Indian Wedding

Gujaratis, all over the world, find pride and happiness in celebrating their festivals. So it is no wonder, as far for wedding Gujaratis follow all the customs that are fun-inseparable from the traditional Gujarati marriage.

Gujarati wedding is indeed a ritualistic concept as witnessed by a lot of fun-filled rituals and many a pious occasion. Gujaratis begin their weddings by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha for His blessings.
Ghari Puja, the first and the most important ritual of Gujaratis, conducted on the eve of the wedding day, is carried out in the houses of the bride and the groom separately while the priest does the prayers with rice, coconut, wheat grains, oil, betel nuts, turmeric and such spices/ The purpose of this ‘puja’ is to remind the groom that although his lifestyle changes he should always be prepared to give to charity and help the less privileged people.
In their bridal finery the mothers of the bride and groom carry an earthen pot of water on their heads and walk to the threshold of their houses. Then the son-in-law of each family will break the pot of water with a knife to ward off any evil influences. The friends and relatives decorate the parents with garlands of flowers and money. Again, the friends and relatives tear off the old clothes worn by the bride and the groom, indicating the end of their old life.
“Ponkvu” marks the arrival of the groom and is welcomed by the mother-in-law at the doorway, with performing the “Aarti”. She will try to ask him to accept her daughter in marriage by rubbing her nose at the door to the amusement of all.
“Madhuparka” is a ritual in which the groom’s feet are washed while he sits under the Mandap/altar and he is given milk and honey. Now an interesting custom follows in which the bride’s sisters hide his shoes away and upon promising an amount agreeable to them, they return the shoes at the end of the day.
Most Gujarati brides opt for expensive silk saris as their wedding costume, preferable color being red highlighted by matching traditional jewelry. The gorgeous sari is worn in a bit different way, in their traditional style. But recent trends show that designer bridal lehengas, available in various shades are gaining popularity and more and more modern brides go for stylish chic-looking lehengas. The bride is adorned with gold jewelry such as “Mang-tika”along the hair parting, a big circular nosering with a chain hooked into the hair and beautiful gold necklaces, gold and glass bangles and “Payal”/anklets.
The groom is attired in a traditional “dhoti-kurta”, but the present trends indicate a shift to designer Pyjamas-Kurta.
According to the Gujarati custom bride’s maternal uncle carries her to the mandap’altar where “Antarpaat”, a curtain, separating the groom from the bride is lowered and the two place garlands in each other’s .necks. Then the ritual, “Hasta Milap”, placing the bride’s hand over the groom’s takes place.
Marriage rituals involve joining of the hands, “Hathialo”, wherein a corner of the bride’s sari is tied to a scarf worn by the groom and the right hands of the couple are tied with a holy thread, supposed to be an eternal bond joining them forever. They then seek God’s blessing for their union and pray to give them strength. In Varmala ceremony a cord is tied around their necks to safeguard against evil spirits. To conclude the bride’s father gives his daughter away to the groom in the Kanyadan ritual. Next the newly weds, in “Mangal Phera”make four circles, symbolizing the four cardinal principles of life, Dharma/Justice, Artha/Livelihood, Kama/Love and Moksha/Salvation, of the auspicious fire.

After marriage rituals include “Soubhagyavathi Bhava” in which the elderly married women of the girl’s side give “Ashirvad”/blessings by whispering into the right ear of the bride and “Vidaai”, the painful departure of the bride to her husband’s house.

WEDDINGS AMONG GUJARAT PATELSGUJARATI NAAGAR BRAHMINS-WEDDINGSUTTAR PRADESH JAT WEDDINGS