Indian Wedding

Jat community is spread over the northern regions like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat that are regarded as the wealthiest states in India. Though basically agriculturists, they hold very high positions in all the fields and enjoy tremendous political influence. Yet all Jats show the highest respect and love for the soil they cultivate and to the elders as well.

The Jat community approves weddings only within their own community. Moreover, boys and girls of the same ‘gotra’ (ancestral lineage), weddings within the same village and the same ‘Gohand’ are prohibited and discouraged. Following these systems strictly, racial purity is maintained.
The Jat wedding is commenced with a function called ‘chak puja’ in which the Jat people worship the potter’s wheel. This custom is carried out by generation after generation. The weddings are always performed in the bride’s house only. For this purpose a ‘chadve’ or canopy, made of cloth and with four pillars, is erected wherein all the wedding rites are held. The bride’s maternal uncles bring lots of gifts for her mother in a ritual called ‘Bhat Mayero’.

’Dat’ is a ritual in which the bride’s party offers utensils, clothes, jewels etc to the groom and his relatives. Before the wedding day, all relatives and villagers are invited by the groom’s people for a lunch in which ‘Khichdi’, a recipe made of rice and a pulse known as ‘daal’ is served.
The ritual ‘Mugdala’ is held prior to the wedding rites where green and dried twigs of a tree called ‘khejri are brought from the farm in a cart and are worshipped by mother/sister of the bride or groom.
The wedding procession, known as ‘baraat’ with the groom in all his finery and accompanied by his close relatives and friends arrives at the bride’s house in a decorated car. He is accorded a warm welcome by the bride’s people at the entrance. During wedding, the bride’s side offers a royal breakfast to the groom and his close associates. This ceremony is termed as ‘Kanwar Kaleva’.
Then the bride and the groom are escorted to the wedding ‘mandap’/canopy and the ‘Pandit’ or priest, after conducting a ‘puja’/prayer to Lord Ganesha, places a coin and henna on the groom’s right palm on the round empty spot where no henna was applied and ties it with the bride’s hand (Hathlewa). This ‘puja’ could also be performed in advance on an auspicious date and time.
Next in the ritual ‘Ganjoda’ the priest ties the ends of the groom’s dhoti or ‘kurta’ and the bride’s sari or ‘dupatta’/shawl together; the knot signifies the sacred wedlock. Then the couple walks round the sacred fire seven times (‘satphere’) taking seven vows they have to fulfill in the married life after which they are formally recognized as husband and wife.
In the ‘Kanyadaan’ ceremony the bride’s father, before a large invitees, pours out holy water that symbolizes the giving away of his daughter to the groom. The groom recites Vedic hymns to the God of love, ‘Kama’, to bless him with pure love for his wife. The bride’s father asks a promise from the groom that he should help his wife to realize the three ends: ‘dharma’ (duty), ‘artha’ (wealth) and ‘kama’ (love) and the groom makes the promise by saying it three times.
The ritual ‘Vidai’ consists of the emotional send off of the bride to her husband’s house in a decorated car by her relatives and friends who bless her with gifts. The male members of her family apply ‘tilak’ (vermilion mark) on the groom’s forehead and give him gifts. Before entering the groom’s house his sister or paternal aunt shows an earthen pot containing a mixture of salt and water to drive away evil spirits from the groom after which the pot is thrown away and destroyed. At the entrance the bride is welcomed by her mother-in-law with the traditional ‘aarti’ and the bride places her right foot in a tray of vermilion powder mixed in milk or water that symbolizes the arrival of good fortune and purity and then with that leg she kicks over a vessel containing coins and rice to indicate the arrival of wealth and prosperity into her new house. The new arrival is then introduced to the members of the groom’s family one after another who shower her with gifts.
‘ Kankad dorada’ is another ritual that deals with the removal of the sacred threads tied on the wrists of the couple during the wedding and leaving them at the boundary of the groom’s place on his return to his house with his wife after the wedding.
A Jat wedding is celebrated with numerous colorful and unique rites and rituals. Certain features are attached only with this community, to mention a few:
Each important function is accompanied with a particular song, eg, ‘Jakhdi’ is a song sung to receive the husbands of their daughters, ‘Badhawa’,-sung when the daughter is sent to her husband’s house, ‘Ankhadli’,-daughter’ husband comes to his in-law’s house for the first time, etc. ‘Jhunwari’-a relative is respected by applying ‘tilak’/vermilion on forehead and offering gifts. ‘Ratijka-All the family members spend the whole wedding night singing, dancing and worshipping deities.
The traditional functions like ‘mehendi’/henna and ‘pithi are celebrated as done in most of the North Indian communities. The wedding procession, ‘baraat’ is also performed with the usual fun and frolic.

‘A UP Jat bride’s costume includes an expensive bright color silk sari decorated with elaborate zari work and a tight-fitting matching blouse or a gorgeous designer lehenga-choli and dupatta (shawl or veil). Dazzling heavy jewels adorn her neck, wrists and ears. These intricately designed ornaments are usually inlaid with precious or semi-precious stones. She also wears beautiful nose-rings, anklets and toe-rings. Gold and silver are used to make these jewels.
Groom’s outfit consists of dhoti-kurta or pyjama-kurta, a cotton or woolen shawl, a white cap and jooties (shoes). The turban has a ‘sarpech’, a masculine ornament fitted on to it and a jeweled sword is fixed in his waistband. Jat men are fond of wearing ornaments and the grooms are no exception.

The Rajputs, a prominent martial community in India, are descendants of the ancient warrior dynasties (Kshatriyas) who ruled Rajputana, the present Rajasthan and also other greater parts of India. The Rajputs are spread in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. Rajputs in Madhya Pradesh, the central state of India, follow mostly the traditional customs and rituals of their community in their weddings though they are influenced by the local customs to some extent.

“Tilak” ceremony is the first agreement between the two families in which the bride’s brother goes to the groom’s house with gifts and sweets for the groom and his family members and applies ‘tilak/bindi on the forehead of the groom, signifying that the boy and the girl will enter into holy matrimony.

“Pili-Chitthi” is a ritual in which the groom’s family sends a “patra” or letter having the symbol of Lord Ganesha and dabbed with turmeric and vermilion powder to the bride’s, to comfirm the acceptance of the alliance between the two families.

A week, prior to the wedding, “Mandap Aarohan” takes place wherein all the sons-in-law and brothers-in-law from the bride’s family help to erect the wedding “mandap”(canopy, where the actual wedding rites are performed) supported by wooden posts and lavishly decorated with flowers and silver or gold paper. The pillars have bands in alternate red and white paints.

About a week prior to the wedding “haldi /turmeric ceremony, to beautify the bride and to prepare her for the wedding, is conducted each day till the wedding day. In this ritual, married ladies from the bride’s side smear a paste of “haldi”/turmeric and oil on the bride’s arms, feet and face.

The joyous occasion, “mehendi” ceremony is held on the morning prior to the wedding day. Professional “mehendiwalli”, the henna artist applies a paste of henna and “alta” (a red liquid to highlight the auspicious occasion) on the palms and feet of the bride to create intricate beautiful traditional patterns. This occasion is marked by dancing and singing by ladies who also get mehendi patterns on their palms.

As in any other Indian wedding, the Madhya Pradesh Rajput bride’s maternal uncle plays a significant role in the ritual “maira”. He is very liberal in giving costly gifts to the bride and even hosts a sumptuous vegetarian lunch to honor the bride.

“Padla” is a ritual held in the wedding day afternoon, in which all the articles gifted by the bride’s family are exhibited in the bride’s house.

In “Baraat”, the ceremonial wedding procession, the groom leaves for the wedding venue mounted on a beautifully decorated mare, along with a male child. He is attired in a gold ‘achkan’, a long coat along with tight trousers known as ‘churidar’/’jodhpurs, an orange turban decorated with a ‘sirpech’ and ‘jootis’/shoes that are highlighted with a necklace and a cummerbund at the waist. He is accompanied only by the male members from the family and also a band playing popular hits. When the ‘baraat’ reaches the wedding venue the groom is given a traditional welcome by his future mother-in-law with the “aarti” and is escorted to the wedding altar.
The bride looks ravishing in a resplendent traditional ‘poshak’, comprising a long pleated skirt known as ‘ghagra’, a tight matching blouse and a dupatta, usually red in color; but deep colors like orange, bright yellow, gold or pink are also popular. She wears certain jewelry items that have their own significance, on this occasion. ‘Rakhri’ is a circular piece worn on the forehead at the parting of the hair. She also wears sparkling danglers on her ears, ‘timaniyaan’, a choker inlaid with uncut diamonds and a set of ivory and gold bangles known as ‘chudda’. Her other adornments include stone-studded gold armlets called ‘bajuband’, gold anklets and gold toe-rings called ‘bichiya’ and ‘nath’, a stone-studded nose ring.
A Brahmin “pujari” who officiates at the wedding ceremony lights the sacred fire and in the midst of Vedic chantings the groom’s shawl and the bride’s veil or “duppata” are tied together and the couple makes seven circles or “pheras” around the fire after which the groom slips green glass bangles on to the bride’s wrist.

On the morning after the wedding day, the groom, his parents and other members from his family arrive at the bride’s house to join an elaborate breakfast, consisting of various sweets and dry fruits, in addition to other delicacies. This ritual is termed as “Kunwar Kaleo”.

“Bidai” or Bridal send off is a tearful ritual as the bride bids farewell to her parents, brothers, sisters and other members of her family. The groom’s family blesses her with the showering of flowers and coins, an assurance to her family that even though “Laxmi”, the Goddess of wealth is leaving her parental house, prosperity will remain there. She along with husband arrives at her new house in a beautifully decorated car. She enters her new house with her right foot first.

“Mooh Dekai” literally means ‘show your face’, but this ritual is performed to introduce the new bride to her husband’s family members. She is seated alone and the members of the groom’s family come one after another to be introduced to the bride and they shower her with beautiful gifts.