Weddings are one of the happiest days of a person’s life. They’re filled with so much joy and happiness that it’s easy to be overwhelmed. But that’s not all weddings are about. Weddings are also about marriage rituals and traditions that have been carried on for many generations now and mean a great deal to the bride, groom and their families. These pre-wedding rituals may be called different things in different places but they all signify the same things in the end – good wishes to the couple and a long and happy married life!
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Hindu Pre-Wedding Rituals
Even though there are a lot of different types of weddings in India – from a Punjabi to a Sindhi wedding, there are some Indian pre-wedding traditions and customs that are common to all.
1. Tilak:
This is an important pre-marriage ritual and marks the beginning of a wonderful journey between two souls and their families. A few days before the wedding, the bride’s father or her brother applies a tilak on the groom’s forehead confirming and acknowledging this lovely bond. This ensures the commencement of all the Indian wedding rituals that’ll follow.
2. Engagement (Ring Ceremony):
This is the second step in the entire pre-marriage rituals process. It is also commonly called the Sagaai. This can happen from just a few months to a day before the wedding. Here, in the presence of the priest and all the family members and guests, the bride and the groom exchange rings and are declared to be engaged.
3. Haldi ceremony:
Isn’t it fun to smear turmeric paste on your bestie’s face?! This is one of the most fun-filled Hindu pre-wedding rituals. It is also called as nalangu, ubtan, tel baan among other things. The bride and groom sit and let their relatives and friends smear haldi ( turmeric paste) on her/his face, legs, hands as they wish! Marking the beginning of good over evil, the haldi ceremony represents purity, prosperity and good health. It gives both the bride and the groom the glow on their special day. The haldi typically happens two to three days before the wedding in some places while others have this in the early hours on the day of the wedding.
Also Read: Wedding Beauty Prep: Home Remedies For Stretch Marks
4.Ganesh Pooja:
Image – Instagram
There could be no Hindu wedding without prayers being offered to Lord Ganesha. Just before the wedding day or in the early hours just before the Indian wedding rituals begin, the bride and groom, along with both the families offer prayers to Lord asking for protection from all kinds of obstacles and from the evil, leading towards a beautiful new beginning.
5. Sangeet Ceremony:
Amidst all the responsibilities and the lengthy marriage rituals, here comes a ceremony which is nothing but a blast. YES! All you need to do is just shake a leg, dance and sing along with the best music. This is called Sangeet and it occurs just a day before the wedding. Sangeet has gained so much popularity across the country that even among those families where sangeet isn’t a part of their typical ritual is included for mere fun!
Also Read: Sangeet Ceremony Ideas
6. Mehendi:
Image – Instagram
Topping the chart due to the fun and frolic that comes with this Hindu pre-wedding rituals, Mehendi ceremony is the most liked by many. A Mehendi artist draws beautiful intricate henna designs on the bride’s hands and legs as all of her friends and family members gather for a gala time and they get henna applied too in this pre-wedding Indian bride ceremony. And that’s when your BFFs slip away to practice your favorite dance numbers to be performed in the Sangeet ceremony! Aww!
7. Kalire and Chura Ceremony
Image – Instagram
We bet every girl has at least once daydreamed about wearing the fanciest Chura. Kalire and Chura ceremony is a pre-wedding Indian bride ceremony that happens in the bride’s house on the very day of her wedding. The bride’s maternal uncle (Maamaji) brings a set of Kalire and Chudas for the bride-to-be, which is traditionally a set of white and red bangles and some golden danglers. This ritual is carried out as the means of wishing good luck to the bride-to-be as she leaves her home to start a new life with her husband. Kalire and Chura Ceremony is definitely a tear-jerker Hindu pre-wedding ritual for most of the brides as this ceremony makes her feel like it’s almost time for her to say her final goodbyes.
8. Garlands:
Image – Instagram
The exchange of garlands plays a vital role in Indian weddings rituals which has its roots in ancient scriptures. Freshly bloomed flowers like roses and jasmine (mostly) which are rich in fragrances are strung together as a jaimala (garland) and are exchanged by the bride and groom on this auspicious day declaring that their wedding is secured. These garlands form a sign of quintessential Hindu weddings and look lovely on the wedded couple!
9. Pheras:
Image – Instagram
The Pheras are the seven vows also called Saptapadi is performed by the bride and groom in front of the fire. You cannot find any Hindu wedding without the fire and the pheras wherein the bride and the groom walk around the fire with certain wedding vows for each round. It is said that the number 7 is the only number in the series of 1 to 9, that cannot divide 360 entirely. Hence, denoting the couple to be undivided throughout this new journey, they take the “seven pheras” as part of their rituals. Their garments are tied together as they come around the fire.
10. Mangal Sutra And Sindoor:
Image – Instagram
A Mangal sutra is a chain/necklace stringed with black beads and it also comes with a pendant. In some places, it is called as Thaali, wherein the place of the chain, they use a yellow thread. It is very auspicious and is believed to be divinely blessed to protect the married couple. It denotes the love and commitment the wife has towards her husband for the rest of her life. So after the pheras and the poojas, the groom ties the mangal sutra on the bride’s neck. The groom also applies a sindoor, a red/orange colored powder on the bride’s head. The sindoor must be placed by the husband for the first time. This is very auspicious even today and is considered as the energy within women.
From food to entertainment, from clothing to flowers, these Hindu pre-wedding rituals revolve around personal beliefs and preferences which are considered to be auspicious for the couple’s married life.
Feature Image source – Instagram
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