One of the richest states of India is also rich in wedding rituals and customs. Gujarati wedding means lot of fun, food and firecrackers. During the wedding celebration, both the families go gaga as the joyous occasion lasts for many days – right from engagement (sagai) to wedding and wedding reception. Here is the description of customs and ritual associated with Gujarati wedding.
Gujarati wedding starts with Sagai. This ceremony marks the commitment of bride and groom to each other. In this ceremony, bride comes to the groom’s house with an earthen container (matli). Now the container is available in steel. This matli contains sweets and gifts for the groom and his family. This ceremony means the acceptance of bride and groom by the respective family. Then comes a ceremony wherein five ladies from both families bless the couple. By this, they give their words to each other and now bride and groom are engaged.
The engagement ceremony requires some items. Here is a list:
Ring, Chundri, Coconut, Sava Rupaiya (Rs1.25/-), Sweets, Bangles, Sari, Bindi, Kumkum
Ganesh Sthapana/Mandap Muhurat
A Gujarati wedding is not possible without invoking Lord Ganesha. Installation of the statue of Ganesha is a must. This is the official start of a Gujarati wedding. This ritual is performed a few days ago of wedding. All the members of family sit together and pundit performs the Pooja of Lord Ganesha. This ceremony is performed so that Lord Ganesha removes all the obstacles and wedding is accomplished peacefully. This Pooja takes place at both household. For this, you need the painting of Lord Ganesha, Pooja Samagri (materials), flowers to decorate Ganesha Sthapan.
Graha Shanti
Graha Shanti is another important ritual. As a matter of fact, it is a Pooja conducted at the households of bride and groom. An auspicious time is decided by family pandit. On the day of Graha Shanti, horoscopes of bride and groom are also matched. It is a religious get-together of family members and relatives. For this Pooja, pandit gives the list of materials to be arranged.
Pithi
This is a ceremony where members of family and relatives apply a paste of turmeric, sandalwood and saffron (Pithi). This paste has qualities that cleanse the skin and put a healthy glow on the face of bride and groom. For this, you need to arrange paste of turmeric, sandalwood and saffron.
Garba
Can you imagine a Gujarati wedding without Garba? This ceremony gives the opportunity for both families to come together and enjoy the traditional Garba and Gujarati wedding songs. Friends of bride and groom participate in Garba, and they drag bride and groom in the circle. They dance with two wooden sticks (Dandia) hitting the sticks of partner. Music is the soul of Garba. A band of musicians play different instruments in which Dhol, harmonium and Flute are prominent. During the Garba, fresh knots are also tied between future couples.
Things to be arranged for this ceremony:
DJ or Musical Party
Dandia (wooden sticks)
Snacks (Gota, Khaman, Samosa, fafda)
Soft or Hot Drinks.
Wedding Ceremony
Jaan (Marriage Party)/Ponkvu
One of the important rituals is Jaan, the marriage party. Groom comes with his family, friends and relative to take his bride home. Here, groom seeks blessings of his mother-in-law, who not only gives blessings but also clutches his nose. This ceremony is to check how modest and thoughtful the groom is. This also keeps evil eye far from the groom. The ritual indicates that the groom has to rub his nose at the doorstep of his father-in-law to win the heart of bride.
Things to be arranged for Baarat
Aarti Thali (Diya. KumKum, Chaval, Flowers)
Flower Garlands
Music Band (from groom’s side)
Jaimala/Varmala
During this ceremony, bride and groom exchange flower wreath with each other. At this, a funny incident takes place. When bride tries to put wreath around the neck of groom, friends of groom lifts him high so that bride fails to do so. This signifies that bride cannot take the groom from his friends and family even after marriage.
Things to be arranged for Jaimala
Flower wreaths (for bride and groom)
Madhuparka
After Varmala, it’s Madhuparka. Here groom is welcomed in the mandap by his mother-in-law. According to custom, bride’s parents wash groom’s feet and he is given milk and honey. Fun is never away from Gujarati wedding. Here also bride’s siblings steal and hide away the shoes of groom. After some bargaining, groom has to shell out some bucks to take his shoes back.
Things to be arrange for this ceremony
Pooja Samagri (as per pandit’s list)
Kalash of water (to wash feet of groom)
Antarpaat/Kanya Agman
Now is the time to invite bride to the mandap, and pandit shouts the ‘Agman Kanya’. According to Gujarati custom, bride’s mama (maternal uncle) brings her to chori (mandap). If mama is not able to attend the ceremony, bride’s cousins (mama’s sons) perform this ceremony. There is a curtain known as Antarpaat separates bride and groom; then the curtain is lowered and couple put garlands in each others’ necks. This ceremony takes place in front of sacred fire and is conducted by pandit.
Things to be arranged for this ceremony
Flower garlands
White cloth (for curtain called antarpaat)
Kanya Daan
In Hindu scriptures, Kanya Daan is considered the biggest daan for any human being; a person, who gives away his daughter, is the luckiest on earth. In this ceremony, bride is given away by her parents to groom. Bride’s parents do not eat until the Kanya Daan is accomplished. According to Holy Scriptures, bride is Goddess Laxmi and the groom is Lord Vishnu.
Hast Milap – Uniting the souls
In its literal meaning, this is a joining of hands, but in its deeper sense it is a union of two souls. In this ceremony, groom’s scarf is fastened to the bride’s sari, and this denotes the union of two souls. This knot is tied by groom’s sister. The chanting of mantra invites goddess Laxmi and goddess Parvati to bless the bride. The couple is blessed by relatives by showering grains of rice and flowers.
Mangal Pheras
In this ceremony pandit chants mantras and groom also recites mantras, which show his expectations and he seeks the love and support of his wife for the smooth sailing of nuptial life. The bride and groom walks around the scared fire 4 times; this signifies the 4 basic human goals: Dharma (religious merit), Artha (prosperity) Kama (happiness) Moksha (detachment from worldly pleasures). At the end of pheras, the bride and groom will run to sit first. It is said that one who sits first rules the house.
Saptapadi
In Saptapadi, the couple walks around the holy fire seven times. This ceremony makes up the marriage as it is an important ritual in Gujarati wedding. The groom recites mantras with each round. He requests his bride to take care of house, be supportive to him. There are seven requests made by groom and bride promises him to fulfill these requests.
Blessings of Saubhagyawati Bhava
A small but important ceremony. It has a great value in bride’s life as she is blessed by only married women. Seven married women whisper their blessings in the right ear of bride. These women wish lifetime Saubhagya for the bride.
Chhedo Pakadvo
Grooms, if you can earn hundred or five hundred odd bucks just by holding the Pallu of the sari of your mother-in-law, it’s not a bad idea. In this ceremony, groom holds the sari of his mother-in-law to ask for gifts for him and his family.
Post Wedding Ceremony
Vidaai
Tears rolling down the smiling cheeks. When it is time to say bye-bye to bride, all the pleasure in the bride camp is turned to pain of separation. The uncontrolled emotions flow from the eyes of the family of bride. Here bride’s brother comes into picture as bride is carried out by her brother.
Ghar nu Laxmi
Now the bride is a member of groom’s family. She is considered the goddess Laxmi of groom’s family. In this ceremony, groom’s mother plays an important role. She places a kalash (a steel vessel) full of rice at the entrance of the house. Bride knocks the vessel down with her right foot and enters the house. This ritual symbolizes that the new bride is responsible for the pleasures and peace of entire household.
Aeki Beki
Now the funny activities start at the home. One such is Aeki Beki, wherein a vessel full of water mixed with milk and sindoor is placed before bride and groom. In this water are few coins and a ring are thrown. Now both start finding the coins and ring from the water. One who finds ring four out of seven times will rule the household.
Jayesh