Gujarat is a prosperous state with a rich culture which is quite eminent in its elaborate wedding customs. This article describes what makes Gujarati weddings unique in their own elaborate style.
PRE WEDDING RITUALS:
- Sagai: The formal engagement ceremony to publicize the wedding
- Mandap Mahurat: Worshipping Lord Ganesha to fix the mandap.
- Peethichodvi: The Haldi ceremony which involves the applying of a paste of chandan, haldi and herbs.
- Mehendi: The guests are invited to put mehendi on the hands of the bride and song and dance charges up the atmosphere.
- Garba: This traditional Gujarati folk dance is performed as a form of celebration and the Dandiyaraas is performed with Dandiya sticks.
WEDDING RITUALS:
- Gujarati Sangeet Sandhya: Gujarati’s love Sangeet Sandhya and most families have a Sangeet Night
- Jaimala: The bride and groom put garlands to each other.
- Madhuparka: The bride’s mother washes the groom’s feet and he drinks a mixture of milk and honey.
- JutaChurai: The young unmarried girls from the bride’s family run off with the groom’s shoes and he has to give some amount of money and gifts in exchange for his shoes.
- Kanyadaan: The bride’s father gives away his daughter to the groom with the belief that his daughter will be taken care of by her in-laws and husband.
- Hasta Milap and SaatPhere: A knot is tied between the couple and this symbolizes the permanent bond between them.
- Vidai: The farewell ceremony where the girl leaves her parental family and leaves for her husband’s house.
POST WEDDING RITUALS
- GruhPravesh: The new daughter-in-law is considered as the Goddess of Prosperity and she is made to spill over a vessel of rice and then her feet are dipped in kumkum paste.
- AekiBeki: The bride and groom play a game of finding the drowned coins in a pot of water, milk and kumkum, where the winner is said to be the more dominant one.
