9 Unique Indian Wedding Traditions And Their Significance
Indian weddings are epitome of glamour and fun. There are so many unique Indian wedding traditions and functions. Indian weddings are not a one day party. It’s a three day affair with so many ceremonies and moments of fun are shared. It is the time of the year when the whole family gets together under one roof and enjoys every bit of it.
Beautiful & Unique Indian Wedding Traditions..
There are so many traditions are performed in these three days. Every tradition is held like a beautiful function with every family member’s presence and having fun with each other. Here are some of the most awesome wedding traditions in India.
1) Mehendi
The mehendi function is held and attended by the ladies of the house. But in the modern era, the whole family enjoys it completely and equally with both, bride and the groom. It is the ceremony where the bride’s hands and feet are adorned with intricate mehendi or henna designs. The henna signifies the bond between the bride and her future husband.
2) Haldi
It is the ceremony where the bride and the groom are applied a mixture of water, oil and turmeric powder. This mixture is applied everywhere and is believed to bless the couple. It also moisturizes their skin before the wedding. It brings a certain golden glow on the skin of the couple.
3) Mandap
The couple gets married under a Mandap, a four-pillared canopy, which is decorated with beautiful flowers and bright colours that often match the stunning outfits of the couple. The Mandap is mostly built on the morning of the wedding ceremony.
4) Joota Chori
This is one of the best and most unique Indian wedding traditions. It is when the wedding is going on, the sister-in-laws or the saalis of the groom steal his wedding shoes and hide it somewhere. The shoes are not returned to him until the groom greets them some money or gifts and then he gets his shoes back.
5) The Holy Fire
The holy fire, or the agni is central to an Indian wedding ceremony. It acts as a witness. During the ceremony, the couple take seven rounds of the fire and recite the Hindu pledge of marriage which are also the 7 vows a couple have to take while they get married. They have to keep these promises they have made to each other forever. It is surely one of the most beautiful parts of an Indian wedding.
6) Laja Homa
It is surely one of the most unique Indian wedding traditions where the brother of the bride pours rice into her hands. The groom’s hands are cupped underneath and some of the rice has to spill into his hands before slipping into the sacred fire. This is done thrice over which the bride prays to Yamaraj, the God of death, for the long life, prosperity and happiness of her new husband.
7) Mangalsutra and Sindoor Daan
In Indian weddings, we do not exchange rings during the wedding, instead the groom ties a mangalsutra (a golden chain) around bride’s neck as a symbol of happily married life. He applies sindoor or the vermilion in the parting of her hair.
8) Saptapadi
It is when the groom assists the bride to touch the seven betel nuts with her right toe while they recite the seven vows of the marriage. After this, seven married women of the family come up to the bride and whisper blessings into the bride’s ears.
9) Bidaai: An Emotional Goodbye
Here comes the most emotional part of an Indian wedding as it’s the time when the brides bid an official farewell to her family. During the Bidaai ceremony, the bride takes some rice and throws over her head as a thank you gesture for her parents for everything they did for her and for the amount of love and protection they have always given her.
There are so many unique Indian wedding traditions. Indian weddings are a three day venture of fun, glam and excitement. Nothing can match our Indian weddings and the amount of ceremonies we have in it. It is even more than a festival for us.