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There seem to be as many different types of Desi weddings as there are number of religions. With the prevalent influences of magazines, TV, and societal trends, brides have become Americanized, morphing look of a Desi wedding. They often want to keep their ceremonies traditional, both to receive their parents' blessings and to honor the beauty of their culture, but are altering the length and incorporating elements like emcees to explain the steps, add character, and tell their own unique story. Many times the ceremony is performed just so because that's how the family has always done or seen it. At Electric Karma, we fuse traditional and modern elements and offer options so it's a completely personalized experience— the Electric Karma experience. I would like to thank all the amazing brides I've had the pleasure to coordinate fairytales for, as well as the families who entrust their daughters' happiness to me. My goal is always to create something that's uniquely theirs. Immense gratitude is also due to the many creative partners who support Electric Karma and help make these truly incredible weddings happen. glossary of terms Hindu Wedding Rituals One of the most ritualistic wedding ceremonies in the world, the Hindu marriage ceremony is composed of holy verses that are described in the Vedas (spiritual scriptures). The ceremony takes place under a mandap, or wedding canopy. The four corners of the mandap represent the four corners of the earth, and the four pillars represent the four parents and their roles in raising the couple. The couple sits facing east, the direction the sun rises. Pre-Wedding eVents Misri (engagement Party, ring Ceremony): Garlands and sweets are gifted between the two families before gold wedding rings are exchanged. In Gujarati families, the bride's family presents the matli, a package that represents good luck and symbolizes acceptance of the union. Mehendi or Mehndi Party: In the past, mehndi parties were for ladies only, but today the gentlemen are often invited to join. Mehndi signifies the strength of the love in a marriage, so brides try to leave it on as long as possible to maintain a dark color. The bride's mehndi, which can take hours to apply, is drawn on the hands and feet, while guests' mehndi is usually applied only to their hands as an auspicious ritual. sangeet/garba/raas: A joint event for both families, the sangeet is an opportunity to sing songs, perform skits, and dance. Among the Gujarti, garba or raas is a favored alternative. Traditional wedding garba songs are played as the couple starts the dance in a circle with the immediate family. In the circle's center there are either god statues or other décor. The dandiya raas dance is then performed, with guests tapping their dandiya sticks with each partner and then switching. ghari Puja: A religious ceremony held on the eve of the wedding in the respective homes of the couple. The priest performs prayers with rice, coconut, wheat grains, oil, betel nuts, and turmeric. The mother and close female relatives carry earthenware pots of water on their heads and plant a small stalk in the garden in celebration. The ghari puja is often combined with the cleansing ceremony (pithi) during which the couple are pasted with turmeric powder (haldi) in a beautification process. the Wedding day gowri Puja: On the wedding day, brides again perform gowri/ghari puja to thank the Goddess for answering her prayers and finding her a suitable groom. This is a private ceremony performed before the wedding rites by the bride's parents and the priest. The wedding day usually commences with a fast for both the bride and groom. The groom will leave his house accompanied by his best man and one of his female relatives, whose job it is to keep the groom awake by shaking a metal pot filled with a few coins and a betel nut over his head. Weddings in India were traditionally held in the evening, at which time a hungry groom might succumb to sleep. The groom's car may be impeded by the younger female members of his family who demand a gift in exchange for allowing him to leave. Wedding CereMony Baraat: The groom's feet are not supposed to touch the ground in this kingly procession. He often arrives on a white horse, elephant, or by other creative means, such as a chariot, camel, race car, or pickup truck. Friends and relatives of the groom will gather at a starting point with loud music, a dholi, drum player, and lots of dancing to celebrate his journey to meet his bride. A small boy, either the brother's son or the sister's son and commonly called a sarbala, often rides with the groom. The procession arrives at the groom's arch, where the bride's family is waiting, marking the beginning of the wedding. Welcomed by his mother-in-law with a flower garland, the groom is escorted to the mandap after his mother-in-law performs an aarti and playfully tries to grab his nose. The father of the bride washes the right foot of the groom with milk and honey. At the end of the welcome, a white sheet (antarpaat) is held to prevent the groom from seeing the arrival of the bride. Punjabi ritual may consist of a milni ceremony prior to the precession of the groom to the mandap. The milni is when the men from the bride's side welcome the men from the groom's side, starting with the oldest members to each family, and exchange flower garlands and either cash or clothes. stealing of the groom's shoes: The groom enters the stage of the mandap and removes his shoes, which are then stolen by either his sister-in-law or the bride's cousins. The shoes are held and hidden until the end of the ceremony. arrival of the Bride: The bride is escorted to the mandap by her maternal uncle, brothers, female cousins, and friends. Brides have become very contemporary and are now having a bridal party consisting of bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, and ring bearers. The bride may enter by being carried in on a dholi or under a chunni (scarf). the Mantras: In the mandap, the sacred fire symbolizes not only the illumination of the mind, knowledge, and happiness, but is also a clean and pure witness to the ceremony. The ceremony itself is a collection of rituals performed by the bride, groom, and their respective parents and close relatives. The priest, also called pundit, chants mantras from the Vedas that were originally written in Sanskrit. The following items are used in the ceremony: • Fresh flowers to signify beauty • Coconut to signify fertility • rice, jiggery, and other grains to signify the food necessary to sustain human life • ghee (purified butter) to offer the sacred fire • Kumkum (vermillion) red powder used for marking the forehead to signify good luck and to say that the husband is with the bride Kanyadaan (entrusting of the daughter): The bride's parents give their daughter to the groom by putting the bride's right hand into the groom's right hand while reciting sacred verse. The curtain separating the couple is then lowered and the couple exchanges flower garlands. The varmala is preformed by the elders: They place an auspicious white cotton cord around the couple's shoulders to protect them from evil influences. This also symbolizes the couple's bond. Jaimala: Fun and religious at the same time, the bride exchanges flower garlands, or jaimala, with the groom-to-be while his friends try to lift him up and make it difficult for her to place the garland and vice versa. shilarohana (stepping on the stone): The bride places her right foot on a stone. The groom tells her to be as firm as the stone in his house so that they can face their enemies and difficulties of life together. hasta Milap: The groom's chunni, is tied to the bride's sari, declaring the union of their souls.

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