Marriages are one of the most cherished ceremonies in India, and they can be relatively small or luxurious. Jodhpur, Ajmer, Goa, and other cities in India are popular wedding destinations. However, if you prefer an intimate and low-key wedding, you can look into the Arya Samaj Mandir Marriage. It provides all types of marriages, including love marriages, arranged marriages, court marriages, and interreligious or intercaste marriages.
This can assist you in locating and checking Venus for love or arranged marriage, as well as saving you time spent looking for a lawyer for court marriage or spending time in marriage agencies. It is preferable to go the easy route with Arya Samaj Marriage since they are the greatest alternative for Indian Weddings because they offer all types of marriages in one location at a low cost and fast. The best aspect is that you can arrive at Arya Samaj Mandir one hour early and be married within two hours.
The Arya Samaj Marriage Ceremony is well-known for its simplicity and ceremonies based on ancient Vedic and Vedic traditions. Religious people will understand the significance of Vedic ceremonies. The significance and effectiveness of Vedic hymns recited at weddings promote happiness and strengthen the bond between the spouses. You can take a look at the 15 Indian Wedding and Ceremony Traditions if you are planning to go through this lane soon.
1. Muhurat
In a Hindu marriage, the couple is introduced to each other’s families first and the prospective bridegroom seeks advice from the family priest regarding the date and time of that ceremony. The mahurat or auspicious moment for the wedding is determined. It comes after the evaluation of the couple’s astrologer based on their kundalis who notes down an appropriate moment to bless them with a good life ahead in their newly formed union. It is around this mahurat that couples finally get to plan their other ceremonies like haldi, mehndi, sangeet etc.
2. Roka or Tilak Ceremony (Engagement Ceremony)
After the mahurat is determined and accepted, it’s time to celebrate with the Roka or Tilak Ceremony (Engagement Ceremony). The bride and groom receive blessings from their elders after a minor pooja. The bride-to-be wears a red veil/chunni while gifts are exchanged between couples from both families. In certain, rings may be swapped among couples; however, some prefer a ring ceremony on its own.
3. Mehndi Ceremony
As soon as the wedding party begins, the first ceremony is the Mehndi function. All other females present also take part in the henna application and get mehndi applied to their hands. It has been said that if you want your marriage to last, go for darker colours when doing your mehndi designs.
4. Sangeet Function
Sangeet night is the most thrilling event of the entire wedding. It is a celebration where both the bride’s and groom’s families come together under one roof to dance as they wish. Most often sangeets have choreographed dance performances from both sides with some heartwarming and fun performances. This is the best way to unload all that wedding planning stress, let loose a little and enjoy yourself thoroughly with your relatives and friends.
5. Haldi Ceremony
The haldi ceremony is the final ritual before the Marriage Ceremony. The couple’s families gather together and pour oil, water and turmeric over them before the sacred union. All of them are fully smeared in this paste-like amalgam that pours from head to toe just like a deity’s blessings. The advantage is that it makes both of them shine with an additional brightness on their faces.
6. Baraat
The groom mounts a horse after a brief puja and then gathers with his family and friends before heading to the wedding destination. The occasion when the groom arrives at the altar is known as Baraat. The Baraat resembles a small festival in and of itself, with everyone dancing to the beats of the dhol or music.
7. Bride’s Entry
In Hindu culture, a bride is thought of as Goddess Laxmi. So when she arrives at the groom’s house it is always with due respect and all rituals necessary for her presence. This practice varies from one community to another. For instance, in some societies, the father or brother goes along with the lady to the mandap while others place her under phoolon-ki-chadar or red cloth.
8. Jaimala
The groom and bride exchange their garlands at the altar once they get there. A Jaimala is an Indian wedding garland symbolic of the popular marriage ceremony. Jeemalas (garlands) can be made out of anything from simple flowers to special designs such as roses, lotus flowers and baby’s breath, among others. The varmala or jaimala (wedding garland made of fresh flowers) is indispensable to a Hindu wedding ritual. When exchanging garlands, they carry both on their shoulders back and forth so it may not be easy; thus this marks the beginning of the wedding ceremony.
9. Kanyadaan
In the case of weddings, Kanyadaan means ‘the giving away of the girl child’ in Sanskrit. It is therefore a practice or custom through which parents give away their daughters to a man who is going to marry them. To every parent giving away a daughter during Kanyadaan, emotions and sentiments shared at that moment are universal.
10. Havan
During this Marriage Ceremony, the ‘Vivaha Havan’ is performed to create an atmosphere of divinity and purity. While Agni bears witness, the bride and groom exchange their eternal vows to one another as well as to his gods and rituals are solemnised. The fire is facing East with both of them sitting on opposite sides. Before taking seven pheras, both of them hold each other by hand, make offerings to the sacrificial flame and recite holy hymns. Then perform ritualistic offerings such as curd, sugar, incense, herbs, milk, petals as well as grains and coconut among others.
11. Pheras, Mangalsutra & Sindoor
The groom ties the mangalsutra around the bride’s neck. He also puts sindoor on her forehead before they take the seven steps which are called Saptapadi. Once they have taken the last step, the man and woman are now considered as husband and wife legally. After this ceremony, there is a ceremony of saat pheras which is usually performed in most Hindu weddings where couples walk eight times around a sacred fire lit amidst Vedic mantras.
12. Bidhaai
As soon as the bride and groom hold their vows and make the rounds of Saat Pheras around Havan, they go to receive blessings from the elderly. The most heartbreaking and happy moment of the marriage changes then. The bidaai is when the bride leaves everything behind and goes with her husband.
13. Aashirwad
Some Hindu Wedding ceremonies display the presence of aashirwad, which is when the couple receives blessings from their respective families at the end of the Marriage Ceremony. This constitutes the grand finale of the event. After receiving these blessings from both sets of parents, the couple leaves for their honeymoon amidst showers of flower petals by invited friends and relatives.
14. Rice Shower
The promising season pays back by throwing rice/wheat grains mixed with flower petals to her parents without looking back (by walking towards the exit gate). This particular custom symbolises her gratitude and her attempt to replay the ‘dues’ to her parents. Before leaving the house, the bride performs this rice-throwing ritual five times and family members collect it from their palms.
15. The Reception
The reception is the bride and groom who enter first into the reception hall where other guests welcome them. They will take turns dancing with each other as well as family members and friends. Guests bring gifts for the couple that usually go in a designated box at the reception such as clothing, jewelry or money.
Hindu wedding rituals and traditions are rich, colourful and rooted in culture but they may vary from one community to another. The overall principles and fundamental practices are fairly dressed. In addition, modern couples are keen on their ancient practices but have incorporated or altered some of their aspects to suit present times. Indeed, every wedding aims at celebrating the coming together of two people like it is done during celebrations!
FAQs
What is the tradition of Indian weddings?
Indian weddings are known for their colourful ceremonies that last several days and are distinguished by complex traditions and ceremonies and strong cultural connections. Indian wedding celebrations often take several days and include many acts such as pre-wedding rituals, the main wedding ceremony, and post-wedding parties.
What are the steps of the wedding ceremony in India?
The steps of a traditional Indian wedding ceremony may differ by area and society, but generally include:
- Pre-Wedding Ceremonies: Engagement (Sagai), Mehendi (Henna), Sangeet (Music and Dance) and Haldi (Turmeric application)
- Wedding Day Ceremonies: Baraat (Groom’s procession), Varmala (Exchange of garlands), Kanyadaan (Giving away of the bride), Mangal Pheras (Circumambulation around the sacred fire) and Sindoor and Mangalsutra (Applying vermillion and tying the sacred necklace)
- Post-Wedding Ceremonies: Vidaai (Bride’s farewell), Griha Pravesh (Bride’s entry into the groom’s home) and Reception
How many ceremonies are there in an Indian wedding?
An Indian wedding often consists of many ceremonies spread across several days. While the number varies, there are typically at least ten main ceremonies that include pre-wedding, wedding day, and post-wedding rituals. These ceremonies might vary greatly according to regional, cultural, and religious traditions.
What is the first ceremony of an Indian wedding?
The first ceremony at an Indian wedding usually involves the Roka or Engagement ceremony. This occasion commemorates the couple’s formal declaration of their decision to marry and includes the sharing of gifts and blessings between the families. It serves as an introduction to the upcoming wedding festivities.
Can husband and wife bath together in Hinduism?
There is no explicit rule in Hinduism that prohibits husbands and wives from bathing together. It is generally regarded as a private subject and is up to the couple’s decision. However, humility and privacy are culturally valued in many traditional families.
What are the 8 types of marriage in Hinduism?
There are eight kinds of marriages in Hinduism:
- Brahma Vivaha: Parents prepare for marriage after appropriate education
- Daiva Vivaha: In this type, the priest gets a bride during sacrificial rites
- Arsha Vivaha: A marriage that includes a token bride price or gift for her relatives
- Prajapatya Vivaha: A wedding that is blessed by mutual consent and does not require a dowry
- Gandharva Vivaha: A love marriage that is consensually entered into between parties sometimes without any sanction from parents
- Asura Vivaha: It occurs when a man pays a price to the family of his wife-to-be
- Rakshasa Vivaha: Marriage by abduction or force
- Paishacha Vivaha: It is believed to be the least acceptable one in terms of what is morally right.