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Get more information about the various facets of these exquisite festivities if you’re organising a Hindu wedding.
Incorporating these marriage practices will honour your heritage. (Images: Pexels)
India is one of the most vibrant and ethnically diverse nations in the world. In a country where each state has its language, food, and cultural traditions, weddings are a wonderful example of how different cultures can coexist.
Indian wedding customs are recognised for their multi-day extensive ceremonies and rituals, as well as their profusion of colour, music, and dance. Every Indian wedding is unique, from catering and Indian bridal jewellery to exquisite attire and décor.
These days an exquisite fusion of ancient customs and contemporary festivities can be seen in Indian wedding ceremonies, be it from the lively sangeet to the solemn pheras (rituals) around the sacred fire. Below are a few traditional Indian wedding customs in different states:
Marathi Wedding Ceremony
The Marathi wedding ceremony is a lavish event that combines ancient customs and ceremonies to unite the couple in sacred wedlock.
Roka – The Sacred Alliance
The wedding alliance is formally announced at the Roka ceremony. Families of the bride and groom gather to bless and gift each other, expressing their support for the union. Ring exchange, which represents the couple’s unbreakable relationship, is a defining feature of this festive celebration.
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Sakhar Puda – A Token of Sweetness
At the Sakhar Puda ceremony, the groom’s family gives the bride a saree and a packet of sugar as a sign of their acceptance and love. The sweetness of the sugar symbolises a happy and peaceful relationship between the families.
Haldi – The Golden Glow
The bride and groom are smeared with turmeric paste during the festive Haldi ritual. To prepare the pair for their special day, turmeric is thought to detoxify the body and provide a natural glow.
Kelvan – Seeking Blessings
During a particular puja during the Kelvan ceremony, the couple asks the family deity for blessings. It is a private event where close family members pray for the couple’s success and happiness.
Mehndi – Artistry of Love
The bride’s hands and feet are decorated with elaborate henna designs during the colourful and artistic Mehndi ritual. It represents beauty, love, and the enduring connection between a couple.
Sangeet – A Night of Melodies
There is a lot of dancing, music, and joy during the Sangeet ceremony. To show their happiness and enthusiasm for the impending wedding, family and friends gather to perform both traditional and modern dances.
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Seemanpujan – Welcoming the Groom
The Seemanpujan ceremony is held at the wedding venue’s entry when the bride’s mother greets the groom with a tilak on his forehead and an aarti. The groom’s official entry into the bride’s family is symbolised by this ceremony.
Antarpat – Veiling the Groom
The bride and groom are kept out of each other’s line of sight during the Antarpat ritual by holding a silk cloth between them. The pair eventually looks at one another as the cloth is lowered and Vedic mantras are sung, preparing them to go out on their new journey together.
Saptapadi – Seven Steps to Togetherness
The most important Marathi wedding custom is the Saptapadi ceremony. Each of the seven symbolic steps the couple makes around the sacred fire represents a promise they make to maintain mutual respect, love, and trust during their marriage.
Karmasampati – Seeking Ancestors’ Blessings
During the Karmasampati ceremony, the couple requests their ancestors for blessings, assistance and direction in their marriage.
Mangalsutra and Sindhur – The Sacred Symbols
The groom presents the bride with a Mangalsutra, a sacred necklace that represents their marital tie. Furthermore, he adds a red vermilion (Sindhur) to the bride’s hair parting to indicate her marital status.
Vidaai
The Vidaai ceremony is a heartfelt farewell in which the bride leaves her parents’ house to begin a new life with her spouse. Both families experience an emotional moment.
Following the ceremony, Marathi weddings continue with many fun post-wedding traditions that deepen family ties and brighten the couple’s new path.
Grihapravesh – Stepping into a New Home
As part of the Griha Pravesh ceremony, the bride is formally welcomed into her new home. Before entering the house, she is supposed to kick a vessel of rice and be welcomed with a ceremonial aarti. This custom is thought to bring wealth and prosperity to the home.
Mooh Dikhai – Uniting the Families
Mooh Dikhai is a delightful custom in which the bride shows her face to her in-laws and asks for their blessings. She is showered with affection and presents, signifying her acceptance into the new family.
Reception – Celebrating Love
The wedding reception is a lavish event in which friends and relatives from far and wide join in the fun. It’s a chance to welcome the newlyweds into the larger society and provide them with blessings and affection.
Aeki Beki – Fun and Games
Aeki Beki is a playful post-wedding game that adds some humour and fun into the festivities. The pair plays a game in which they must locate a ring hidden in a bowl of milk and coloured water. The winner is thought to be the marriage’s dominating partner.
Griha Shanti – Ensuring Domestic Harmony
To maintain harmony and serenity in the newlyweds’ home, the Griha Shanti ritual is conducted. Vedic ceremonies are performed to ask the gods for their blessings for a prosperous and contented future.
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Punjabi Wedding Ceremony
The warm, vibrant, and love-filled essence of Punjab is reflected in every element of a Punjabi wedding, from the dhol’s rhythmic beats to the colours of the attire.
Roka/Thaka
Roka, derived from the term ‘rokna’ or stop, which implies the end of the search for a suitable partner, denotes a decision by two families to consolidate their relationship. It is typically celebrated by the bride’s family, who visit the groom’s home to bless their union with presents such as fruits, sweets, clothes, money, and other assets.
The groom’s family then returns the favour by paying a visit to the bride’s home and showering the couple with gifts, or ‘shagun’. This is known as the Thaka ritual.
Chunni Ceremony
In the Chunni ceremony, the bride is welcomed into the family by the groom’s mother and other female relatives. With a red ‘chunni’, or drape, for the bride’s head as a veil and a sign to bless her for the future, they visit the bride’s parents’ house with gifts, sweets, jewellery, engagement clothes, and more.
Sagai (Engagement)
The Sagai or engagement ceremony, which is often held on the same day as the Chunni ceremony and perhaps even concurrently, is where the bride and groom exchange rings. After that, the couple is blessed by the family members with a small puja. Up until now, events have typically been fairly private and limited to family members. However, one can choose how big or tiny the engagement is.
Sangeet
The most anticipated wedding function, the Sangeet, is a night of dancing, music, and nonstop celebration. It’s a full-fledged musical evening that involves both families and features events hosts, coordinated performances, and occasionally even paid artists.
Mehndi
The Mehndi ceremony, which is often held in the day or afternoon, is an essential part of all Indian weddings. It involves the bride getting henna applied to her hands, arms, and feet. The names of the couple, their hobbies, or their love story are often used as inspiration for the designs. Henna is also applied to the hands of the bride’s intimate friends and relatives, however, the designs are simpler and less elaborate.
Jaggo
This family gathering, which takes place the night before the wedding, is a loud celebration that lasts late into the night in front of the exquisitely decorated home and includes dancing, music, firecrackers, and sweets.
Kangna Bandhana
The priest wraps a sacred thread, known as ‘mouli,’ with a betel nut and a shell around the couple’s right wrists as the first ceremony of the wedding day. This is followed by a puja. Originally intended as a lucky charm, it should not be removed and will gradually fall apart on its own.
Chura and Kaleerein
The chura, a pair of red and white bangles, is symbolic of a newlywed woman and is worn by the bride for 40–45 days following the wedding. The bride’s maternal uncle participates in a havan during the ceremony, where the chura (bangles) are cleansed in milk and rose petals before being placed on the bride’s wrists. She is then given her wedding attire.
The bride’s friends and sisters tie the kaleerein around her wrists after the ceremony. These umbrella-shaped ornaments are customarily covered in coconuts, dry fruits, and betel nuts. In a ritual akin to the tossing of bouquets at Catholic weddings, the bride rattles her kaleerein over the heads of unmarried women; whoever it lands on is considered the next in line to marry.
Haldi
A paste made of turmeric, sandalwood, rose water, and other ingredients is applied to the bride and groom during the festive Haldi ceremony, giving them a golden glow for their wedding day.
Ghara Gharoli
Following the Haldi ritual, the bride and groom go to a nearby temple with their families after washing off the dried paste. In the Ghara Gharoli ceremony, they are bathed there with pitchers of sacred water. To be ready for the wedding, they then go back.
Sehra Bandi
After the groom is dressed for his wedding, a little puja is done in his honour. His brother-in-law or an older male relative ties the turban and the Sehra, which covers his face, around his head after the priest blesses them.
Ghodi Chadna
The female relatives of the groom feed the chana dal (lentils) and water to the tikka-smeared, adorned mare that the Punjabi groom rides. After mounting the mare in a stately manner, known as ghodi chadna, the groom departs for the location with his ‘baraat,’ or dance companions.
Milni
The bride’s family welcomes the baraat and the groom to the wedding location, and the mother welcomes the groom with a customary aarti and tikka.
Varmala
The Varmala, the customary garland exchange that the couple does when they first see one another, is a joyful ceremony that is appreciated by the couple, their family, and the visitors.
Kanyadaan
The Kanyadaan commemorates the custom of the father offering his daughter’s hand in marriage, a practice that is found in some form in all cultures and religions worldwide.
Mangal Phere/ Sindoor Daan
For the phere, the pair gets up. Their vows are symbolised by tying the ends of their draperies together to represent their marriage bond and then circling the sacred fire four times as chants are read aloud. For three of them, the bride comes before the husband, and for the final one, she comes after him.
The wedding rites are completed when the husband ties the mangalsutra around the bride’s neck and applies sindoor (vermilion) on her hair parting, binding them for life.
Joota Chupai
Joota Chupai is another beloved wedding custom in which the bride’s sisters perform a light-hearted joke on the groom by taking his shoes during the ceremony. In exchange for his shoes, they seek a ransom after the wedding.
Vidaai and Doli
As the bride gets ready to leave her house and family, the final goodbye in the Vidaai is a bittersweet ceremony. Following the emotional embraces, the bride throws a handful of rice over her shoulder in the direction of her house as a token of appreciation for looking after her. Then, in a wedding procession known as Doli, she and her husband get into a decorated car and drive off to their new house.
Bengali Wedding Ceremony
Bengalis have enduring, unique, and dramatic traditions when it comes to weddings.
Aashirbaad (Engagement & Gifting)
The “Aashirbaad” ceremony, which is similar to an engagement ceremony, represents the couple’s approval by their respective families. It doesn’t always include exchanging rings. In addition to receiving gifts like clothing, jewellery, and cash from their respective in-laws, the bride and groom are blessed with husked rice and trefoil leaves.
Aiburo Bhaat (Bachelor Party/ Last Meal before Wedding)
Similar to a bachelor party or bridal shower, the “Aiburo Bhaat” is one of the most anticipated events for the prospective bride or groom. As their final formal meal before the wedding, the soon-to-be couple is treated to a lavish, traditional Bengali feast while their loved ones sing, dance, and celebrate.
Gaye Hollud (Haldi)
The haldi ceremony, also known as “Gaye Holud,” is a private ceremony that is attended by only close family members and friends on the morning of the wedding. Seven married ladies from his family first smear the groom with turmeric paste. The turmeric paste and presents, known as “Tatva,” are then sent to the bride’s home.
Sankha Porano (Bangle ceremony)
Married Bengali women wear conch shell bangles called “Sankha” and “Pola,” which are similar to the mangalsutra, which indicates a woman’s marital status. The bride must wear these bangles during the Holud ceremony, following the “Sankha Porano” ritual in which they are bathed in turmeric water.
Bor Jatri (Baraat)/ Potto Bostro (Groom’s arrival)
The groom’s joyful procession to the wedding, known as “Bor Jatri,” or baraat, is when his exquisitely attired friends and family sing and dance till they arrive at the wedding venue’s entrance. The bride’s mother leads her family in welcoming them there with cold drinks, sweets, and an aarti.
When the groom reaches the mandap and takes a seat, an older male relative of the bride—her father or maternal uncle, who will be doing kanya somprodan, gives him the auspicious clothing (Potto Bostro) that he must wear for the wedding.
Saat Paak (Bride’s arrival)/ Subho Drishti (First Glance)
The most popular and cherished Bengali wedding custom is the “Saat Paak.” The bride must sit on a low stool that her brothers carry around the groom seven times throughout the ritual. In the process, she must subtly conceal her face with betel leaves.
The bride and groom are brought face to face during the “Subho Dhristi” ceremony, where she carefully lowers the betel leaves and looks at her groom’s face for the first time after the “Saat Paak” rounds are finished.
Maala Bodol (Garland Exchange)
In the traditional “varmala” ceremony, the bride and groom adorn each other with exquisite floral garlands. The garlands are exchanged three times at Bengali weddings, but just once in other cultures.
Somprodan (Handing over the bride to the groom)/ Soptopodi (Phere)
The “Somprodan”, one of the ceremony’s most auspicious customs, is when the bride’s father or another senior male family member formally hands her over to the groom.
The bride and groom make seven walking circles around the holy fire as the priest recites Vedic words in front of it, symbolising their solemn union.
Onjoli (Offering Tribute)
The bride and groom use puffed rice as a token of gratitude to the sacred fire. Standing behind the bride, the husband holds her hands as she tosses the rice into the fire on a chaff.
Sindoor Daan and Ghomta
To commemorate the conclusion of the wedding ceremony and the start of their new life together, the bride’s head is covered with a red veil, usually a saree, and the husband applies “sindoor” (vermillion) to her hair parting.
Tamil Wedding Ceremony
Tamil Brahmin weddings, which have their roots in one of India’s oldest cultures, prioritise the celebration of traditions and customs over extravagant displays.
Panda Kaal Muhurtam
The relatives of the bride and groom pray to their respective deities once the wedding is finalised, asking for blessings for a happy marriage and the couple’s safety. It is typically attended by close family members and takes place at a temple or their houses the day before the wedding.
Sumangali Prarthanai
During this prayer session, the bride’s married older relatives and friends participate and ask their deceased female ancestors for blessings for the bride’s happy married life. At the groom’s house, the same ceremony is carried out to bless the new wife who is joining their family.
Naandi Shrardham
The groom’s family then pays a visit to the bride’s home, where he is greeted graciously with a shower of rose water. He gets blessed and served auspicious sweets prepared by his future mother-in-law.
Vrutham
The Vrutham, which is typically held on the morning of the day before the wedding, marks the groom’s transition from bachelor to married man. To fight off evil energy, a sacred thread that has been tinted yellow with turmeric is tied around his wrist. For the bride, a similar ceremony is performed.
Mangala Snanam
At the break of dawn on the wedding day, the mangal snanam ceremony is performed at the residences of the bride and groom, respectively. Their family’s married women smear them with a paste made of turmeric, sandalwood, and kumkum. They then take a bath in holy water and get ready.
Gauri Puja
After dressing, the bride performs this rite for Goddess Gauri, who represents purity and morality. An idol is placed on a dish with rice and kumkum, and the bride prays to her for blessings and a good marriage.
Kashi Yatra
When the groom’s family arrives at the venue, he gets an umbrella, a walking stick, and some food before heading to Kashi (Varanasi) to give up worldly pleasures and devote his life to God. As everyone watches, the bride’s father persuades him to choose a life of home bliss over being a hermit, promising him his daughter’s hand.
Pada Puja and Maalai Maatral
The groom enters the mandap, where the bride’s father washes his feet with holy water, sandalwood, milk, and kumkum.
The bride then enters the mandap, where she exchanges garlands with the groom three times, amidst much laughter and humorous banter. Their friends and relatives assist them in evading the garland being placed by the other individual.
Kanyadaanam
The Kanyadaanam, a ritual shared by many cultures, commemorates the bride’s parents’ official handing over of the bride to the groom. With this gesture, they officially hand over their daughter for life, requesting that he cherish and protect her.
Muhurtham
After the Kanyadaanam, the groom’s parents present the bride with a nine-yard silk saree, which she wears across her shoulders as the groom applies sindoor to her hair parting. The priest then blesses the thaali (mangalsutra), which the groom ties around her neck.
Saptapadi
In Saptapadi, one of the most significant Hindu marriage rituals, the priest recites Vedic mantras as the bride and groom walk around the holy fire in seven steps while holding hands.
Sammandhi Maryathai
Following the marriage, presents are exchanged between the two families. After worshipping the family deity, the bride then says an emotional goodbye to her family and departs for her new home with her spouse.
Grihapravesham
The bride is greeted with joy and celebration at her new residence. After a brief prayer ritual known as aarti, her mother-in-law leads her into the house, where she first asks the family deity for blessings.
Valeyadal
The bride is formally introduced to the groom’s family members during the valeyadal, and they give her gifts to welcome her into the family. Everyone congregates to enjoy the couple’s numerous post-wedding games.
Gujarati Wedding Ceremony
Gujarat, the land of colours, food, and culture, celebrates its weddings with pomp and fervour, much as each community has its holy custom.
Chandlo Maati
In this ceremony, four male members of the bride’s family, as well as the bride’s father, visit the groom’s home to place a red circle on the groom’s forehead. This signifies that the groom has been accepted by the family.
Gol Dhana Ceremony
Gol Dhana is the Gujarati phrase for what we call an engagement ceremony in other religions. This ceremony kicks off the upcoming celebrations.
Pithi Ceremony
What other cultures refer to as the ‘Haldi Ceremony’ is known in Gujarat as the Pithi Ceremony.
Mehendi Ceremony
The mehendi ceremony, hosted by the bride’s family, takes place two days before the wedding. Mehendi designs are put on the bride’s hands and other family members, just as they are at any other Indian wedding.
Sangeet Sandhya
In Gujarati, Sangeet Sandhya refers to a ceremony that is dedicated to music and dancing. The primary goal of organising this event is for both families to get to know each other better.
Ceremony of Jaan
When the groom arrives at the wedding venue, he touches his soon-to-be mother-in-law’s feet for her blessings, and she attempts to grab his nose while he tries to escape it. This light-hearted ritual serves to remind the groom that she is bestowing her beloved daughter upon him, so he should be humble and appreciative.
Mangal Mahurat
The purpose of Mangal Mahurat is to pray to Lord Ganesha, the God of Obstacle Removal. Both the bride’s and groom’s families worship Lord Ganesha to receive his blessings.
Baraat (Wedding Rituals)
To ward off the ‘evil eye’, the groom’s sister waves money over his head before he commences the baraat from his home.
Jaimala
Jaimala’s ceremony kicks off the wedding festivities. This tradition includes the exchange of garlands.
Kanyadaan
This is the ceremony wherein the father of the bride formally hands his daughter over to the groom, promising that the groom will care for her as he has done for years.
Madhuparka/Panchamrut
In this custom, a member of the bride’s family washes the groom’s feet while offering him milk and honey.
Joota Churai
The bride’s sisters attempt to hide the groom’s footwear and return it only in exchange for money, making it one of the most exciting rituals at any Indian wedding.
Mangal Pheras and Saptapadi
Other Hindu marriages include seven pheras, although Gujarati weddings only have four. The priest chants mantras as the pair makes circles around the sacred fire.
Viddai
During the Vidaai ceremony, the bride says goodbye to her family. The bride takes rice in her hands and throws it backwards, with the mother meant to collect it in her pallu.
Gharni Laxmi
Gharni Laxmi signifies that the bride has joined the groom’s family. The practice involves softly kicking a little handi of rice with her right foot before entering the house.
Bihari Wedding Ceremony
Bihari weddings are known for being among the most colourful and lavish in the country.
Satya Narayan Katha
Every Bihari wedding celebration starts with a Satya Narayan Katha. The bride’s family performs this auspicious rite by praying to Lord Narayana.
Cheka
Cheka is a beautiful Bihari wedding tradition that is akin to an engagement. Both the groom and the bride exchange rings in front of family members.
Haldi Kutai
Haldi Kutai is an age-old wedding tradition in Bihar. The turmeric paste is applied to the groom’s body before being sent to the bride’s home.
Tilak
In this wedding custom, the bride’s brother brings a tilak thal to the groom’s home. The bride’s brother then places tilak on the groom’s forehead and gives him his bridal sherwani and accessories.
Paricchavan
The Paricchavan ceremony marks the beginning of the rituals for the wedding day. The groom’s mother performs an aarti before the groom departs for the wedding location. She places the tilak on his forehead and wishes him a happy married life.
Baarat Prasthan
One of the happy rituals at the wedding is baarat prasthan. When the groom arrives at the location, his mother-in-law greets him with a lovely aarti.
Jaimala & Galsedi
At their wedding mandap, the bride and groom exchange garlands. Following the exchange of bridal garlands, the bride’s mother burns a betel leaf to ashes. The wedding ceremony is known as Galsedi. The ashes are then put on the groom’s face to ward off evil eyes.
Kangnabandhana & Kanyadaan
Kangnabandhana is the ceremony in which the priest ties a sacred thread around the couple’s right hand. While the Kanyadaan ceremony means “giving away the bride”.
Bhaisur Nirakshan & Pheras
The bride receives family jewellery from the groom’s father-in-law and older brother during this wedding ceremony. Following this, the bride and groom make seven circles around the holy fire and offer prayers to their respective family deities.
Kohwar Parikshan, Salami & Vidaai
The family’s married women enquire as to whether the couple has formally consummated their union. Following that, the bride’s family members gift the couple with cash as she prepares to leave for her new home. Vidaai is the most painful marital rite in Indian weddings.
Swagatarti, Mooh Dikhai
When the bride arrives at the groom’s house, her mother-in-law welcomes her with an aarti. She pushes the copper vessel loaded with rice and enters the home.
Chauka Chulai
During this wedding ceremony, the groom’s mother gives the house keys and home responsibilities to the bride. The bride then prepares five wonderful meals to obtain blessings from the family’s elders.
