A Hindu wedding is a religious ceremony and one of the most important of the sixteen Hindu Samskaras or sacraments. It is seen, not only as a bond between two people, but also a bond between two families. Hindu marriages usually take place in the bride's hometown and is traditionally organised by the bride's parents. The bride is known as the Dulhan, and the groom as the Dulha. A Hindu wedding ceremony lasts between two to three hours, but the preparations and celebrations begin weeks before and continue afterwards. A great example of this which will go down in history is The Ambani Wedding.
Here we will guide you through everything you need to know about a Hindu wedding ceremony.
- Who Officiates a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
- Where does a Hindu Wedding Ceremony Take Place?
- Is a Hindu Wedding Ceremony Legally Binding in the UK?
- How Do I Choose a Date for my Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
- What Attire is Worn at a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
- What Happens Before a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
- What Happens at a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
- What Happens after a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
Who Officiates a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
The Hindu service is usually performed by a male Brahmin priest. The couple usually meets the priest prior to the ceremony. This is so that the priest can explain the significance of the ceremony and answer any questions the bride and groom might have. In today's modern world, couples can also use this as a great opportunity to inform the priest if they prefer to skip certain traditional rituals.
Where does a Hindu Wedding Ceremony Take Place?
The ceremony venue is normally a town hall, hotel or a large wedding venue and is then followed by blessings in the temple.
Is a Hindu Wedding Ceremony Legally Binding in the UK?
The Hindu wedding ceremony is not recognised by British law, so couples need to marry in a civil register office before the Hindu ceremony.
How is the date chosen for a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
A Jyotish (astrologer) uses astrological charts to choose a day, date and time for the Hindu wedding ceremony. Some days are not good for the wedding. For instance, on Amas which is once each month in the lunar based Hindu calender, people tend to avoid getting married. It is also advisable to not get married during Shraaddh, a two‐week period during September, and 15 days before the festival of Holi. The Hindu calendar must be consulted, as these dates change each year.
What Attire is Worn at a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
The bride traditionally puts on a red saree on the day of the wedding, a gift usually from the groom's family. The bride wears ornaments in her hair, bracelets, a gold band around her waist, anklets of gold on her feet and various other gold adorned wedding accessories
The groom wears a lounge suit or traditional Indian dress, which consists of a Nehru jacket and trousers in white or ivory.
Guests can wear what they wish, though it is best to avoid full white. Men dress in suits or kurta-pajama. Female guests wear anarkalis, lehengas or sarees.
What Happens Before a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
Mehndi
Mehndi is an Indian tradition where a thick paste made from henna is applied on the bride's and groom's hands. This happens on the day before the wedding. The bride has the palms of her hands and feet painted with intricate, elaborate and artistic designs. It is said that, the darker the colour of the mehndi, the more in love the couple will be.
The Mehndi ceremony is organised and held by the bride's family. Female members from both families gather to have their hands and feet painted too, with a focus on celebration, rather than decoration.
What is Haldi?
Haldi is a ceremony when turmeric is ground to a paste along with other ingredients. This paste is then applied to both the bride and groom by everyone including family and friends. Traditionally, it is said that this ceremony helps the couple get their skin cleansed so they look their best on the wedding day.
Sangeet
Sangeet is a fun-filled ceremony where both the families get together to perform traditional song-dance routines, whilst becoming better acquainted. Sometimes, the bride and groom's family also has a healthy dance competition amongst each other going on during Sangeet.
What Happens at a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
For a religion as ancient and rich as Hinduism, its customs are as countless as they are timeless. Certain regions and sects have their own variations on the basic Hindu ceremony. So, the rituals described here are some of the most common traditions to appear at a Hindu wedding ceremony.
Baarat
It is considered unlucky for the groom to see the bride on the wedding day The groom and his party are collectively called the baarat or vara yatra. They arrive at the ceremony site amidst much singing and dancing in a cavalcade of cars, where a number of rituals are performed. When the groom gets out of his car, the bride's parents, family and friends greet him. The bride's mother places a tilak (small round red dot) on his forehead and gives him a garland of flowers, to signify her approval of the wedding. Sometimes, there is also a little playful ritual between the mother of the bride and the groom where the bride's mother has to pinch the nose of the groom and the groom has to prevent it from happening.
The bride's mother then accompanies the groom to the Mandap where the fire ceremony is conducted. His sisters follow behind him shaking a metal pot covered by a white handkerchief containing rice and coins to ward off evil spirits.
Varmala Wearing
The bride is accompanied to the wedding venue by her maternal uncles. She is either carried by them or walks between them.
Once the groom has made his way to the entrance of the mandap, the bride, flanked by her sisters and bridesmaids, will be waiting with a garland for him. During the Jaymala (Varamala) that follows, the bride and groom exchange flower garlands and sometimes deliver a sort of vow in which they promise to be united forever. Traditionally, whoever can put the garland on their partner first will have the upper hand in the marriage.
Mandap
The Mandap is a structure constructed exclusively for the marriage ceremony. It is held up by four pillars supporting a frame, with royal chairs for the bride and the groom, side chairs for parents and a pedestal for the sacred fire set within it.
The Mandap is traditionally made of wood and can be decorated with a variety of items from flowers and greenery to fabric and crystals. The main rituals involved in the wedding ceremonies take place underneath the mandap.
Gau Daan
This is the symbolic exchange of gifts, particularly clothes and ornaments. Traditionally, gifts were exclusively given to the groom's family. This originally came from dowry traditions, however now it's more of an exchange as the groom's family will also give the bride's family gifts.
Kanyadaan
Following the Gau Daan or often combined with it is the Kanya Pratigrahan (Kanyadaan). The groom's mother gives the bride a mangalasutra, a long necklace made of gold and black beads. The father of the bride will then place his daughter's hand in the groom's as a gesture of giving her away. He states that his family has accepted the groom and wishes for the groom's family to accept the bride.
Vivah Havan
For the Vivah Havan, the sacred fire is lit across from the bride and groom. In the center of the mandap, a fire is kindled. A Hindu marriage is a sacrament, not a contract. To signify the viability of the ceremony, fire is kept as a witness and offerings are made. The bride and groom both repeat the prayers spoken by the priest. These are promises to be humble and faithful to God and each other.
Hasta Milap
This ceremony centers on the joining of the bride and groom's hands. The bride's right hand is placed on the right hand of the groom. Their hands are then tied together with a cotton thread wound several times, while the priest recites holy verses. The thread acts as a metaphor for the new marriage, bringing the couple together in an unbreakable bond.
Shilarohan
Shilarohan is when the bride symbolically climbs over a stone to demonstrate her willingness and strength to overcome difficulties in pursuit of her duties.
Saptapadi
This is the main and the "legal" part of the ceremony. The couple walks seven steps reciting a prayer at each step. These are the seven vows which are exchanged. Among the Hindu communities in the world, each step may mean something different. Simply put, the first for food, the second for strength, the third for prosperity, the fourth for wisdom, the fifth for progeny, the sixth for health and the seventh for friendship.
These vows are traditionally spoken in Sanskrit, and are one of the most ancient aspects of the Hindu ceremony. The vows validate the marriage; no ceremony is complete without them. The main significance of saptapadi is establishing friendship, which is the basis of a Hindu marriage. A symbolic matrimonial knot is tied after this ceremony.
Surya Darshan and Dhruva Darshan
For the Surya Darshan and Dhruva Darshan, the couple looks to the sun to seek blessings for a creative and passionate life and to the polar star (the north star) to remain steadfast.
Sindoor and Mangalsutra
The parents of both the bride and groom bless the couple and sprinkle rose water on them. The groom then applies the sindoor, a red powder, to the parting in the bride's hair. This symbolises her new status as a married woman once the ceremony is complete. He also strings the mangalsutra around her neck. This necklace, made up of gold and black beads, is always meant to be worn by the bride as a symbol of her marriage.
Ashirwaad
The service ends with the Ashirwaad. This is blessings from the priest, parents and close relatives for a long and prosperous married life. They are followed by friends who wish to add their congratulations. after the ceremony
What Happens after a Hindu Wedding Ceremony?
After the ceremony, the bridal party sits down to a lavish dinner, after which, the bride and groom play a number of games. During the ceremony, they will have had threads with knots tied to their wrists. They must attempt to untie these knots, which represent the importance of having patience with one another. Another game involves a large bowl filled with coloured milk, in which a number of items have been placed, including a coin. The bride and groom attempt to find the coin and the finder is said to be the person who will be dominant in the marriage.
After dinner, the bride says goodbye to her family and friends. The groom leads the bride to the car, and once in the car, the bride's brother or a male relative covers her with a shawl and wishes her well. The couple visit a temple to offer their prayers and seek blessings, before heading off to the groom's home.