the expenses of the barat reception, marriage ceremony and the dinner are born by bride's parents in most of the cases.

Seven Vows Of Marriage

Hindu wedding is all about rituals and customs, which teach us the actual essence of a blissful married life. The seven vows of marriage symbolize seven promises, which are sworn by the bride and the groom during the auspicious ceremony of wedding. During the marriage, a sacred fire is created with ghee and wooden sticks, in order to evoke Agni (fire god), which serves as the witness to the ritual of seven vows. The priest, who conducts the wedding, chants Vedic mantras. Amidst the blazing fire of the havankund and the chanting of mantras, the bride and the groom pledge their commitment to each other, for the lifetime. Known as Saptapadi/pheras, seven vows is a beautiful ritual observed in Hindu marriages, although the act of taking the seven vows varies from region to region, in India.

People following Hinduism believe that if a married couple walks seven steps around the fire of the havankund, they will remain together for the lifetime. Generally, before taking the seven vows, the bride is seated to the right hand side of the groom. After taking the pheras, the bride shifts to the left side of the groom - this symbolizes that she is now closer to his heart. In most of the Hindu weddings, the newly married couple takes seven pheras, with the exception of Gujaratis and Sindhis, who take four pheras around the sacred fire. In the majority of the seven pheras, the groom leads the first four pheras, while he is preceded by the bride during the last three pheras. Given below are the meanings of the seven vows of marriage.

Seven Vows In Hindu Wedding

• The bride and the groom take the first step of the seven vows to pledge that they would provide a prospered living for the household or the family that they would look after and avoid those that might hinder their healthy living.
• During the second step of the seven pheras, the bride and the groom promise that they would develop their physical, mental and spiritual powers in order to lead a lifestyle that would be healthy.
• During the third vow, the couple promises to earn a living and increase by righteous and proper means, so that their materialistic wealth increases manifold.
• While taking the fourth vow, the married couple pledges to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love, respect, understanding and faith.
• The fifth vow is taken to have expand their heredity by having children, for whom, they will be responsible. They also pray to be blessed with healthy, honest and brave children.
• While taking the sixth step around the sacred fire, the bride and the groom pray for self-control of the mind, body and soul and longevity of their marital relationship.
• When the bride and the groom take the seventh and the last vow, they promise that they would be true and loyal to each other and would remain companions and best of friends for the lifetime.

Famous Indian Weddings

Indian Wedding ceremonies have always been known for their elaborative and ritualistic nature. As most of the Indian religions regard marriage to be a social as well as religious ritual, the wedding ceremony acquires dual importance in the Indian context. Apart from this, in Indian families the Wedding ceremony is also treated as an occasion of celebrations and display of riches and wealth. That is why, the trend of grandiose and ostentatious wedding ceremonies have caught the attention of the people in the country. When even the middle class people go far beyond their capacities to make their wedding ceremony pompous and extravagant, you can easily imagine the display of luxuries in a famous Indian Wedding.

Some of the most famous Indian Weddings in contemporary times have been the wedding ceremonies of Sahara Shree Family and the Mittals. The wedding ceremony of Subroto Roy's sons Seemanto and Sushanto have been one of the most grand marriage ceremonies of modern Indian times. Arranged in the Sahara city, Lucknow the wedding ceremony was attended by over 11,000 guests and the guest list included the all the big and famous names in India. The wedding ceremony was so grand that it would always be remembered as one of most exotic wedding ceremonies in the Indian History.

Another wedding, which became the talk of the town, was the wedding of Vanisha Mittal, the daughter of London-based steel tycoon Laxmi Niwas Mittal with Amit Bhatia, a Delhi based investment banker.  The venue of the wedding was the famous Palace of Versailles, where the French 'Sun King' Louis XIV held court in the 17th century, and the 17th-century Vaux le Vicomte, acknowledged as 'the finest chateau and garden' in France. The wedding celebrations went on for six days and the total estimated budget of the wedding was £30m / $55million i.e. about INR 200 crores. The guest list included all big and famous names from Indian and British society. Movie stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Aishwarya Rai to name a few.

The marriage ceremonies of Indian film and cricket stars are no less grand. Raveena Tandon's marriage ceremony was held with all the possible grandeur at the Jag Mandir Palace on an island in Pichchola Lake in the Udaipur city of Rajasthan. Hrithik Roshan's wedding ceremony with his long time sweetheart Sussanne at the Golden Palms Resort and Spa, Bangalore was also no less than a fairy tale. The other Indian ceremonies which came to limelight because of their grandeur and magnificence are actress Karisma Kapoor and businessman Sanjay Kapur's wedding, actor Abhishek Bachchan and former Miss World and famous Indian actress Aishwarya Rai's wedding, Ace Cricketer Sunil Gavaskar's son Rohan Gavaskar's wedding with his childhood sweetheart Swati, Former cricketer Ajay Jadeja's wedding with Aditi Jaitely and Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar's wedding with Anjali Mehta.

Muslim Wedding Ceremony

Muslim wedding ceremony is celebrated with grandeur. Muslim wedding, known as 'Nikaah' in Urdu, can take place at any convenient time, because there is nothing like muhurat (the auspicious time) for the Muslims. Traditionally, the Muslim wedding is held at either the bride or the groom's home. However, in the present time, due to convenience and the availability of enough space to accommodate the long list of guests, Muslim weddings are organized in banquet halls, auditorium as well as community centers. Wherever the wedding is held, all the rituals of the three phases of wedding are strictly followed by the Muslims.

Muslim wedding is divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. Pre-wedding rituals largely involve the exchange of sweets, fruits and visits to the bride and groom's houses. The pre-wedding rituals increase the level of excitement among the families of the bride and groom, who keenly

look forward to the wedding day. The wedding is organized in an elegant and charming way, while the culmination of the entire ceremony, known as post wedding rituals, is special in its own terms. If you are keen about knowing more about Muslim wedding, then go through our section, where we have provided detailed information on the rituals of Muslim wedding.

Muslim Pre-Wedding Rituals

Known as 'Nikah' in Urdu, the Muslim marriage is the most important ceremony for the Islam. It is a much awaited occasion, wherein the union of two souls is celebrated in an elegant and charming way. It is not just restricted to a single day. The formal procedures are divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post wedding, each being different from the other.

Muslim Wedding Rituals

Wedding is an important turning point in everyone's life. The ceremonious occasion is organized and celebrated in myriad ways all around the world. Different communities of the society have their own way of organizing the most important occasion. The wedding rituals are broadly divided according to the religions.

Muslim Post-Wedding Rituals

In India, wedding is something that cannot be restricted to a single-day celebration. People in different communities, following different religions, have their own way of honoring the newly wed couple, post marriage. The post-wedding rituals followed by Muslims are divided into four phases, wherein the bride is bid goodbye by her family and is welcomed to her 'new home', by the groom's family.

Hindu Marriage Act

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.