2. Marriages in India are filled with ritual and celebration
that continue for several days. Generally anywhere between 100 to
10,000 people attend. Often, many of the attendees are unknown to
the bride and groom themselves. Though most Indian marriages are
arranged, some couples in urban areas consummate "love marriages",
in which the partners decide to marry each other without family
involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian wedding is about
two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis
placed on the families coming closer as the married couple.
3. Many wedding customs are common among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs
and Muslims. They combine local, religious and family traditions.
The period of Hindu marriage ceremonies dates from the application
(lagan) of tilak. When the marriage has been agreed upon, the
father of the bridegroom visits the father of the bride. The day
before the expected arrival of the marriage procession, lavish
preparations are done by the family to receive the groom (shaadi ki
tayaari) in beautiful and decorated venues, typically farmhouses or
hotel halls, where a sacrificial fireplace called marhwa is
built.
4. Brides decorate themselves with gold and diamond jewellery,
apply [mehndi] to colour hands and feet, and undergo various bridal
rituals, including wearing bridal lehenga or saree.
5. . Bridegrooms typically wear a [sherwani] dress or a
designer suit. To complete the marriage, the bride and groom walk
in a circle (phera) around the sacrificial fire.
6. Vidaai is when the bride is formally sent to the grooms
household. Many songs have immortalized this moment when the bride
leaves her babul ka ghar or fathers house.According to Hindu
religious texts, Brahma created man from the right shoulder and
woman from his left shoulder. A woman is referred to as Vamangi or
one who is on the left side. Throughout the marriage ceremony the
bride sits on the right side of the groom. That is the place for
strangers and acquaintances. Only after the Saptpadi, when the
bride and groom have exchanged marital vows, is the wife seated on
the left side of the man. An example of the complexity of an Indian
wedding can be seen from the various phases of a wedding in North
India.
7. The following events take place in a typical Eastern Uttar
Pradesh Hindu marriage:The bride and groom are told about their
duties and responsibilities in married life by the priest. These
vows direct the couple to a positive path of action. They help in
promoting marital happiness for a lifetime.
8. Kanyadaan During kanyadaan, the brides parents give their
daughter away in marriage. The groom makes three promises to be
just (dharma), earn sufficiently to support his family (artha), and
love his wife (kama). He repeats these vows thrice in the presence
of Agni (the sacred fire) and all who are gathered there.
9. Bariksha Bariksha is when the bride's parents have
informally shown intentions that they want a particular groom, and
the groom and his family have agreed. Reneging at the end of this
stage is frowned upon but is acceptable. Once the wedding has been
accepted by both sides, the bride's family does Badcheka/Bariksha
of the groom. This is when the bride's father and brothers go to
the groom's side with sweets (including a coconut) and some pooja
items like rice and turmeric. This ceremony is a token gesture to
confirm the alliance and signifies that the groom is now "taken"
and can no longer look for other prospective brides.
10. Mehndi or Henna is a paste that is bought in a cone shaped
tube and is made into designs for men and women. Mehndi in Indian
tradition is typically applied during special Hindu weddings.