Thursday, December 21, 2017

Rituals in Hindu Wedding

The Hindu wedding rituals may vary depending on which part of India the bride and the groom are from. Notwithstanding regional variations and diversity of languages, culture, and customs, the basic tenets of a Hindu marriage are common throughout the Indian subcontinent. A Hindu marriage is called Vivah and the wedding ceremony is called Vivaha samskar. In Hinduism a marriage is considered a samskara (sacrament) because in Vedic tradition it is an important turning point in the life of a householder and in the destiny of the souls that depend upon the marriage for their return to the earth.

Hindu marriage ceremonies are colorful, and the celebration may extend for days depending upon the social and economic status of the bride and the bridegroom. The rituals associated with Hindu marriages vary from caste to caste. However, there are a few rituals that are common to most marriages.
The Hindu marriage rituals can be broadly classified into pre marriage rituals, marriage rituals and post marriage rituals. Pre marriage rituals include a formal get together of both families, usually at the bride's place, to facilitate a meeting between the bride and the groom. Once they give their mutual consent, parents proceed with other arrangement such as fixing the marriage date, writing a formal declaration of marriage called the lagna patrika, choosing the marriage hall, finalizing the guest lists, printing the invitation cards, exchanging gifts, and reaching a formal agreement about dowry and duties and responsibilities of both sides during the marriage function, etc.
The common marriage rituals include inviting the bridegroom to the marriage place called mandap, giving away the daughter as a gift to the groom called kanyadan, tying a knot called maanglsutra, holding the bride's hands and accepting her called panigrahan, and walking seven steps together around the fire altar called saptapadi. All the rituals are performed by a Vedic priest accompanied by appropriate Vedic chants. The marriage is performed in the presence of gods as the witnesses. As in other Vedic sacrifices, Agni, the fire God acts as the primary recipient of the offerings that are made to gods in the marriage. The bride is also one of the offerings. The Chants which are used in the marriage ceremony are mainly in Sanskrit. But, the priests also use native languages while giving instructions to the groom and the bride during the ceremony to help them perform the rituals, take the oaths or chant the mantras.
Common post-wedding ceremonies include, arranging some traditional games between the bride and the groom to increase their playfulness, watching the star Arundhati, sharing a meal, receiving blessings from the elders, family photographs, and driving the bride from the marriage hall to where the groom and his family stay or live. At the main entrance to the groom's house, the newly married couple are welcomed with traditional aarati. The bride kicks a vessel of food grains that are kept at the entrance of the house, before stepping inside first with her right foot and next with the left foot since right foot is considered auspicious. The event marks the beginning of the householder's life for the couple.

Marriages, according to Hindu beliefs are made in heaven, and once you are married, the bond is supposed to last for seven lifetimes. It is considered to be a turning point in an individual’s life as he enters the second important phase or ashram of his life – the ‘Garhasthyaashram’. The Hindu wedding ceremony can stretch to any length of time. For a religion as ancient and rich as Hinduism, its customs are as countless as they are timeless. Every single custom and practice in a wedding ceremony has deep philosophical and spiritual significance. Throughout the world the Hindus adhere to these set of rituals and continue on the traditions of marriage that is unique amongst those in the world. 

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