Indian Wedding

Although Gujarat, a western Indian state, is the home of the Naagar Brahmins several Naagar families are settled in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab. An advanced community, their girls are often married off without any expectations of wealth from the groom’s side. This custom is termed as ‘kanku kanya’ which means that the bride is welcome even if she arrives only with a vermilion mark on her forehead.

The acceptance of the alliance between the two families is announced by applying vermilion mark, known as ‘chandlo’, on the foreheads of the girl and the boy after fixing the matrimonial alliance, but before the wedding date is fixed. The officiating priest/’pujari’ applies the ‘chandlo’ on the foreheads and blesses the boy and the girl after which they exchange garlands and the two families also exchange gifts given for the boy and girl.

All the wedding rituals and festivities are commenced with the Ganesh ‘puja’/prayer known as ‘Ganesh Sthapan’ in which the priest invokes the blessings of Lord Ganesha. The maternal aunts called ‘phois’ perform this ‘puja’/prayer for which they receive splendid gifts.

Naagar wedding is a colorful affair with the Gujarati folk dance ‘Gabra ras’ capturing the essence of celebration. This graceful dance is performed in large circles by ladies singing and dancing to the beat of drums known as ‘dhols’. The men too participate in a rhythmic dance called ‘dandia raas’ performed with sticks known as ‘dandias’. The ‘Garba’, usually begun after 8 in the evening continues up until midnight.

The beautification ritual ‘Pithi’, held simultaneously in both houses prepares the bride and groom for the nuptials. ‘Pithi’ is a paste prepared by mixing turmeric, sandalwood powder, aromatic oils, herbs and rose water. The family members apply this paste on the faces, arms and legs of the bride and groom.

Building the canopy for conducting the wedding rites carries a tremendous religious significance since both the parents seek the blessings and permission of Mother Earth to start the digging of the ground to erect the ‘mandva’mandap’ (platform for the wedding rites covered with a canopy). The priest performs this ceremony by erecting a pole that symbolizes the consecration of the ‘mandva’ which is followed immediately by ‘Griha Shanti’, a ritual held to seek the blessings of the nine planets.

Another important feature of Naagar wedding is ‘Mosaalu’, brought by
‘mama’, the maternal uncle of the bride, one day prior to the wedding. The ‘mosaalu’ consists of clothes, jewelry and a colorful basket with some more gift items like the traditional ‘paanetar’-a silk wedding sari usually white with red border and ivory bangles known as ‘choodo’ (now acrylic or plastic ones).
The wedding ceremony, ‘Lagna’ commences with ‘Varghodo’ (groom’s procession) wherein the groom, splendidly dressed, and accompanied by his close family members and friends proceeds to the bride’s residence on the traditional decorated mare (now replaced by a car). His sister, seated beside him, continuously jingles the ‘looni’ (a small steel bowl filled with betel nuts) near his ear to keep him alert about what is happening around him.
At the wedding venue the bride’s people greet him with the traditional ‘aarti’ welcome.
In the ritual ‘Varmala’, the bride’s mother receives the groom with an ‘aarti’ and ‘poorkhana’, four small sticks while the bride is escorted to welcome the groom by garlanding him and he reciprocates it. The bride goes back to her room and the groom is taken to the ‘mandap’. Meanwhile the priest starts the wedding rites with the bride’s parents who sit around the sacred fire.
Mangalastak is a series of four-lined verses with eight stanzas that glorify Lord Ganesha and ask for the well-being of the couple. This singing of the ‘mangalastak’ forms an integral part of weddings in the Naagar community.

Before the ‘Kanyadaan’ ceremony the bride’s parents have to renew their own marriage vows. Now the bride in all her finery enters the ‘mandap’, accompanied by her maternal uncle (‘mama’) and sits opposite the groom on a ‘paatla/aasan’ (a low stool). In the ‘Kanyadaan’ ceremony her parents place her hands into those of the groom’s.
The Naagar bride is seen in an expensive silk sari, preferable color being red and highlighted by a matching blouse that clings to the body and traditional gold jewelry. This gorgeous sari is worn in their typical Gujarati style. But more and more modern brides go fore stylish chic-looking designer lehengas available in various shades. The beautiful set of gold jewelry she wears includes ‘mang-tika along the hair parting, a large circular nose-ring with a chain hooked into the hair, necklaces and gold and glass bangles studded with precious and semi-precious stones, large dangling earrings and anklets known as ‘payal’. The traditional wear of the groom is ‘dhoti-kurta’; however a shift towards the designer pyjamas-kurta is visible among modern grooms.
In the ‘hasthamilap’ ceremony, the couple’s hands are tied with a cloth that represents a symbolic marital knot. In this posture they take vows to honor their commitment to each other followed immediately by ‘pheras’ wherein the newly weds circle the sacred fire seven times, once again taking the marital vows. They take a vow at the beginning of each ‘parikrama’ or circumvention. Then the formal announcement of their marital status is made after which the wedding ceremony ends up with the groom tying the ‘mangalsutra around the bride’s neck. Then they leave the ‘mandap’ to receive blessings from the elders by touching their feet.

Lastly, the bride takes leave of her parental house in a ‘doli’ or palanquin, these days replaced by a decorated car, to her ‘sasural’ (in-law’s house). An auspicious time is selected for this ‘vidai’ ceremony and before leaving the couple applies wet vermilion on their palms and makes imprints either on the outside wall of the house or near the ‘Ganesha Sthapan’. Her brother presents her with a shawl which she wears throughout her journey to the new house.