IT IS BECOMING GREATLY COMMON TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND AN ETHNIC WEDDING IN BARCELONA, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE TRADITIONS ARE? DO NOT MISS THIS ARTICLE.
In recent times, the number of Indian weddings celebrated in our country has greatly increased. The first thing that catches our attention is it’s splendor and the rich use of colours. However, Indian weddings are much more than that. They are ceremonies full of tradition. A tradition that
dates more than forty centuries ago.
First of all, it is important to note that Indian weddings encompass all those weddings that take place in every corner of the country. As we all know, India is huge and has nine different religions, which like their beliefs, practice different traditions that are mostly reflected in weddings.
At Kamal Events & Productions, we have worked on numerous Hindu weddings (derived from Hinduism, one of most followed religions in India).
In this blog post, we are going to talk about this specific type of Indian wedding. Read on and you will discover why Hindu weddings are so special.
A TOUCH OF HISTORY ABOUT THE HINDU WEDDING
A Hindu wedding is a well known sacrament and is made of various ceremonies and endless rituals, symbols and traditions. Depending on the origin of the couple, we can find different nuances and variations.
The different elements that shape the Hindu wedding origin from the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of Hinduism, one of the oldest known religions.
For Hindus, life is divided into different stages and one of them is marriage, through which they unite. It is not only the union of a man and a woman, but of two families. The wedding, as such, represents a sacred trust, Sanskara, and is addressed to the Brahman God. Reincarnation and universalism are known as pillars of Hinduism, they always have a great presence in this ceremony.
THE RITUALS OF A HINDU WEDDING
Those responsible for setting the date and time of a hindu wedding are not the couple, nor the family members, but an astrologer. He/she decides
after analysing the astral charts of the bride and groom. Usually, the most favourable months are January, February, May, July, November and December.The celebration goes far beyond the wedding day. It lasts for several days and includes different rituals. Hereafter, we will talk about the most remarkable ones.
Let’s start with the rituals prior to tying the knot. The most commonly known events celebrated are the Mehndi and Sangeet night. In both cases, women are the protagonists, these events could be assimilated to a bachelorette party. Although nowadays they are celebrated with both
families and among all guests. During the Mehndi party, women adorn the bride’s hands including the forearms and feet with Mehndi (henna), with designs related to love, happiness and fertility among others. These designs can also include the groom’s initials, which later on play a very important role.
As for the Sangeet, known as the musical night, the bride’s friends and family gather to sing and dance the night away. At present, both the bride’s and groom’s family get together and dance for each other’s families on Bollywood songs. It is known as a night of laughter, fun, good humour and with the purpose of developing a good connection between families.
The day of the wedding starts with the Tel Baan and/or Haldi, a ceremony in which the married women from both families prepare a paste with turmeric to apply on the couple’s body. Traditionally, both families perform the ritual separately. Later on, the groom’s relatives compliment the bride with clothes, jewellery among other assets (palla dastoor) that she will
wear during the religious wedding.One of the most spectacular moments of a Hindu wedding day, is without a doubt, the Baraat Nikasi. In this moment the groom is ready in his beautiful embroidered suit sat on a white horse, followed by an orchestra. He parades accompanied with his family and friends to his future wife’s house. This ritual ends once the groom arrives and the bride’s family welcome him.
The religious ceremony, officiated by a Pandit (Hindu priest specialised in Sanskrit), starts as the couple enters the Mandap. This ceremony includes three universal rituals; Kanyadaan, Panigraham and Saptapadi or the ritual of the seven promises. With the Kanyadaan, the father of the bride hands her daughter. By the Panigraham, the couple hold each others hands (with
the palm facing upwards near the sacred fire (Agni) which symbolises the union. Consecutively, the boyfriend ties the Mangalsutra (sacred necklace) on his bride’s neck and sprinkles Sindoor (holy red powder) on her hairline which she shall wear as a sign of being a married woman for the rest of her life. Finally, Saptapadi is the moment in which the groom and bride recite their vows alternately, traditionally in Sanskrit, whilst the couple take seven rounds around the holy fire (Agni). After the seventh round, they are considered married. This last ritual is accompanied by the parents of both whom bless the couple with a rain of rice as a sign of prosperity.
After all these rituals, the religious wedding has now concluded with the couple officially married. However, the celebration has not ended. The family unites to honor the love of the newlyweds with rituales like Bidai, which consists of dismissing the couple by the using a
coconut, which represents Lord Shiva, to pass over their heads. It is considered as a mean to satisfy their desires. Lastly, to break the ice between the couple, on the wedding night the groom needs to look for his initials between the henna designs on the brides hands.
As you’ve been able to review, other than luxurious and full of shine, a Hindu wedding is an extremely complex celebration due to all its rituals, symbols and traditions. At Kamal Events & Productions we have a deep knowledge of all the above and more, which allows us to offer you everything you need to make each moment of your celebration remembered. If you want to know more, do not hesitate to contact us!
