Indian Wedding

Gadulia Lohars, a tribe from Rajasthan state in North India, are wandering blacksmiths that live in close-knit communities and travel from village to village and even to the outskirts of big cities to set up camp for short periods. They got the name ‘Gadulia’ from their attractive bullock carts known as ‘gadis’. Their traditional profession is iron smithy or ‘loha’ in Hindi language that is why they are known as ‘Lohars. These lohars or ironsmiths spend their time as mobile markets to meet the requirements of the far-flung villages and also to the well-connected cities and towns.

These ‘Lohars’ are supposed to be the highest among all the nomadic tribes of Rajasthan. Major decisions and suggestions are generally taken in groups by the elder members of the community, especially regarding weddings they take the advice and instructions from the elders. Child marriages are very common among this tribe, like the Rajputs.

For the nomadic tribe Gadulia Lohars, a wedding is one of the most auspicious ceremonies in the family. Normally, matches are decided even at the time of birth. When the boy and girl grow and attain maturity the date for their wedding is fixed with the help of a Brahmin who selects the correct ‘muhurat’ or auspicious time. It is their custom to demand bride price from the groom by the girl’s father. In the usual course, the elders of the community take a decision on this matter too. When both families agree to all terms nine knots are made on a thread and each day a single knot is untied from the ninth day prior to the wedding date. In this community the bridegroom is referred to as ‘lada’ and the bride as ‘ladi’.

Five days before the wedding, the brother and sister-in-law of the bride and groom go to the village potter wearing the wedding dress. They buy a clay idol of Lord Ganesha called ‘Banyatha’ and an earthen pot known as ‘kalas’ from the potter. These two items are placed near their carts. Neem leaves are kept over the earthen pot while grounded turmeric is placed inside it. The turmeric is smeared on the bodies of the lada and the ladi on the fifth day prior to the wedding. From this day, prayers are offered to ‘Banyatha’ or Ganesha in the mornings and evenings at the respective places of the bride and groom.
A wedding procession (baraat) is taken out on the wedding day with a palanquin known as ‘doli’ in the lead and the men and women of Gadulia sing and dance and take part in the grand feast where ‘roti’, mutton and drinks are the main items. In a very simple ceremony the wedding is conducted by the Brahmins with the traditional Hindu rituals.

The dress and jewelry the Lohars wear are similar to the Rajputs. They dress like the simple rural folk style of Rajasthan. The groom’ costumes include a collarless jacket known as ‘jhavi’ or ‘angarkhi’, ‘potia’, a colorful headgear designed with dots and flower motifs and ‘dhoti’, the lower garment. His shoes are hand-stitched known as ‘nagra jooti’.

For Gadulia women jewels are a symbol of their lifestyle and they wear them fancifully. The bride wears the jewels on her hair, nose, ear, neck, upper arms and feet. From the shoulder joint up to the elbow the upper arms are decorated with big bangles, usually of ivory or silver. She wears glass bangles known as ‘churis’ on the wrists. On the hair she has a finely designed silver pendant called ‘tickli’ that is stringed on the head.
Thus simplicity prevails over the life of the nomadic tribe of Gadulia Lohars of Rajasthan with a simple lifestyle, simple costumes and jewelry and above all, very simple weddings and wedding rituals.

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