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Lajahoma (Putting Parched rice into the sacred Fire) :Three obligations are offered to the sacred fire. The bride's brother puts parched rice into his sister's hand, half of which slips into the groom's hand. The bride prays to yama, the God of Death, that he grants long life, health, happiness, and prosperity to the groom. Mangalfera: The couple circles the sacred fire four times. Each time they stop to touch a stone with their toes; this symbolizes obstacles in life that they will overcome together. The groom—signifying his contribution in helping the union to attain dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), and kama (energy and passion)—leads the first three rounds. The bride, signifying their continual journey of spiritual liberation, leads the last round. The couple will then run to sit down; the one who finds a seat first will rule the house. saptapadi: It is said in Hindu philosophy that if two people walk seven steps together then they will remain lifelong friends. While taking these seven steps around the fire, the groom helps the bride touch seven betel nuts with her right toe while they recite the seven vows. At the end of each walk, her brother, signifying wealth and prosperity, fills the open palms of the bride with puffed rice. The seven promises are: 1. Let us take the first step to provide for our household, keeping a pure diet and avoiding those things that might harm us. 2. Let us take the second step to develop our physical, mental, and spiritual powers. 3. Let us take the third step to increase our wealth by righteous and proper means. 4. Let us take the fourth step to acquire knowledge, happiness, and harmony by mutual love, respect, and trust. 5. Let us take the fifth step so that we may be blessed with strong, virtuous, and heroic children. 6. Let us take the sixth step for self-restraint and longevity. 7. Let us take the seventh step to be true companions and remain lifelong partners by this wedlock. saubhagya Chinha (Blessing the Bride): The groom blesses the bride by putting kumkum or sindhur (vermillion powder) at the parting of her hair (or on her forehead) and by giving her a sacred necklace, mangal sutra, which represents the couple's togetherness, love, and sacred union. haridaya-sparsha (touching of hearts): The couple touches each other's hearts, reciting promises to each other. Chathurthi Karma: The couple feeds each other four times for nourishment of the bone, muscle, skin, and soul. saubhagyavati Bhava: Seven married women from the bride's side pass by the couple and whisper blessings into the bride's right ear. aashirvaad (Blessings): The priest blesses the couple, and guests shower them with blessings, rice, and flower petals. The Gujurati wedding concludes with the ashirwaad, in which the couple asks for the blessings of their elders. Post-Wedding traditions Vidai, Vidaai, Viddai (Bride's departure): The bride's farewell to her family and friends is very emotional, since she is leaving her parents' home to build a life with her husband and his family. She leaves with tears of joy and sorrow. Pilucinchuanu Before the wedding car departs, the priest will place a coconut under the front wheel of the car and wait for it to be broken open by the wheels. In the old days, the couple would use a horse-drawn carriage and the broken coconut ensured that the vehicle was roadworthy. islamic Wedding Rituals niKKah: Held either at a mosque, privately in the priest's premises, or in the bride or groom's parents' home, the nikkah ceremony is predominantly a "contract of marriage." It takes less than five minutes, after which religious songs are sung in praise of the Prophet Mohammed and his family. The groom and the bride's father sit before the priest and the groom accepts the bride from her father in marriage. The bride's father expects to give his daughter in marriage for a certain sum of mahr. The mahr is a "free gift" that the man offers to the woman as a token of his serious intentions and love for her—he sacrifices something to her as a gift that she is free to do with as she pleases. The mahr can range from something immaterial, such as teaching a verse of the qur'an to his new wife, to a ring, property, or money. Today the mahr is usually just a token sum. PanarVa and Chera Cheri: Once the nikkah dinner is over and the majority of the guests leave, the family and close friends conduct a ceremony called the panarva. The bride sits on a stool with one of her aunts or close female relatives and various members of the family then wadawa the bride (circle a coconut around her head to cast out all evil). Then a small ceremony called the chera cheri is performed, where a red shawl is tied around the shoulders of the couple. The groom's sister will later come and untie it, and then the couple will do salaams (give a small token of cash) to the immediate relatives. The bride's brother will then hold a lantern and walk the couple into the bridal room, completing the marriage ceremonies. Knanaya catHolic Wedding tRaditions Marriage is a sacrament that involves a commitment for two people to begin a new stage in life together. In the tradition of the Knanaya Catholic community, the marriage service has certain special components that are detailed below: tying oF the thaaLi (Minnu): Knanaya Thaali is in the shape of a banyan leaf, which resembles the heart, the eternal and universal symbol for love. The cross and the Thaali are made with 21 small balls, the result of the multiplication of three with seven, i.e. three persons of the Trinity and seven sacraments. The threads on which the Thaali is attached are taken from the "Manthrakodi." Seven threads are used and then folded into three. The groom ties the Thaali on the neck of the bride using a special knot. This knot is known as the male knot ("Aankettu"), which symbolizes the stability of marriage. Blessing of the Manthrakodi: Manthrakodi is a special dress, a beautiful sari given to the bride during the marriage ceremony. All the Syrian Christians practice this. The Romans used to call this ceremony "veiling" and the Greeks named it "crowning." By giving the Manthrakodi, the groom expresses his willingness to support the bride in the family life. Barumariam song: Barumariam is a song in Syriac language, which narrates the life of Jesus Christ. The people of Babel have used this hymn. Singing this song invokes God's blessing upon the newly wedded couple. This prayer song is a must for Knanayites. As it is said, there is no wedding without "Thaalikettu," there is no Knanaya wedding without singing "Barumariam." aFter the Wedding CereMony nada Vili: The Nada Vili is the Knanaya traditional way of cheering for the couple after the wedding. The couple is carried to the front of the head table by their uncles. This is a sign of respect for the couple and for their commitment in marriage. nellum neerum: The groom's mother blesses the newlyweds by making the sign of the cross on their foreheads using the blessed palm leaf from Palm Sunday, dipped in water with seven rice grains. Water signifies baptism, purity, and new life. Rice signifies prosperity. Villakku Kathikkal: The Vellakku Kathikkal, or Lighting of the Lamp, symbolizes the bride and groom's commitment to bringing the light of God into their life. Vazhu Pidutham: Vazhu Pidutham symbolizes God's blessing given by the bride's mother by placing her hands in the form of a cross on their heads. Palum Pazham Kodukkal: The newlyweds drink milk from the same cup to symbolize that they are no longer two but one. Kacha thazhukal: The groom's family honors the bride's mother's family for taking good care of the bride by presenting gifts to the bride's uncle, mother, and grandmother. Mala ideel: The mothers of the bride and groom present the couple with a gold chain to welcome them into the family.

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