Indian Wedding Traditions and Customs

Indian Weddings are full of nobility and magnificence that have spread their spell all over the globe. There are numerous people who visit India from foreign nations and wish to get married in India itself. Indian Weddings are gala events comprised of different rituals that make it a multi-day affair. The wedding also called “vivaha” is performed as per the Vedic rituals. These rituals are performed as per the Indian wedding traditions and are of paramount importance. It is believed that these traditions build a strong relationship between the bride and the groom to tie them together in an everlasting bond.

Consequently, wedding tourism is becoming popular in India day by day. Also, the richness and another most striking feature of Indian Weddings is their honesty towards each and every custom and tradition. The way these rituals are performed varies across regions, families, and cultures.

Let’s have a look at the real significance of rituals and the traditions of Indian Weddings:

PREPARATIONS

Engagement Rings:

Engagement rings are symbols of the love, devotion, and fidelity a couple of shares. These rings are always worn on the ring finger (third finger) of the left hand. As per ancient times, it is believed that the vein of this finger is directly connected to the heart. Offering a ring as a proposal for creating a new bond has been in tradition for a couple of years. This extraordinary ring is your commitment to your companion to wed each other  – an affirmation of adoration as well as more essentially, duty.

Picture Credits Fateh Productions

Something Old:

Something old represents continuity. This means it represents the link between the bride’s family and the ancestors. Most of the brides chose to wear a piece of ancestral jewellery to continue the customs of the family.

Something New:

Something new offers good faith for what’s to come. This speaks to favorable luck and accomplishment in the bride’s new life. The wedding dress is frequently picked as the new thing.

Something Red:

This represents loyalty and faithfulness in the bride’s new life. Frequently the bride’s dress is chosen as red as it depicts the meaning of becoming a “Suhaagan”.

Varmala:

This involves the garland of flowers that the bride and groom exchange with one another. This symbolizes that both bride and groom accept each other as their future husband and wife by exchanging the garland of flowers termed as “Varmala”.

Solaah Shingaar:

‘Solah Shringar’ means 16 Bridal Adornments that envelop sixteen stages that ladies opt to beautify themselves from head to toe This custom has an exceptionally nostalgic incentive for an Indian bride-to-be, as the sixteen embellishment ceremonies are really what encourages her rise above into the delightful rapture of being hitched in India.

It is an image of womanliness and richness as connected with the Goddess Lakshmi, who is the goddess of magnificence, ripeness and success in Hindu culture.

CEREMONIES

Mehendi/Sangeet:

The Mehendi/Sangeet occasion is a bright and fun event held the night prior to the wedding. These perplexing Mehendi designs symbolize euphoria, excellence, profound arousing, and offerings.

It is all about applying excellent mehendi designs on the hands and feet of the bride-to-be. The bride, as well as her companions and the women in the family, enhance their hands with lovely mehendi outlines. It is trusted that the darker the shade of mehendi, the more is adoration and warmth the bride will get from her hubby and in-laws.

Haldi Ceremony:

This ritual is a fundamental custom that is performed for the good fortunes of the bride and groom. Haldi is made up of turmeric, chickpea flour, and rose water/drain. Every one of the relatives applies this paste on the bride and groom’s body. This is thought to light up the skin tone of both.

Chooda Ceremony:

Can any bride envision her wedding occurring without having the chooda function? a marriage seems totally incomplete without those beautiful red and white ivory bangles. Numerous young ladies could even get hitched only for at long last getting the opportunity to wear the chooda. Also, for her companion’s enjoyment, it is the kalire ceremony that takes after and chooses who gets hitched next!

Baraat:

Joined by the companions and relatives in a festive possession known as the baraat, it’s the groom’s entrance at the wedding venue on a horse. This crowd comprises of the band and the relatives moving and dancing around the groom. It speaks to the delight and satisfaction of the Groom’s family accepting the bride as a piece of their family.

Milni (Meeting Of two Families):

All the relatives of the bride and groom welcome each other with garlands. The bride’s family at that point escorts the groom to the mandap, a religious stone where the ritual is performed.

Jai Mala (Exchange of Garlands):

Once the bride arrives at the mandap, the bride and groom exchange a garland of flowers which is called a varmala, connoting their acknowledgment of each other.

Kanyadaan (Giving Away of the Bride):

Now, the bride’s dad pours hallowed water in his little girl’s hand and places her hand in the groom’s hand, authoritatively giving his most valuable blessing to the groom, symbolizing solidarity, flourishing and satisfaction. This Bandhan speaks to the endless obligation of marriage.

Vivah Havan (Lighting of the Sacred Fire):

Agni symbolizes the celestial nearness as an observer of the ceremony. Responsibilities made within the sight of agni are made within the sight of God.

Wedding Vows (Circling the Sacred Fire):

The bride, defining the divine vitality, leads the groom in the initial three rounds, while the groom leads in the last four rounds, connoting equalization and fulfillment. Each phera has its own essentialness.

Mangal Sutra and Sindoor:

Mangal Sutra is typically made of gold with small black beads which speak to the holy relationship between them. Groom puts the mangal sutra around the bride’s neck and applies sindoor (vermillion) in the separation of her hair. These are both physical symbols that make her most recognized to the world as a wedded lady.

Aashirvaad (Blessings for the Married Couple):

Women from both sides give blessings into the bride’s ear.

Bidaai (Going away of the Bride to the Groom’s house) :

The bride says her last farewell to her family and moves ahead to start her new life’s journey. The wedding ceremonies finally come to a happy ending, yet  Bidaai is a bittersweet moment for those nearest to the Bride and Groom.

THE GUESTS

Wedding Gifts:

The wedding gift bought by the guests symbolizes the custom used to encourage fertility.

Wedding Favors:

The wedding favors symbolize health, wealth, fertility, happiness and long life.

Confetti:

Confetti mainly represents the rice or grain that the bride throws back at the time of her bidaai. This signifies the end of her debt to her parents for nurturing her and wishing prosperity upon them.

CELEBRATIONS

Grah Pravesh:

A vessel loaded with rice is at the entrance of the door. The bride should spill the rice by contacting it with her right foot to mean riches and the bride acknowledges her new obligations.

Reception:

This ceremony symbolizes getting the bride acquainted with the various relatives and companions of the groom’s family.

Honeymoon:

It is believed that it’s good if a groom organizes the honeymoon as a surprise for his bride.

As these customs are extremely unique, we trust their pith is never lost and individuals opt for them with an indistinguishable enthusiasm and fervour from what we do today, and for many more years to come.