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.