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Custom of Indian Marriage

The custom of marriage is believed to be the most sacred in the Indian society. The institution of marriage binds men and women together for the rest of their lives. Marriage also provides social permission to the couple to have sexual relationship and have children. Being a religious sacrament, marriage in India is obligatory to the Dwijas (twice-born).

North Indian Weddings

The Indian Weddings are known for religious adherence to customs and traditions and keeping pace with theWedding Traditions in India, North Indian Weddings have always preserved their allegiance and loyalty to customs and traditions. Apart from lavishness, an outstanding feature of the North Indian Wedding is the adherence to many customs and rituals which are not observed on the day of the wedding but before and after the wedding (Sagai, Sangeet, Tilak and Mehendi).

Mostly, the wedding ceremonies are held at the Bride’s place where the Mandap is set up and the Groom comes at the Bride’s place with a grand musical procession (baraat). Then there is an exchange of garlands followed by Mangal Phere (seven pious rounds) and then a grand feast. Just like any other wedding, the North Indian Wedding Traditions have a peculiar charm which enamors each and every one.

South Indian Weddings

Unlike other Indian Marriages, the South Indian Weddings is much more than mere fineries and clothes, invitation and decoration, wedding planner and dining experience. The South Indian Marriages are known for strict adherence of rites and rituals.

The South Indian weddings are elaborate fares. The ceremonial gateposts are decorated with full-grown plantain trees that signify the endless generations of evergreen nature. The doors are decorated with garlands of mango leaves. Rangoli and Kolam motifs mark the doorstep which makes the South Indian weddings all the more pious.

According to the South Indian Wedding Traditions, the Bridegrooms are welcomed in the temple and are escorted to the Mandap by their parents. During the ceremony, the feet of the Bride and the Groom are washed with milk and dried with silk cloth by the bride's father. The Bride and the Groom holds each other hands and walks around the holy fire (Saptha Padhi) which is considered as the most significant part of the wedding.

East Indian Weddings

An integral part of the East Indian Marriage Traditions is the elaborate occasions of rituals and customs which add a new charm to the ceremonies. The East Indian Wedding mainly includes the marriage traditions of West Bengal, Assam and Orissa and other North Eastern states like Manipur, Meghalaya and others.

In Bengali Wedding Tradition, the Groom is greeted with much pomp and gaiety. The Bride family members sprinkle holy water and fresh flowers before he makes his entry into the bride's home.

The rituals are mostly performed by the women folk of the household. The Shubho Drishti ritual is performed when the Bride looks into the Grooms eye for the very first time. This is followed by Mala Badal ceremony, where both the bride and groom exchanges garland. The other rituals which mark the wedding are Saat Paak, Sampradhan. Bashi Biye and Basar Ghar are post-wedding ceremonies. In Assam, the wedding ceremony is simple and chic at the same time. A unique feature is that the wedding reception is held prior to the marriage ceremony.

In Oriya Wedding, a unique feature is that the mother of the Bridegroom does not take place otherwise all the ceremonies are relatively the same as other Hindu weddings. 

West Indian Weddings

The West Indian Wedding mainly includes the wedding traditions of the Maharashtrian, Gujarati and Marwari communities. The Maharashtrian Wedding ceremonies are an elaborate events stretching for three days or more.

Usually the marriages among the Maharashtrian takes place in the morning hours which are called as the 'Goraj Muhurt '. Then the religious hymns are chanted and this is followed by the removal of ‘Antarpaat’. Thereafter, garlands are exchanged followed by seven vows. Laxmi Narayan puja is an important post wedding ceremony. 

The Gujarati Wedding ceremony is held by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha and seeking his heavenly blessing. The Groom is welcomed by offering ‘Madhuparka ceremony’ where the Groom’s feet are washed and he is given honey and milk to drink. The other ceremonies include Kanya Daan, Hasta Milap, Pheras and Vidaai ceremony. 

The West Indian Marriage Traditions consists of elaborate but meaningful rituals. Moreover these ceremonies are an ideal time for get together and re-union. Family and friends come together and wish the best for the married couple and enjoy the moments.

NRI Weddings

The extravagant display of wealth, pomp, show and glamour is what define the NRI Weddings. NRI weddings are the most extravagant and lavish wedding ceremonies that take place in India. The NRI families chose India as their wedding destination because they yearn for the Indian culture and want their children to tie the nuptial according to the traditional Indian values.

The NRI Weddings are the most talked about affairs in the country as are generally telecasted on Television and are also referred to as Celebrity weddings.

The NRI weddings in India are mostly held in cities of Rajasthan like Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, and also the beaches of Kerala and Goa.

The tradition and rituals followed in a NRI wedding are performed in following a good number of Indian wedding rituals and traditions.

A unique feature of the NRI wedding ceremony is that the celebration last for many days, so that the guests can have a gala time. 

One of the most famous NRI weddings in India has been that of Arun Nayar (NRI software tycoon) to British Actress Elizabeth Hurley.

Arya Samaj Weddings

The Arya Samaj Weddings is a characteristic of simplicity. The Arya Samaj Wedding is conducted by the Arya Samaj Community founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswathi in any of its temple.

The Arya Samaj Weddings in India is performed as per the ancient Hindu culture prescribed in Vedas and does not involve any flamboyance. In this form of marriage, only fire, water and other elements are used as the witnesses since they don't believe in idol worshipping. Some of the Wedding traditions followed in Arya Samaj wedding include ‘Madhuparka’ (the groom partakes the mixture of honey, curds and cream), ‘kanyadaan’, ‘Havanv’, ‘Pani Grahan Sanska’ (the groom takes the bride’s hand and promises to be aside at the time of need), followed by ‘Shilarohan’, ‘Lajahom’, ‘Parikrama’ , and ‘Saptapadi’. The wedding concludes with the ‘Aashirwaad’ ceremony, where the newlywed couples are blessed by the elders. 

The Wedding lasts for an hour and are less lavish and less expensive as compared to other elaborate Indian wedding.

Here are few very interesting facts about various kinds of Indian Wedding:


Interesting Indian Wedding Facts

• In many communities in the Hindu Religion, there is a wedding ritual in which the sisters-in-law hide the shoes of their jija or brother-in-law and return them only in exchange for money. It's a very fun filled and enjoying ritual.
• In some communities, there are rituals where the hands of the couple are covered with a sacred cloth to ward off ill omen and evil eye during the pheras.
• In Parsee marriage ceremonies, the sisters-in-law take gifts from their brother-in-law during the ritual of Haath Boravanu where the groom puts his hand in water and cannot remove them until he pays money to them, Pag Dhovanu is another such ritual where the groom is threatened with milk on his shoes and chero chorvanu is a ritual in which seven strands of thread tying the couple are removed on payment.
• In Gujarati custom the groom's mother-in-law tries to catch his nose on arrival of the baraat, as a reminder of the fact that he is taking away their daughter and is now responsible for her happiness.
• Aeki-Beki is also very fun filled rituals among the Gujarati community. A tray or pot of water is mixed with milk and vermillion. A ring and a few coins are thrown into the mixture. The bride and groom are given seven chances to fish out the ring. The winner is considered as having a dominating personality and it is predicted amidst much laughter that he or she will rule the roost!
• In Punjabi custom the bride's wear a Chuda, this is a set of red and ivory bangles by her maternal uncle. This custom is considered good omen for the bride as it is said to bring good luck to the bride in her new home.
• Punjabi brides wear Kaleeres. These are silver or gold plated ornaments tied to the Chudas. It is said that the bride has as many friends as there are leaves in the Kaleere. One interesting ritual related with the Kaleere is the custom in which a bride shakes her Kaleere over the unmarried girls in her family. It is said that if the Kaleere falls on the head of any of them, she is the next one to be married.
• Another ritual which is found in almost every community is when the groom brings home his new bride; the groom's sisters block the entrance to the home and demand money from their brother as a shagun before they let him in. This is a fun filled and amusing ritual.