WEDDING RITUALS

 

Sikh Wedding Rituals.

The Sikh wedding is generally held in Gurudwara, amidst the preacher of the religious place, family, friends and relatives.

When it comes to a Sikh Indian wedding, the festive ambiance is set a week before the ceremony. The groom's sister and the bride's father play a prominent role during the wedding ceremony, apart from the family members. The Sikh marriage is a simple, yet elegant occasion wherein various rituals are followed before, during and after it. Given below is detailed information on the pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals followed by Sikhs.

 

Sikh Wedding Customs

Pre-Wedding Rituals

Shagun or engagement is the ceremony that marks the beginning of the Sikh wedding celebrations. The ceremony is also called Tilak, which is performed by a bhaiji (preacher) of the Gurudwara. He reads hymns and then applies a tilak on the groom's forehead, to mark the engagement ceremony. On the occasion, the families of the prospective bride and the groom exchange gifts in order to confirm the engagement of the couple. The bride's father takes care of the ceremonial activities of the engagement. As a part of the shagun, a thali containing coconut, dry dates, sugar and money are sent to the groom's family by the bride's family.

 

Choora or the bangle ceremony is another important Sikh pre-wedding ritual. The occasion is organized at the bride's home, wherein the maternal uncle and aunt of the bride adorn her wrist with white and red bangles. Ornaments made of silver and gold, known as kalira, are tied to the bangles. The third pre-wedding custom followed by Sikhs is 'maiya', according to which, the bride and the groom are not allowed to leave their house for few days prior to the wedding. Gana is a pre-wedding ritual wherein an auspicious red thread is tied to the right wrist of the groom and the left wrist of the bride, at their respective homes. It is regarded as a sacred thread that protects the bride and the groom from ill omen.

 

Punjabi Wedding Ceremony

Punjabis are large hearted people who love splendor and grandeur.

They are also keen on festivals and celebrations. This nature of Punjabis also reflects in their marriage celebrations. Like other Indian weddings, a Punjabi marriage ceremony is very ritualistic but also full of fun and frolic. It is in fact one of the most colorful and musical marriage ceremonies in the country. Each ceremony is like an excuse for merriment. A Punjabi Wedding is very vibrant and celebrated like a big carnival, exhibiting splendid grandeur.

 

A Punjabi wedding ceremony begins with Roka which is very much like an engagement ceremony where both the family for the first time formally announces the prospective marriage. The Roka is then followed by celebrations like ‘Sagan’ and ‘Chunni Chadana’ performed at the groom’s and bride’s family respectively. The joy of a Punjabi wedding begins with the Sangeet and Mehndi ceremony from where the real fun and frolic starts. Bhangras and Giddas make a Punjabi wedding more colorful. Like other Hindu weddings phere and kanyadaan are important rituals of a Punjabi Wedding. A Punjabi Wedding ceremony solemnizes with Mangal Pheras and the bride is departed to her in laws home that very day.

 

Pre Wedding Punjabi Ritual

Punjabi marriage traditions are very elaborate and ritualistic. They begin days before the actual wedding day in the form of pre-wedding ceremonies. Roka is the first pre-wedding ceremony where the two families formally meet to finalize the relationship between the two families. Roka is then followed by a series of colorful and interesting occasions like ‘Sagan and Chunni Chadhana’.

 

Punjabi Wedding Rituals

Punjabi Wedding ceremony is an interesting ceremony full of several rituals and customs. The wedding preparations start day before the actual wedding ceremony. Overall, a Punjabi wedding is very vibrant and colorful. The wedding ceremony starts from the Chuda ceremony and at the groom’s place with Vatna ceremony.

 

Post-Wedding Punjabi Rituals

Punjabis love celebrations. Their marriage ceremonies are thus extremely grand and elaborate. Even after few days of marriage, the celebrations at the groom’s and bride’s places are on. The post wedding celebrations start right after the solemnization of marriage at the Mandap. Preparations for Vidaai and Ashwirwad ceremony go hand in hand. Once the couple is blessed by all the elderly people at home, the brother of the bride accompanies the couple for Vidaai to the main exit of their home.

 

Hindu Marriage Rituals

According to Hindu Sastra there are four stages of life, of which Grahastha Ashram or married life signifies the second stage.

It begins, when a man and a woman come together and marry. In India, marriage is treated as an institution, which teaches the actual values of life. Every stage in life has its own charm and a married life is no exception. In India, a marriage is usually arranged by the respective parents of the bride and the groom and follows various steps. Marriage among Hindus is not only considered a union of two souls, but of two families.

 

Hindu Marriage Rituals & Customs

A Hindu wedding not only involves the bride and groom but the entire community, friends, family and relatives as everybody participates in their coming together of the to-be couple. The first and the foremost step is the selection of the bride and the bridegroom. While in love marriages, a boy and a girl themselves select their life partner, it is crucial when it comes to arranged marriages. Talking about arranged marriages in the Hindu custom, the parents select the prospective bride/groom for their son/daughter.

 

After the selection procedure is over, the family members of both the girl and boy ask the priest to suggest an auspicious date for the engagement of the two also known as misri or ring ceremony. Since India boasts of diverse cultures and traditions, the engagement ceremony rituals differ from region to region and community to community. However, the basic of all the rituals, mentioned here, form an indispensable part of Hindu wedding. In the betrothal ceremony, the to-be bride and the groom exchange wedding rings among each other. Sweets and garlands are also exchanged among the couple.

 

After the festive spirit of engagement, the next important ritual is the mehndi party. It is believed that the color of mehndi signifies the essence of love in a marriage, so it is put on bride's hand to strengthen that bond of love. The bride's family and friends mainly celebrate this ceremony. The female friends and family members of the bride rejoice and celebrate this occasion, as henna gets painted on her hands and feet. Apart from the bride, the family members also get their hands painted with henna. Singing traditional songs and dancing to the beat of music forms a major part of this ritual.

Among the other important rituals is the Sangeet party, wherein all the family members and friends of the bride and groom celebrate, by singing and dancing the night away. Along with song and dance there are arrangements for food and drink. A large affair, Sangeet party is most popular among Punjabis, Marwaris and Gujaratis, although most of the regions today also practice this ritual. Ghari puja is also another important religious ceremony, which is performed on the eve of the wedding day at the groom and bride's place separately.

 

On the morning of the wedding day, Pithi or Haldi, the cleansing ceremony is practiced during which the bride and bridegroom are pasted with turmeric powder in their respective homes, as a part of their beautification process. Talking about the actual marriage ceremonies, the Hindu wedding mostly takes place in a mandap or a tent, which is beautifully decorated with flowers. The main Hindu wedding ceremony is a long and elaborate affair, which lasts for several hours and is attended by a large number of relatives, friends, acquaintances and so on.

 

One of the most significant rituals the bride and the groom perform is the Saptapadi or saat phere around a scared fire and light, which is symbolic to God. While the bride and the groom take the seven circles, the priest or purohit recites the mantras and speak of the real essence and significance of marriage. It is also during this time that the groom fills vermillion or sindoor in the center parting of the bride and puts mangalsutra around her neck. Both sindoor and mangalsutra have strong religious implications and are sacred symbols of a married woman. These were some of the rituals and customs, which were generally followed in all the Hindu marriages.

 

Christian Wedding Ceremony

 

Pre-Wedding Ritual

Bridal Shower

Among the main pre wedding rituals there are functions like bridal shower, which is an informal hen party hosted by the bride's female friends. It is mainly a female get together to celebrate the occasion. It is a fun filled function where games are played, they sing and dance the whole night. The friends and relatives shower gifts upon the bride. The bride serves a pink cake with a thimble hidden inside. According to tradition, the girl who gets the slice of cake with the thimble in it will be the next to marry.

 

Stag Party

Just like the bridal shower, which is an all girl's party a bachelor's party is also celebrated by the groom and his male friends. It is called a stag party hosted by the groom on the eve of his wedding or a couple of days earlier. Usually this is a wild party, and the groom is expected to enjoy his last night as a bachelor. It is customary to raise a toast before the drinking begins in earnest. It is mostly celebrated to have fun and enjoyment with his close fiends.

 

Welcoming the bride

Welcoming the bride is done on the day of the wedding; when the groom sends a car to pick up the bride and waits for her outside the church. When the bride arrives, the Best Man welcomes her with a kiss on either cheek and hands her a bouquet of flowers.

 

Wedding Ritual

Once the bride reaches the church and is received by the best men, the bride and the groom walk slowly and gracefully with the wedding procession in tow till they reach where the priest stands for the wedding mass. The priest then welcomes them and offers his best wishes. The wedding mass begins with hymns and selected readings from the Bible. The priest then delivers the homily, with an emphasis on the sanctity of marriage. The next ritual is the blessing and the exchange of the wedding rings. The ceremony comes to an end with the final blessing of the priest. The guests, towards the end, shower their blessings on the newly wedded couple. The last formality is the couple then signs the register and walk down aisle, arm in arm.

 

Post-Wedding Ritual

In the post wedding rituals like weddings the rest of the Indian marriages, Christian weddings are also followed by reception party, which is a grand affair where the newly-weds enter the venue and are welcomed by all with a shower of confetti. They cut the wedding cake and feed each a bite of the first slice. The Toastmaster proposes a toast in honor of the couple. The reception is mostly celebrated with dance and dinner party. In many function a live band performs and everybody dances to the tune of the band.

 

Muslim Wedding Ceremony

Muslim wedding ceremony is celebrated with grandeur.

Muslim wedding, known as 'Nikaah' in Urdu, can take place at any convenient time, because there is nothing like muhurat (the auspicious time) for the Muslims. Traditionally, the Muslim wedding is held at either the bride or the groom's home. However, in the present time, due to convenience and the availability of enough space to accommodate the long list of guests, Muslim weddings are organized in banquet halls, auditorium as well as community centers. Wherever the wedding is held, all the rituals of the three phases of wedding are strictly followed by the Muslims.

 

Muslim wedding is divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. Pre-wedding rituals largely involve the exchange of sweets, fruits and visits to the bride and groom's houses. The pre-wedding rituals increase the level of excitement among the families of the bride and groom, who keenly look forward to the wedding day. The wedding is organized in an elegant and charming way, while the culmination of the entire ceremony, known as post wedding rituals, is special in its own terms. If you are keen about knowing more about Muslim wedding, then go through our section, where we have provided detailed information on the rituals of Muslim wedding.

 

Muslim Pre-Wedding Rituals

Known as 'Nikah' in Urdu, the Muslim marriage is the most important ceremony for the Islam. It is a much awaited occasion, wherein the union of two souls is celebrated in an elegant and charming way. It is not just restricted to a single day. The formal procedures are divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post wedding, each being different from the other.

 

Muslim Wedding Rituals

Wedding is an important turning point in everyone's life. The ceremonious occasion is organized and celebrated in myriad ways all around the world. Different communities of the society have their own way of organizing the most important occasion. The wedding rituals are broadly divided according to the religions.

 

Muslim Post-Wedding Rituals

In India, wedding is something that cannot be restricted to a single-day celebration. People in different communities, following different religions, have their own way of honoring the newly wed couple, post marriage. The post-wedding rituals followed by Muslims are divided into four phases, wherein the bride is bid goodbye by her family and is welcomed to her 'new home', by the groom's family.

 

Jewish Wedding Ceremony

Though this might come to you as a surprise, but in Judaism, marriage is considered as the idyllic state of personal existence.

An unmarried person, whether man or woman, is considered incomplete. Jewish wedding ceremony usually comprises of two main phases - the betrothal and the actual wedding and is mostly conducted on Tuesday. In the kiddushin or engagement phase, the would-be husband and wife confer a promise that they would get married in some time. While kiddushin leads to a change in their conjugal status, nissu'in or the actual wedding brings a legal change. In the yesteryears, there was a gap of about a year or so in between the two ceremonies. However, with time, things have speeded up and the two ceremonies started taking place, as a combined ceremony.

 

In the present day, at the time of kiddushin the groom places a ring on the bride's right index finger. The bride, on the other hand, just clenches her fist to show her acceptance. A verbal response by the bride is not mandatory. Once this is done, the ketubah is read publicly and witnesses (one from each side) are required for both, the signing of the ketubah and the ceremony. By accepting the ring, the woman also makes a vow, accepting the terms of the marriage contained in a ketubah. Next in line, is the ceremony of nissuin, wherein, the couple is joined in matrimony, under the chuppah. Lastly, the highlight of the wedding i.e. drinking of wine by both the bride and groom and the breaking of glass by the groom takes place. To know more about the Jewish matrimonial customs & traditions, read through this section.

 

Jewish Pre Wedding Rituals

Wedding, in Judaism, is considered as union of two souls for oneness and is hence, marked by great fervor and enthusiasm. The commencement of wedding celebration does not only mean the practice of wedding rituals, but making merry in the pre-ceremonial events as well. In almost all religions, wedding rituals begin days before the actual wedding day or D-Day and Jewish wedding is no exception to this fact.

 

Jewish Wedding Rituals

For Jewish people, marriage is a fusion of two souls. They belief that God created the first man and woman (Adam and Eve) from one body and with the practice of marriage, they return to same oneness. A traditional Jewish wedding consists of significant rituals and beliefs. The wedding, not only indicates the beauty of the relationship of a couple, but also indicates their obligations to each other and to the Jewish society, as a whole.

 

Jewish Post Wedding Ritual

Partying and celebrating forms an important part in all weddings, and Jewish wedding is no exception. After following the rituals and ceremonies, it is time to let loose the hair and sway to the beats of music. Commonly, a Jewish wedding is followed by celebration and grand party. Once the religious practices are over, guests rejoice and make merry at the union of two individuals.