Hindu Wedding Day Rituals
Dear Friends,you have read the first part of the related post. The second part is here which will give you the detailed idea of the rituals that are observed during the main wedding day.
Var Satkaarah – Here in this phase of the wedding affair, the bride’s party gives a formal and warm welcome to the bridegroom and his companions consisting of his relatives and friends at the entrance of the wedding hall/ venue where the officiating priest chants a few mantras and the bride’s mother blesses the groom with rice and trefoil and applies tilak of vermilion and turmeric powder. Here the Groom becomes the centre of attraction for all who are present on the occasion.
Haldi – This is once again a very important ritual of the Hindu wedding ceremony. Here both the bride and the groom are applied sacred turmeric on their arms, hands, palms, face and forehead. This ritual is primarily attended by the women of their respective families. In this ceremony the bride and the groom feel purged with their new life which seems to begin in a very near future.
Kanya Dan –This is believed to be the most important and most sacred part of the whole wedding affair when the bride’s father hands over his daughter to the groom amidst the chanting of sacred Vedic mantras. It is at this phase the girl becomes the bride of her husband. In the absence of the father of the bride, the uncle or the elder brother of the bride carries out this formality and earns a great privilege of his whole life.
Vivah-Homah – The sacred fire ceremony ascertaining that all auspicious undertakings are begun in an atmosphere of purity and spirituality. According to an established belief.
Pani-Grahan – In this part, groom takes the right hand of the bride in his left hand and accepts her as his lawfully wedded wife. This important part of the wedding ritual is carried out amidst chanting of sacred Vedic mantras. Here the tied hands are covered with a piece of red linen cloth.
Pratigna-Karan – The couple walks round the fire, the bride leading, and take solemn vows of loyalty, steadfast love, cooperation, sharing of joys and sorrows and life-long fidelity to each other. This is a very important part of Hindu wedding ceremony which affirms the strength and life-long longevity of the relationship.
Laja-Homah – Puffed rice offered as oblations into the sacred fire by the bride while keeping the palms of her hands over those of the groom. Here customarily, the brother of the bride gives her the puffed rice grains. This is a very important part of the wedding proceedings as after this the wedding rituals get nearly over. It is a very touching episode as well because it is at this point of time where the bride realizes that her relationship with her own people has become weaker with comparison to her new relationship which revolves around her husband and her in-laws.
Parikrama or Pradakshina – The couple goes around the sacred fire seven times amidst chanting the Veda mantras. This aspect of the ceremony legalizes the marriage according to the Hindu Marriage Act as well as custom.
Saptapadi – Marriage knot symbolized by tying one end of the groom’s scarf with the bride’s dress. Then they take seven steps representing nourishment, strength, prosperity, happiness, progeny, long life and harmony and understanding, respectively.
Abhishek – Sprinkling of water, meditating on the sun and the pole star.
Aashirvadah – Blessing of the newly-wed couple by the elders at the end of the wedding ceremonies get over. Here the newly-wed couple is offered presentation in cash or kind from the elders of the family.
