Indian Wedding and Marriage Traditions
- Image by Leonard Low via Flickr
Indian weddings are more than just ceremonies and customs; they are filled with various fun-filled rituals. Since India is a country filled with diversity, each region has its own special way of celebrating weddings and marriages. Indian weddings have their share of seriousness, but they’re also considered to be very happy times. When a man and a woman come together in marriage, their families become tied together as well. Therefore, both the bride’s and groom’s families participate in rituals on the day of the wedding.
For instance, in some Indian communities, the bride’s sisters hide the groom’s shoes and won’t return them to him until he pays them money. At some wedding ceremonies, sacred cloth is placed over the couple’s hands in order to ward off bad luck and evil omens. This is to ensure that their marriage will be blessed and filled with happiness. It will also protect them from the “evil eye”.
A fun ritual in the Gujarati community is referred to as “Aeki - Beki”. A pot or tray of water is mixed with vermillion and milk. Coins and a ring are thrown in the pot as well. The bride and groom will be given seven tries to fish the ring out. Needless to say, Aeki - Beki can be a very fun game.
While all four regions of India have their own wedding rituals and traditions, wedding ceremonies are typically divided into three different parts: pre-wedding, the main wedding day, and post-wedding. The pre-wedding rituals vary according to different regions. The ceremony of mehendi, however, is pretty common in the majority of regions and castes. The mehendi ceremony is usually celebrated at the bride’s home where her female family members and friends put henna on the bride’s hands and feet.
Another popular ritual is the garland ceremony. During this special event, the bride and groom will place a garland on one another as a way to show mutual respect and acceptance. This ceremony, referred to as Jaimala, begins with the bride trying to place a garland around the groom’s neck. The groom’s friends will try to prevent her from doing so in order to tease her. Her friends and family will try to help her. Both sides enjoy the tussling. In the end, the groom will put a garland around his bride’s neck, and the ritual concludes. This ceremony symbolizes that the bride and groom have accepted one (on) another. Jaimala is a very important ceremony, which has even been referenced in Vedic literature. It’s a very ancient practice that is still observed today in India.
Saptapadi is another popular tradition in Indian weddings. The bride and groom recite mantras while taking seven steps together around a fire. They recite seven very important vows while taking the seven steps, so that fire can be a witness to them coming together in marriage. A pujari (priest) will observe the ritual who recites holy mantras.
These are only a few of the many rituals that take place at various Indian wedding ceremonies. India is a land of rich culture and tradition. Many of the wedding and marriage traditions have been around for centuries. Different rituals play an important role in the weddings of different regions. While no two Indian weddings are exactly alike, they’re all equally important in playing their roles in Indian culture.
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