Exotic Indian Wedding

PRE-WEDDING

 

Garba

The Garba is usually held the night before the wedding and involves plenty of 

dancing. It provides the opportunity for the each side of the family to meet, greet 

and have some fun before the wedding begins. The main event is the Raas which is a 

dance involving pairs of people and dandia sticks. The dance involves hitting your 

partner’s sticks while following the rhythm of the music. The Garba is also an ideal 

place for future couples to meet and begin their own stories.

 

Pithi

This is a ceremony where the both the bride and groom are covered in a yellow 

powder that is made into paste.  The bride and groom have their own ceremonies 

and usually invite their close family and friends. The Pithi is used to cleanse the 

bride and groom before the wedding day. The paste is said to brighten and soften 

the skin to produce that healthy glow.

 

Mehndi

On this occasion the bride’s hands and feet are adorned with mehndi, or henna. 

Female family and friends are also invited to have their hands adorned.

Mandap Mahurat

This is a typical ceremony performed before many auspicious events. The Pundit 

performs this puja in the bride and groom’s homes a few days before the wedding. 

The families pray to Lord Ganesh and seek His blessings.

 

Griha Shanti

This puja is also conducted by a Pandit and the date and time is chosen by matching 

the horoscopes of the bride and groom to-be. This prayer is conducted with the 

bride and groom’s family members and relatives. This pooja seeks to provide the 

couple with a happily married life by calling happiness and peace from the stars.

 

WEDDING CEREMONY

Ponkvu

The arrival of the groom, or the Ponkvu, is the official start of the Gujurati wedding. 

The groom is welcomed by his mother-in-law at the entrance. She will perform the 

aarti and will playfully try to grab his nose. This tradition reminds the groom that he 

has come rubbing his nose at their door asking for their daughter’s hand in 

marriage.

 

Jaimala

Some Gujaratis will then bring the bride out and she will exchange garlands with her 

groom-to-be. This is called the Jaimala ceremony. The groom is traditionally lifted 

higher than the bride during this exchange. In modern times this is done by the 

groom’s friends to show that the bride cannot take the groom from his friends and 

family.

 

Madhuparka

The groom is welcomed to the mandap by his future mother-in-law. In the 

madhuparka the groom’s feet are washed and he is offered honey and milk. It is at 

this time that the saalis (sister-in-law) will try to steal the groom’s shoes. 

Traditionally the groom must leave the wedding with the same pair of shoes that he 

enters with. If his shoes are stolen, he must offer the sisters money in order to get 

them back.

 

Kanya Agamana

The bride is led to the mandap by her maternal uncle. When she reaches the 

mandap, there is an antarpaat (curtain) which separates her from her groom. The 

acharya begins the ceremony and the antarpaat is lowered and couple exchanges 

garlands. The wedding ceremony takes place in front of a sacred fire and is 

conducted by the pundit.

 

Kanya Daan

This ritual is when the bride is given away by her parents and the bride’s hand is 

placed over the groom’s. The bride’s parents do not eat before the wedding to make 

themselves pure for the occasion. In essence, the bride’s parents are handing over 

the Goddess Laxmi (their daughter) to Lord Vishnu (the groom).

 

Hasta Milap

The groom’s scarf is ties to the bride’s saree which symbolizes the union of their two 

souls. The acharya chants mantras to invoke the blessings of Goddess Laxmi and 

Goddess Parvati for the bride. The relatives also come together to bless the couple 

and shower grains of rice and rose petals on them.

 

Varmala

In this ceremony a cord is tied around the couple’s necks to protect them from evil. 

These cords are traditionally tied by the elders of the bride and groom.

 

Mangal Pheras

The bride and groom circle the sacred fire four times, signifying the four basic 

human goals of Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Meanwhile, the acharya chants 

mantras and the groom also recited them. As a fun tradition, at the end of the pheras 

the bride and groom will run to sit down first. It is said that the one who finds a seat 

first will rule the house.

 

Saptapadi

The groom helps the bride touch seven betel nutes with her right toe, while they 

recite the seven vows. With each step, the groom chants mantras in which he 

requests support from his wife.

 

Saubhagyavati Bhava

In this tradition, seven married women from the bride’s side will pass by the couple 

at this time and whisper blessings into the bride’s right ear.

 

Chero Pakaryo

Traditionally, when the bride’s mother passes, the groom will tug at her sari as a 

way of asking the bride’s family for gifts.

 

Ashirwaad

The Gujurati wedding concludes with the Ashirwaad in which the couple asks for 

the blessings of their elders.

 

POST-WEDDING

 

Vidaai

This ceremony sees the departure of the newly married couple and involves tears of 

joy and sadness. The bride is often carried out by her brothers.

 

Ghar Nu Laxmi

The couple then leaves for the groom’s home. The bride is welcomed into the home 

as the Goddess Laxmi who will bring good fortune to her new home. The mother-in-

law places a vessel filled with rice at the entrance to the home. The bride will then 

spill the rice from the vessel by touching it with her right foot. This is a symbol of 

wealth and the bride accepts her responsibilities towards her new home.

 

Aeki Beki

The couple will then often play a game called Aeki Beki in which a tray of water is 

mixed with milk and sindoor (vermilion). In this tray are placed several coins and a 

ring. It is believed that the person who finds the ring four out of seven times will 

rule the household. The day is concluded with prayers to God requesting happiness 

and love for the newly married couple.