Feb 09, 2023 Hindu Wedding Rituals
Attaining Goals Together
According to Vedic tradition, marriage is a milestone that elevates the couple to the next level of their Karmic experience. It fulfills 3 purposes:
- Companionship
- Procreation
- Spiritual Advancement
Marriage is considered to be necessary to fulfill the four goals of life (Purusharthas)
Dharma
Become creators in society through communion
Artha
Earn wealth and create value
Kama
Obtain natural pleasure which brings about family, love, and affection
Moksha
Transcend material connection, through commitment to each other
The wedding ritual takes place under a mandap in front of the holy fire (Agni). The couple is believed to perform the wedding rituals as incarnations of Vishnu and Laxmi.
LGBTQ Marriages
Despite the lack of Hindu scriptures explicitly forbidding same-sex unions, LGBTQ couples have faced many challenges in... well, challenging the status quo.
From temples refusing to host same-sex weddings, to priests turning cold feet, couples continue to strive to have a ceremony rooted in their culture.
A new generation of progressive priests is making it possible for these couples to have traditional weddings.
Although there is no mention of jewelry indicating a woman's marital status in ancient Hindu texts, the concept of a “sacred thread” in the marriage ceremony (believed to have been worn for its antibiotic properties) can be traced back to the fourth or fifth century A.D.
Put a ring on it and...
Although there is no mention of jewelry indicating a woman's marital status in ancient Hindu texts, the concept of a “sacred thread” in the marriage ceremony (believed to have been worn for its antibiotic properties) can be traced back to the fourth or fifth century A.D.
Symbolic jewelry worn by married women to denote their marital status:
Mangalsutra
A necklace with black beads
Loha
A bangle made of iron
Vanki
A V-shaped gold ring
Hindu Wedding Ritual
The Hindu wedding ceremony is a yajna (ritual done in front of a sacred fire) with 3 key rituals
Kanyadan
The mantras signify the bride as Laxmi. The bride’s father gives away his daughter to Narayan (the groom) representing the blessings for his daughter to be the ‘grace’ of somebody else’s home.
Pani Grahanam
The groom takes the bride's hand and completes a ritual signifying the couples union and their promise to take responsibility for each other and their household.
Saptapadi
The newlywed couple takes seven steps together, similar to saying vows in western weddings. With each step, the bride and groom make a promise.
Unique Traditions
Rajput: Chop the Dhukav
The groom chops the toran with his sword at the entrance to symbolize the warding off of the evil eye.
Punjabi: Dip her Chooda
The bride’s maternal uncle gifts the bride a set of red and white bangles. Golden ornaments (Kalires) are tied to the bride's bangles. After the wedding ceremony, the bride tries to shake them off onto an unmarried woman, as a fun way to symbolize who will get married next.
Gujarati: Grab His Nose
The groom's mother-in-law playfully pulls the groom’s nose. This tradition is performed to remind the groom to take care of the bride.
Bengali: All Eyes on The Bride
The bride's brothers carry her to the mandap on a wooden stool (pidi). They walk around the groom seven times. The bride keeps her eyes covered with a pair of betel leaves which she then removes to get a first look at her groom.
Maharashtra: Twist his Ear
During the wedding, the bride’s brother playfully twists the groom’s ear. It signifies the consequences that will follow if the groom doesn’t take care of his sister.
Tamil: The Last Escape
Kashi yatra ceremony mockingly exaggerates the pre-wedding jitters. The groom packs his “bags” to become a sanyasi. The tradition is symbolic of a bygone era where the groom had a chance to decide between family and ascetic paths.
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