Indian Wedding Customs – East and West Indian Wedding Traditions

There is no typical Indian wedding. Surprised? That’s because in this land of diverse languages ​​and traditions, wedding customs are just as varied.

Here is how people residing in the eastern and western regions of India celebrate weddings.

East Indian Weddings

East Indian wedding ceremonies are not as opulent and extravagant as North Indian ones, but they are equally elaborate in their own way. There are dozens of simple but meaningful rituals, many of them very interesting and actually rooted in ancient logic and reasoning. Weddings in India are also an occasion where long lost and close friends come together and share memorable moments during this happy occasion.

However, the most striking feature of a Bengali wedding is the fact that the mother of the groom does not attend the wedding. Wait for the happy couple at home, ready to perform all the welcoming rituals.

A typical East Indian groom is traditionally dressed in dhoti and kurta, and wears a mirror at all times until the wedding ceremony is over. The groom’s party is welcomed with fresh flowers and lots of conch puffs from the women. Rose water is sprinkled on it and then the bride and groom prepare for the royal nuptials. The bride is beautifully dressed in a heavy red Benarasi saree and wears a kind of crown like a princess. He has sandalwood paste ornaments on his forehead and face.

As part of the wedding ritual, the bride must sit on a low wooden stool called a pidi that her brothers lift. Then the brothers lead the bride around the groom seven times in circles, signifying their eternal union. Curiously, the groom’s eyes are protected all the time with a betel leaf. The bride then proceeds to sit on a highly decorated pidi (low wooden stools), similar to the one the groom is sitting on, throughout the priest’s singing. The women collected conch shells to commemorate this auspicious moment.

This is followed by the exchange of flower garlands between the bride and groom, accompanied by the chanting of fear mantras (verses in Sanskrit). The bride and groom again take seven steps around the sacred fire. The groom then applies vermilion to his bride’s head, the symbol of a married woman. After this, the bride is handed over to the groom by her maternal or paternal uncle.

The newlyweds arrive at the groom’s house, where they follow more rituals and ceremonies. Hiding the bride and groom’s rings, playing with a pot full of rice are some of the wedding games to make the new bride feel at home.

Interestingly, the married couple has to stay separately that night and only the next night, after all the rituals are finally completed, can they enjoy marital bliss!

West Indian Weddings

West Indian weddings, especially those in Maharashtra, usually take place in the morning. Before this, the engagement ceremony, known as Sakhar Puda (exchange of a package of sugar) is held to formally declare the engagement.

In the morning, a puja is held to worship Lord Ganesh (the elephant-headed God of prosperity). The groom’s family arrives in the morning at the bride’s residence or mandap and receives a hearty breakfast.

After this, according to the propitious time already established in consultation with various astrological almanacs, the girl’s maternal uncle escorts her to the Mandap (wedding hall). Tradition dictates that the girl and the boy do not see each other while the Antarpaat ceremony is taking place. In this a silk partition (Antarpaat) is placed between them. Then the priest chants the shlokas, after which Antarpaat retires. The gathered friends and family threw unbroken rice on the couple as an auspicious sign. The bride and groom then exchange garlands of flowers and take the Seven Steps (Saat Pheras) around the sacred ceremonial fire.

After the marriage ceremony, another puja is performed, known as Laxmi Narayan puja, in which the bride and groom are symbolically worshiped as Goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth) and Lord Narayan, respectively. As in all Indian weddings, the girl is formally “handed over” to the groom by her father or maternal uncle. This ceremony is known as Kanya Daan throughout India.

Gujarati wedding ceremonies also begin by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha and seeking his blessings. Traditionally, the bride and groom exchange jaimala or flower garlands twice. The first time, the groom is made to sit on a higher platform than the bride, symbolizing that the bride has not severed her ties with her friends and family. The second time, they are at the same level. In what is known as the Madhuparka ceremony, the groom’s feet are washed and bathed in honey and milk. Even while this ceremony is in progress, the bride’s sisters and cousins ​​attempt to steal the groom’s shoes, a tradition that is followed in almost all Indian marriages. There are lots of good natured laughs and jokes. The boyfriend has to ‘bribe’ these girls with attractive financial benefits to get their shoes back!

Next comes the tying of the groom’s shawl to the bride’s sari, preparing them to take the usual Seven Steps around the sacred fire, the central part of all Indian weddings. The couple walks seven times around the sacred fire, taking their seven vows, to the accompaniment of the mantras chanted by the presiding priest. Formally married, the couple seeks the blessings of their parents and other elders. This concludes the wedding which is followed by a grand and luxurious reception party.

Traditions and customs form the backbone of an Indian wedding. It is rich, colorful and vibrant, hiding a great deal of meaning in its many interesting and sometimes puzzling customs that are rooted in its ancient heritage.